The U.S. Supreme Court case Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company v. Glenn in 1915 revolved around a dispute over the liability of a railroad company for injuries sustained by an employee while on duty. The plaintiff, Glenn, was injured when he fell from a moving train operated by the defendant, Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. He alleged that his fall was due to negligence on part of the company as they failed to provide safe equipment and working conditions. The court ruled in favor of Glenn stating that under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA), employers are liable for injuries suffered by their employees due to their negligence or failure to ensure safety at work. This ruling established precedence for holding companies accountable for ensuring workplace safety and reinforced FELA's purpose which is protecting workers from hazardous employment conditions.

In the dissenting opinion for Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company v. Glenn, it was argued that the plaintiff should not be allowed to recover damages because he had willingly assumed a risk associated with his employment. The justice contended that when an employee voluntarily accepts a job knowing its inherent dangers and risks, they cannot later sue their employer for injuries sustained from those known hazards. In this case, the plaintiff was aware of the dangerous condition of the railroad track but continued working without complaint or request for repair. Therefore, according to this view, he implicitly accepted these conditions as part of his employment and thus assumed any resulting risks - including injury.