Beals v. Illinois, Missouri and Texas Rail Road Company was a Supreme Court case that was decided in 1883. The case involved a dispute between the plaintiff, William Beals, and the defendant, the Illinois, Missouri and Texas Rail Road Company. Beals had been injured while working on the defendant's railroad and he sued the company for damages. The Supreme Court held that the defendant was liable for Beals' injuries because it had failed to provide a safe working environment. The Court found that the defendant had failed to provide adequate safety measures and had not taken reasonable steps to protect its employees. The Court also held that the defendant was liable for Beals' injuries even though he had assumed the risk of working on the railroad. The Court's decision in Beals v. Illinois, Missouri and Texas Rail Road Company established the principle that employers must take reasonable steps to protect their employees from harm. This decision has been cited in numerous cases since then and has been used to support the idea that employers must provide a safe working environment for their employees.

In the dissenting opinion of Beals v. Illinois, Missouri and Texas Railroad Company, Justice Field argued that the plaintiff was not entitled to damages for his injuries because he had assumed the risk when he chose to ride on a train operated by an interstate railroad company. He reasoned that since Congress had granted exclusive jurisdiction over such companies to federal courts, state courts did not have authority in this case. Furthermore, Justice Field noted that under common law principles of contributory negligence and assumption of risk, it would be inappropriate for a court to award damages in this situation as it would encourage reckless behavior from passengers who knew they were taking risks but expected compensation if something went wrong. Ultimately, Justice Field concluded that while sympathy may be due to those injured through no fault of their own while riding on trains operated by interstate railroads companies; however justice must prevail even if it is harsh or unpopular with some members of society.