Bullard v. Des Moines, and Fort Dodge Railroad was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1887. The case involved a dispute between the plaintiff, Bullard, and the defendant, the Des Moines and Fort Dodge Railroad. Bullard had been injured while working on the railroad and sought damages from the railroad for his injuries. The Supreme Court held that the railroad was liable for Bullard's injuries. The Court reasoned that the railroad had a duty to provide a safe workplace for its employees and that it had failed to do so. The Court also held that the railroad was liable for Bullard's injuries even though he had assumed the risk of injury by working on the railroad. The Court's decision in Bullard v. Des Moines, and Fort Dodge Railroad established the principle that employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace for their employees and that they are liable for any injuries that occur as a result of their failure to do so. This decision has been cited in numerous cases since then and has become an important part of American labor law.

In Bullard v. Des Moines, and Fort Dodge Railroad, the Supreme Court was tasked with deciding whether a railroad company had to pay damages for an injury sustained by one of its employees while working on their property. The majority opinion found that the plaintiff did not have a right to recover damages from the defendant because he had failed to prove negligence on behalf of the railroad company. However, Justice Field dissented from this decision and argued that under common law principles, employers were liable for injuries suffered by their employees in certain circumstances regardless of fault or negligence. He reasoned that since there was no dispute as to who owned and operated the premises where Bullard worked at when he got injured, it should be presumed that they are responsible for any harm caused due to unsafe conditions present on their property. Therefore, Justice Field concluded that even if there is no evidence showing actual knowledge or carelessness regarding these dangerous conditions by those in charge of running said premises - which would make them liable through ordinary negligence - they should still be held accountable based upon strict liability rules applicable in such cases according to established legal precedents at the time