In the 1942 case Davis v. Department of Labor and Industries of the State of Washington, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of a widow who sought compensation for her husband's death from silicosis, an occupational disease contracted during his employment at a construction company. The court held that it was unconstitutional for Washington state law to deny Mrs. Davis benefits on grounds that her claim was not filed within one year after her husband’s last exposure to silica dust at work - even though he had died more than a year later from silicosis caused by this exposure. The ruling emphasized that such time limitation is arbitrary and unreasonable as it does not take into account the nature of occupational diseases which may manifest symptoms long after initial exposure.

In the dissenting opinion for Davis v. Department of Labor and Industries of Washington, Justice Frank Murphy argued that the majority's decision to uphold a state law requiring employers to pay into a fund for industrial injuries was an overreach of state power. He contended that this requirement violated the due process clause by forcing employers to contribute towards potential future liabilities without any consideration given to their individual circumstances or risk factors. Furthermore, he disagreed with the majority's assertion that such laws were necessary as part of broader social welfare efforts, arguing instead they unfairly burdened businesses and could potentially lead to economic instability if applied indiscriminately across all industries and states.