In the case of Diehl v. Lehigh Valley Railroad Co., 1954, the plaintiff, Mr. Diehl was injured while working for Lehigh Valley Railroad Company and sought compensation under the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA). The Supreme Court had to decide whether a railroad worker who is injured on duty can sue his employer under FELA even if he has already received benefits from his union's insurance fund that were partly funded by contributions from his employer. The court ruled in favor of Mr. Diehl stating that receiving benefits from an insurance fund does not preclude a worker from seeking additional damages through litigation against their employer under FELA. This decision emphasized that workers' rights to seek full compensation for injuries sustained at work are not diminished by any prior payments they may have received.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Diehl v. Lehigh Valley Railroad Co. et al., argued that the majority's decision to hold a railroad company liable for injuries sustained by an employee was incorrect and inconsistent with previous rulings on similar cases. The dissenters believed that there was insufficient evidence to prove negligence on part of the railroad company, as required under Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA). They contended that it is not enough for an injury to occur while at work; rather, it must be demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that employer negligence directly caused said injury. In this case, they felt such proof was lacking and thus disagreed with holding the railroad responsible for damages awarded to Mr. Diehl.