In the case of New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Company v. Kinney, 1922, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of the railroad company. The plaintiff, Kinney, had sued for damages after being injured while working for the railroad company due to alleged negligence on part of his employer. However, at that time he was already receiving benefits under a state workers' compensation law which provided relief without regard to fault or negligence by employers. The court held that this did not preclude him from also seeking additional recovery through a lawsuit based on common-law principles of liability. The key issue before the court was whether accepting these statutory benefits constituted an election of remedies that barred any further claim against his employer based on tort law principles (i.e., civil wrongs causing harm). In its decision, however,the Supreme Court found no such bar existed and affirmed Kinney's right to sue despite having accepted workers' compensation payments. This ruling clarified an important aspect regarding worker rights and protections in cases involving workplace injuries - namely that acceptance of statutory benefits does not necessarily prevent employees from pursuing other legal avenues for redress.

In the dissenting opinion for New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Company v. Kinney, it was argued that the majority's decision to uphold a state law requiring railroads to compensate workers for injuries sustained on the job, even if they were not negligent in their duties, was incorrect. The dissenting justices believed this ruling violated the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because it unfairly imposed liability without fault. They contended that while states have broad powers to regulate businesses within their borders and protect worker safety, these powers should not extend so far as to violate constitutional protections against arbitrary government action. In essence, they felt that forcing companies to pay damages regardless of negligence constituted an unjust taking of property without due process of law.