Railroad Company v. Smith was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1869. The case involved a dispute between a railroad company and a passenger, Smith, who had been injured while riding on the company's train. Smith had sued the railroad company for damages, claiming that the company had been negligent in providing a safe ride. The railroad company argued that Smith had assumed the risk of injury by riding on the train and that they were not liable for any damages. The Supreme Court ultimately sided with Smith, ruling that the railroad company had a duty to provide a safe ride and that Smith had not assumed the risk of injury. The Court held that the railroad company was liable for Smith's injuries and awarded him damages. This case established the principle that railroad companies have a duty to provide a safe ride to their passengers and that passengers do not assume the risk of injury when riding on a train.

In Railroad Company v. Smith, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a railroad company could be held liable for injuries suffered by an employee while working on their property. The majority opinion found that the company was not liable because they had taken reasonable precautions and there were no special circumstances in this case which would make them responsible for any injury sustained by the employee. However, Justice Field dissented from this decision and argued that employers should always be held accountable when employees are injured due to negligence or lack of safety measures on their premises. He believed that companies have a duty to ensure safe working conditions and if they fail in doing so then they should bear responsibility for any resulting harm caused to workers. Furthermore, he noted that it is unfair for courts to absolve employers of liability simply because there were no “special” circumstances present at the time of injury; instead, all potential risks must be considered before deciding who is ultimately responsible for damages incurred as a result of workplace accidents.