The U.S. Supreme Court case Seaboard Air Line Railway v. Koennecke in 1915 centered around a dispute between the railway company and an employee, Koennecke, who was injured while working on one of its trains. The key issue at hand was whether or not the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) applied to this situation since it provides compensation for railroad workers who are injured on the job due to negligence by their employer. The court ruled that FELA did indeed apply as long as there is some form of interstate commerce involved in the worker's duties - which was true for Koennecke’s work with Seaboard Air Line Railway Company because he worked on trains that crossed state lines. Therefore, his injury claim fell under federal jurisdiction rather than state law and he could seek damages from his employer under FELA.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Seaboard Air Line Railway v. Koennecke argued that the plaintiff, Mr. Koennecke, should not be held responsible for his injuries sustained while working on a railway car because he was not aware of the dangers associated with it. The Justice believed that it was unreasonable to expect an ordinary worker to understand and anticipate all potential risks involved in their work environment without proper training or warning from their employer. Furthermore, they contended that even if Mr. Koennecke had been negligent by failing to secure himself properly before starting his work, this negligence did not absolve his employer (Seaboard Air Line Railway) from its responsibility towards ensuring workplace safety under federal law at the time.