In the case of Stinson, Administratrix v. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co., 1957, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Mrs. Stinson who was suing on behalf of her deceased husband's estate. Mr. Stinson had been killed while working for Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company when a train car he was attempting to repair moved unexpectedly due to an air brake failure that his employer failed to warn him about or fix properly beforehand. The court found that under Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA), which protects railroad workers from unsafe work conditions and negligence by their employers, Mrs.Stinson could claim damages for her husband’s death as it resulted from negligence on part of his employer -Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company- in maintaining safe working conditions.

In the dissenting opinion for Stinson v. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co., Justice Frankfurter argued that the majority's decision was a departure from established principles of federal jurisdiction and Erie doctrine, which requires federal courts to apply state law in diversity cases. He contended that by allowing a Georgia statute to be applied retroactively, the Court was effectively creating new rights not recognized at the time of injury or death. This, he believed, violated fundamental notions of fairness and due process because it altered legal relationships after they had been formed under existing laws. Furthermore, he asserted that this interpretation could lead to unpredictable results as it would depend on when lawsuits were filed rather than when injuries occurred. In his view, such an approach undermined certainty in law and risked encouraging forum shopping among plaintiffs seeking more favorable jurisdictions.