In the case of Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company v. George in 1913, the U.S Supreme Court ruled on a dispute between a coal company and an injured employee seeking compensation for his injuries. The plaintiff, Mr. George was injured while working at one of the defendant's mines due to negligence by another employee who failed to properly secure a mine roof causing it to collapse onto him. He sued under Alabama’s Employer’s Liability Act which allowed employees to seek damages from their employers if they were harmed as a result of negligence or incompetence by fellow workers. The court held that since Mr.George had accepted benefits from an accident insurance fund set up by his employer after he got hurt, he could not sue them for further damages because acceptance of these benefits constituted an agreement between him and his employer that would bar any future claims against them related to this incident. This decision established important legal precedent regarding worker's rights and employer liability in cases where companies provide some form of injury compensation or insurance coverage for their employees.

In the dissenting opinion for Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company v. George, Justice Holmes argued that the majority's decision to strike down a state law regulating working hours in mines and smelters was an overreach of judicial power. He contended that it is not within the purview of courts to determine economic policy or assess whether such laws are wise or unwise, necessary or unnecessary. Instead, he believed these decisions should be left up to legislatures who are elected by people and thus more accountable for their actions. Furthermore, he disagreed with the majority's interpretation of due process rights under Fourteenth Amendment as protecting freedom of contract without any restrictions whatsoever from government regulation.