In the case of Thomas v. Washington Gas Light Co., 1979, the U.S Supreme Court addressed a dispute over whether or not an employee could sue his employer for damages resulting from an injury sustained at work. The plaintiff, Mr. Thomas, was injured in a gas explosion while working for Washington Gas Light Company and sought compensation beyond what he received through workers' compensation insurance. He argued that because his employer had violated safety regulations which led to his injuries, he should be allowed to pursue additional damages in court. However, the Supreme Court ruled against him stating that under District of Columbia law (where this case originated), workers' compensation is meant to be an exclusive remedy for workplace injuries; therefore employees cannot sue their employers for further damages if they have already received benefits through workers’ comp insurance.

In the dissenting opinion for Thomas v. Washington Gas Light Co., it was argued that the majority's decision to allow a private cause of action under Section 407(a) of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act (NGPSA) contradicted Congress' intent when enacting this law. The dissent pointed out that NGPSA is primarily a regulatory statute, not designed to provide individuals with an avenue for personal injury claims. They contended that if Congress had intended such a significant departure from traditional tort law principles, they would have explicitly stated so in clear and unambiguous terms within the legislation itself. Furthermore, they noted that allowing such lawsuits could potentially undermine federal safety standards by encouraging courts to impose their own varying interpretations of what constitutes "safe" pipeline operation.