In Union Railroad Company v. Dull, the Supreme Court of the United States was asked to decide whether a railroad company was liable for damages caused by a train accident. The plaintiff, Dull, was a passenger on the train when it collided with another train, resulting in injuries to Dull. Dull sued the railroad company, claiming that the company was negligent in its operation of the train. The Supreme Court held that the railroad company was liable for the damages caused by the accident. The Court found that the railroad company had a duty to exercise reasonable care in the operation of its trains, and that it had breached this duty by failing to take proper precautions to prevent the accident. The Court also held that the railroad company was liable for the damages caused by the accident, even though the accident was caused by the negligence of another train operator. The Court's decision established that railroad companies have a duty to exercise reasonable care in the operation of their trains, and that they are liable for damages caused by their negligence. This decision has been cited in numerous cases since then, and has been used to establish the legal principle that companies have a duty to exercise reasonable care in the operation of their businesses.

Justice Field delivered the dissenting opinion in Union Railroad Company v. Dull, arguing that the majority's decision was wrongfully decided and should be reversed. He argued that under the law of Pennsylvania, which governed this case, a railroad company had no right to enter upon private property for any purpose other than constructing its road without first obtaining permission from the owner or paying compensation for damages caused by such entry. The Court held otherwise because it found that there was an implied agreement between Union Railroad Company and Dull granting them access to his land; however Justice Field disagreed with this conclusion as he believed there was insufficient evidence to support such an agreement. Furthermore, he argued that even if such an agreement did exist it would not excuse Union Railroad Company from their obligation of compensating Dull for damages done during construction since they were required by law to do so regardless of any prior agreements made with landowners along their route. In sum, Justice Field concluded that while railroads may have certain privileges when entering onto private lands these privileges are limited and must always be accompanied by proper compensation whenever damage is done on said lands.