Erie Railroad Company v. Amy Winfield

Decision Date01 March 1916
Docket NumberNo. 353,353
Citation37 S.Ct. 556,61 L.Ed. 1057,244 U.S. 170
PartiesERIE RAILROAD COMPANY, Plff. in Err., v. AMY L. WINFIELD
CourtU.S. Supreme Court

Messrs. George S. Hobart and Gilbert Collins for plaintiff in error.

Mr. Harry Lane for defendant in error.

Mr. Justice Van Devanter delivered the opinion of the court:

This was a proceeding under a New Jersey statute, chap. 95, Laws 1911, against a common carrier by railroad, engaged in both interstate and intrastate commerce, to obtain compensation for the death of one of its employees. The employee was in charge of a switch engine in the carrier's extensive yard at Croxton, New Jersey, and was switching freight cars about in the yard, especially to and from a transfer station. The cars usually contained package freight and many were moved in the course of a day's work. In some the freight was interstate, in others intrastate, and in still others it was of both classes. This was true of the cars moved on the day in question. In concluding his work for that day the employee took his engine to the place where it was to remain for the night and started to leave the yard. His route lay across some of the tracks, and while passing over one he was struck by an engine and received injuries from which he soon died. No causal negligence was alleged or proved, and both parties assumed there was none. In these circumstances the trial judge, while not doubting that the fatal injury occurred in the course of the deceased's employment, held that he was not then employed in interstate commerce, and that compensation should be made under the state statute to the widow. A judgment in her favor was entered, but was reversed by the supreme court of the state, which concluded that the deceased's employment at the time of the injury was in interstate commerce, and that the case was controlled by the Employers' Liability Act of Congress, which makes negligence the test of the carrier's liability or obligation. That judgment was in turn reversed by the court of errors and appeals, which, although assuming 'that the conclusion of the supreme court as to the character' of the deceased's employment at the time of the injury 'was justified by the facts proved,' regarded the Federal act as without bearing, because affording no remedy and imposing no liability in the absence of causal negligence. 88 N. J. L. 619, 96 Atl. 394.

The questions presented for decision are these: First, whether the Federal act is regulative of the carrier's liability or obligation in every instance of the injury or death of one of its employees in interstate commerce, or only in those instances where there is causal negligence for which the carrier is responsible. Second, whether the facts proved sustain the conclusion that the deceased was employed in interstate commerce at the time of the injury. Third, whether, by reason of the state statute, the carrier became bound contractually to make compensation in this instance, even though it came within the Federal act.

The first question is fully considered in New York C. R. Co. v. Winfield, the opinion in which has been just announced, 244 U. S. 147, 61 L. ed. ——, 37 Sup. Ct. Rep. 546, and...

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