Chapter 3073. Relating to liability of common carriers in the District of Columbia and Territories and common carriers engaged in commerce between the States and between the States and foreign nations to their employees
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CHAP. 3073.— An Act Relating to liability of common carriers in the District of Columbia and Territories and common carriers engaged in commerce between the States and between the States and foreign nations to their employees. June 11, 1906. [[H. R. 239](/us/bill/34/hr/239).] [[Public, No. 219](/us/pl/34/219).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Common carriers.Liability of, for injuries, etc., to employees.
That every common carrier engaged in trade or commerce in the District of Columbia, or in any Territory of the United States, or between the several States, or between any Territory and another, or between any Territory or Territories and any State or States, or the District of Columbia, or with foreign nations, or between the District of Columbia and any State or States or foreign nations, shall be liable to any of its employees, or, in the case of his death, to his personal representative for the benefit of his widow and children, if any, if none, then for his parents, if none, then for his next of kin dependent upon him, for all damages which may result from the negligence of any of its officers, agents, or employees, or by reason of any defect or insufficiency due to its negligence in its cars, engines, appliances, machinery, track, roadbed, ways, or works.
Sec. 2. Damages.That in all actions hereafter brought against any common carriers to recover damages for personal injuries to an employee, or Contributory negligence no bar to recovery.where such injuries have resulted in his death, the fact that the employee may have been guilty of contributory negligence shall not bar a recovery where his contributory negligence was slight and that of the employer was gross in comparison, but the damages shall be diminished by the jury in proportion to the amount of negligence attributable to Jury to decide degree of negligence.such employee.
All questions of negligence and contributory negligence shall be for the jury. Sec. 3. Insurance, etc., contracts no defense in suits for damages.That no contract of employment, insurance, relief benefit, or indemnity for injury or death entered into by or on behalf of any employee, nor the acceptance of any such insurance, relief benefit, or indemnity by the person entitled thereto, shall constitute any bar or defense to any action brought to recover damages for personal injuries *Proviso*.Certain contributions by employers to be deducted.to or death of such employee: *Provided, however,* That upon the trial of such action against any common carrier the defendant may set off therein any sum it has contributed toward any such insurance, relief benefit, or indemnity that may have been paid to the injured employee, or, in case of his death, to his personal representative.
Sec. 4. Time limit for action.That no action shall be maintained under this Act, unless commenced within one year from the time the cause of action accrued. 233 Sec. 5. That nothing in this Act shall be held to limit the duty ofPrior laws not affected. common carriers by railroads or impair the rights of their employees under the safety-appliance Act of March second, eighteen hundred andVol. 27, p. 531.Vol. 29, p. 85.Vol. 32, p. 943. ninety-three, as amended April first, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, and March second, nineteen hundred and three.
Approved, June 11, 1906.