
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 45USC51]

 
                           TITLE 45--RAILROADS
 
             CHAPTER 2--LIABILITY FOR INJURIES TO EMPLOYEES
 
Sec. 51. Liability of common carriers by railroad, in interstate 
        or foreign commerce, for injuries to employees from negligence; 
        employee defined
        
    Every common carrier by railroad while engaging in commerce between 
any of the several States or Territories, or between any of the States 
and Territories, or between the District of Columbia and any of the 
States or Territories, or between the District of Columbia or any of the 
States or Territories and any foreign nation or nations, shall be liable 
in damages to any person suffering injury while he is employed by such 
carrier in such commerce, or, in case of the death of such employee, to 
his or her personal representative, for the benefit of the surviving 
widow or husband and children of such employee; and, if none, then of 
such employee's parents; and, if none, then of the next of kin dependent 
upon such employee, for such injury or death resulting in whole or in 
part from the negligence of any of the officers, agents, or employees of 
such carrier, or by reason of any defect or insufficiency, due to its 
negligence, in its cars, engines, appliances, machinery, track, roadbed, 
works, boats, wharves, or other equipment.
    Any employee of a carrier, any part of whose duties as such employee 
shall be the furtherance of interstate or foreign commerce; or shall, in 
any way directly or closely and substantially, affect such commerce as 
above set forth shall, for the purposes of this chapter, be considered 
as being employed by such carrier in such commerce and shall be 
considered as entitled to the benefits of this chapter.

(Apr. 22, 1908, ch. 149, Sec. 1, 35 Stat. 65; Aug. 11, 1939, ch. 685, 
Sec. 1, 53 Stat. 1404.)


                               Amendments

    1939--Act Aug. 11, 1939, inserted last par.


                               Short Title

    The Act of Apr. 22, 1908, as amended, which comprises this chapter, 
is popularly known as the ``Employers' Liability Act''.
    The following are also popularly known as Employers' Liability Acts:
    June 11, 1906, ch. 3073, 34 Stat. 232 [Unconstitutional].
    Apr. 5, 1910, ch. 143, 36 Stat. 291. See sections 56 and 59 of this 
title.
    Aug. 11, 1939, ch. 685, 53 Stat. 1404. See sections 51, 54, 56, and 
60 of this title.


                    Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

    Form of complaint, see Form 14, Title 28, Appendix, Judiciary and 
Judicial Procedure.
