Lamson v. American Axe & Tool Co.

Lamson (plaintiff), a longtime employee of American Axe & Tool Co. (defendant), painted hatchets and then placed them on drying racks directly above his own workstation. After the company replaced its drying racks with new ones Lamson believed were unstable and prone to letting hatchets fall, he complained to his employer about his fear of injury, but was told he could either keep working under those conditions or leave the job. He chose to stay, and one day a hatchet fell exactly as he'd feared, injuring him; he sued American for negligence.