{"argument_date":"2002-11-06T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2002-11-06T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","paragraphs":["Carter Phillips argued the asbestos litigation crisis remains acute.","He stated the crisis is more severe than at any prior time.","Mr. Salmons argued the opposing sides cannot recover for future cancer anxiety.","He claimed this anxiety is separate from their asbestosis disease."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 42-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 42-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 6-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 6-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 34-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 34-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-2","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-2"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 2-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 2-4"}]}],"caption":"Norfolk & Western R. Co. v. Ayers","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.875816Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.903506Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether emotional distress from fear of future cancer qualifies as a compensable injury under the Federal Employers' Liability Act.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 42-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 42-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 34-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 34-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-2","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-2"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2002-11-06T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/01-963.html","primary_docket":"01-963","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:43:50.837061Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["Freeman Ayers and other workers sued Norfolk & Western Railway. They claimed asbestosis and fear of future cancer. The lower court allowed recovery for that anxiety. The railroad argues this expands liability beyond the statute's intent."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 42-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 42-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 34-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 34-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-2","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-2"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 6, 2002."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 6-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 6-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 2-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 2-4"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The railroad seeks to bar recovery for future cancer anxiety.","The workers seek to keep damages for that emotional distress."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 42-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 42-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 34-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 34-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-2","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-2"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The railroad argues the statute does not cover fear of future disease.","The workers argue their emotional injury stems from current asbestosis."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 42-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 42-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 34-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 34-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-2","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-2"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the lower court requested an apportionment instruction."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 2-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 2-4"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of emotional distress damages in workplace injury claims. It determines whether fear of future illness counts as a present injury. The outcome shapes compensation standards for industrial disease victims nationwide."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 42-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 42-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 34-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 34-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-2","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-2"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 6-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 6-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 2-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 2-4"}]}],"slug":"2002-01-963-norfolk-western-r-co-v-ayers","term":"2002","title":"Can FELA plaintiffs recover for future cancer anxiety?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 42-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 42-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 34-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 34-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-2","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-963.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-2"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}