 Byrd sought damages for injuries allegedly caused by Blue Ridge's negligence.At issue was South Carolina's Workmen's Compensation Act that held that the employees of subcontractors are considered employees of the contractor for the purposes of the Act if, but only if, they perform work that is part of the contractor's trade or business.Additionally, the local judicial interpretation of the Act held that it was a question of law, not fact whether a workman was an employee under the statute, thus to be decided by a judge, not a jury.