Facts
A cricket ball was hit out of the ground and injured the claimant on a nearby road. Balls had left the ground only about six times in thirty years.
Issue
Was the club in not taking precautions against so small a risk?
Held
The club was not negligent; the risk was so small that a would have ignored it.
Principle
The likelihood of harm is weighed in deciding breach; a reasonable person need not guard against very small risks.
Why it matters
Key authority on the probability of harm.
Cited in these chapters
Cite this page
Bolton v Stone [1951] AC 850 (Lanbuk) <https://www.lanbuk.com/llb/torts/cases/bolton-v-stone> accessed 31 October 2026
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This summary is a Lanbuk study aid based on the generally known facts and reports of the case. It is not legal advice.