Facts
During a shoot, a pellet from the defendant's gun glanced off a tree and hit the claimant, a beater.
Issue
Is a person liable in for an injury caused without ?
Held
The was not liable as there was no negligence; it was an inevitable accident.
Principle
Inevitable accident is a defence where the harm could not have been avoided by reasonable care.
Why it matters
Leading authority on inevitable accident.
Cited in these chapters
Cite this page
Stanley v Powell [1891] 1 QB 86 (Lanbuk) <https://www.lanbuk.com/llb/torts/cases/stanley-v-powell> 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.