The Hairdressing Claims Blog

22/04/2019

6 reasons to sue your hairdresser
When to sue your hairdresser

When to sue your hairdresser

If you’re considering legal action against your hairdresser, today’s blog will help you take the essential first step towards your compensation claim. As specialist hair damage and scalp burns solicitors, we’re regularly asked what constitutes grounds to make such a claim. You can’t sue your hairdresser for a poor haircut but you can if your stylist has been negligent, and caused harm or injury.

You see, whilst a trip to the hairdresser is fairly routine, accidents and negligence can happen. To help you better understand when legal action is a viable option, here we outline the 6 main reasons to instruct a law firm and launch a case…

1. Chemical injuries
Chemicals are part of many hair treatments, for example hair dyeing, perming and straightening. It’s a stylist’s job to know how long certain products can be left on your hair as well as recognising that every person’s hair is different and some people may be allergic to particular chemicals.

Patch testing should always be performed on a very small area of your hair and scalp around 48 hours before any treatment to check for adverse reactions, even when organic products are being applied. Where no testing’s been carried out, burns, blistering and other irritations such as dermatitis can occur on the scalp. Hair loss and hair damage are other common outcomes.

2. Burning
Hair styling tools – that’s hairdryers, curling tongs and hot irons – emit high temperatures that cause serious damage if used incorrectly. Hair should have an extra barrier applied such as heat protection spray, appliances should not be used for too long on individual sections of hair and equipment should never come into direct contact with the skin.

Otherwise, resulting burned or brittle hair will break easily and fall out. Similarly, burned skin will be extremely painful and take some time to heal.

3. Cuts and bleeding
Hairdressers are trained in how to cut and shave hair in the right way but that doesn’t mean they don’t make mistakes every now and then. A lapse in concentration or misjudgement, and insufficient training in the use of sharp objects in the first place can result in a cut to your neck, ear or face by scissors or other styling implements such as razors and shavers. Such injuries can obviously vary greatly in severity.

4. Faulty equipment damage
Salons are expected to conduct regular testing and maintenance of electrical appliances. This is defined by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The aim of this legislation is to keep people safe whenever equipment is operated in the workplace. Where hairdressers are concerned, this applies both to the client (you) and equipment operator (stylist).

A slightly different approach will be exercised here as the liability can belong to either the business owner (for lack of maintenance) or equipment manufacturer (due to a manufacturing fault).

5. Slips and trips
An unnoticed spillage or unswept pile of hair is a potential trip hazard. Although salons have a responsibility to provide a clean and safe environment, a popular business with back-to-back appointments is more prone to become neglectful because there’s scant time for cleaning up between clients. Signposting slippery areas is a solution but can be forgotten too during busy periods. Fall injuries include bruises, sprains and broken bones.

6. Beauty parlour syndrome
Vertebrobasilar insufficiency, otherwise known as ‘beauty parlour syndrome’, is caused by inadequate neck support and hyperextended backwards neck positioning over the basin during washing. An artery can be torn or compressed leading to blood clots. Symptoms include severe dizziness, loss of balance and facial numbness. In extreme instances, strokes.

Find out more about claims against hairdressers by emailing enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk, calling 0800 970 9102 from a landline for free, phoning 0333 202 6560 from a mobile or completing our online enquiry form.

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