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£2k compensation win for burn injury client

Burn injury client
Burn injury client

A client of Hairdressing Claims was successful in securing over £2,000.00 following a skin burn at a local hair salon in December 2017.

During a routine cut and blow dry appointment at Blow Dry Express in London’s Canary Wharf, the negligent actions of her hairdresser, a freelance stylist on duty that day, resulted in a 20p-size burn on our client’s forehead caused by a hot hairdryer which had not been properly fitted with a diffuser.

The full extent of our client’s injury was revealed when she removed her makeup in the evening. In addition to the pain experienced by the burn, our client’s suffering was made worse by missing out on a holiday, and facing embarrassment in the workplace and at social events.

The former – her holiday – was a planned Christmas break abroad in a hot climate with family which our client was compelled to cancel after being advised to keep out of the sun. The latter – working and socialising – meant she was constantly questioned by colleagues as to what had caused the noticeable burn mark, thereby becoming self-conscious.

As a senior financier at HSBC who regularly meets with customers face to face, our client suffered further awkwardness during client meetings because of an understandable concern about her appearance. Psychological problems are common among clients who suffer unsightly damage to their hair or burns to the face.

There was outside-of-work impact from the incident too, as our client began avoiding social occasions, stopped going to the gym and didn’t attend yoga classes whilst she recovered from her injuries.

As well as these work and lifestyle limitations, our client also continues to experience anxiety when visiting the hairdresser’s for fear of a repeat episode. Previously, she enjoyed getting her hair done and had sometimes frequented the salon twice a week.

Despite initially denying responsibility, analysis of the evidence confirmed Blow Dry Express’s liability. When her case was taken to trial, District Judge Worthington sitting at Central London County Court ruled that the salon’s owners, BDE Enterprises Can Ltd, should pay our client £2,064.00 in damages including £31.00 to reimburse the cost of the initial appointment, plus her legal costs for bringing the matter to court.

Although accidents are one of life’s inevitabilities, they should never happen at the hairdressers. If, like our client, you’ve suffered a burn or injury during a hairdressing treatment and you want to sue your hairdresser, please get in touch with our specialist claims against hairdressers legal team.

You can read more about our client’s experience via the links below:

/standard.co.uk/news/uk/banker-burned-on-head-during-blow-dry-wins-2000-damages-a4171766.html

/telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/20/senior-hsbc-banker-wins-compensation-hairdresser-burned-head/

/thetimes.co.uk/article/banker-wins-10-000-after-being-burnt-at-hair-salon-hs3wnv3xf

Email enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk, call 0800 970 9102 from a landline for free, phone 0333 202 6560 from a mobile or complete our online enquiry form.

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Growth in cruelty free hairdressing

Cruelty free hairdressing
Cruelty free hairdressing

With the rise in vegans and vegetarians for environmental, health and ethical reasons, lifestyle choices such as these are now extending further than just diet and clothing into the beauty scene too.

In the hairdressing industry, a growing number of hair salons offer a range of treatments using products made up of ethically sourced, natural ingredients which haven’t been tested on animals in environmentally friendly packaging. You may recall our earlier blog post on this subject titled ‘Is your hair vegan?’

If organic hairdressing interests you, take a look at this article on the Mancunion website. It helpfully reviews some of the best Manchester salons that comply with PETA standards. By having a read, not only can you discover where to find these vegan hairdressers, there’s also useful information on discounts available to new and repeat customers. So you can enjoy organic haircare at reasonable prices.

No nasty chemicals. No unnecessary wastage. No animal cruelty. Because having your hair done shouldn’t damage your conscience.

If you’re a follower of the Hairdressing Claims blog, you’ll know that, on rare occasions, hair appointments can end badly. Harm caused can be anything from hair breakage and scalp burns to blisters and cuts. Our legal team specialises in claims against hairdressers to support people injured through hairdressers’ negligence.

Find out more 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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Compensation for woman after negligent hairdressing leads to intense hair ruin

Bleaching procedure
Bleaching procedure

A customer of Toni & Guy International Ltd has received a £6,5000 pay-out in an out-of-court settlement after a catalogue of bleaching errors during a routine dyeing appointment caused severe hair breakage.

Paul McNulty, a hairdressing claims specialist solicitor, explained how his client works in the creative industry and cancelled a series of appointments following the unfortunate incident.

“My client is a busy and successful business owner,” said Paul. “A well-groomed, professional appearance is essential. The distress caused by the damage incurred at the salon resulted in my client being unable to continue her normal work activity. The injury was both physical and psychological, and the financial losses included reduction in earnings as well as expenses for shampoo, conditioner and over-the-counter medication needed throughout the recovery phase. With full restoration of hair to its original state expected to take 34 months, expense costs alone equated to over £1,000.”

During the legal process, the claimant’s hair was assessed by an expert Consultant Trichologist. Drawing together verbal, written and photographic evidence, the Trichologist found that the hairdresser’s negligent care had caused “incorrect colour”, “hair shafts resembling chewing gum which pull apart with ease”, “obvious severance stubble in many regions” and “low or nil elasticity and tensile strength”. He recommended the use of high-quality shampoo and conditioning products in order to protect hair from grooming-related severance in its weakened condition.

The wrongdoing occurred on the claimant’s third visit to Toni & Guy when she was due to undergo customary root touch up of her hair which is naturally brown and had been bleached to platinum blonde over a 2½ year period. Amongst the multiple negligent actions were: lack of strand or elasticity testing; extreme overlapping onto previously bleached hair; over-exposure of bleach as the hairdresser departed the salon for a lengthy lunch break; and subsequent additional bleach bath in an attempt to fix the ensuing turquoise colouring.

The combined impact of over-use of products containing chemical peroxide and the incompetent hairdressing conducted by a junior, inexperienced stylist led to instant intense breakage close to the roots and hair loss to a large central section of hair.

“The circumstances of this case show that the salon is entirely to blame for the harm caused,” added Paul. “Failure to conduct any form of pre-treatment checks, applying bleach to hair rendered vulnerable by prior bleaching and an extensive period of exposure to peroxide which is a powerful alkali have had devastating results. Healing and re-growth will be prolonged. We pursued a claim for the pain and suffering experienced, and we were successful on our client’s behalf. The money goes some way to recompensing our client for what she’s been through.”

Toni & Guy’s insurer initially denied liability and placed the blame on our client for washing her hair at home. They later offered to refund the £60 appointment fee which was wholly inadequate compensation for our client’s suffering. Hairdressing Claims’ specialist solicitors issued court proceedings to sue the negligent hairdresser. Eventually they conceded liability and offered £4,500. This was rejected and the case subsequently concluded for £6,500 without the need for a court trial.

About Hairdressing Claims

Hairdressing Claims offers a specialist nationwide service on ‘no win, no fee’ terms to individuals who have been let down by their hairdresser. Find out more by completing an online enquiry form. Or contact us by email at enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk, or call free on 0800 970 9102 from a landline or 0333 202 6560 from a mobile.

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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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Great British hair tourism trade

Hair tourism grows in popularity
Hair tourism grows in popularity

The tourism industry is booming as people travel in their droves to visit far flung places, experience new adventures, spend quality time with family and friends, and, from a professional perspective, do business with companies in different regions.

We all take holidays or plan business trips from time to time, both within our own country and internationally, but just how far would you journey for a haircut?

According to an article on the BBC website, hair tourism is enjoying a burgeoning trade in Britain from global clientele trekking around the world for the main purpose of getting their hair cut and styled whilst at the same time taking a city break.

It seems, then, a good hairdresser can be hard to come by and it’s worth travelling hundreds of miles (1,855 miles in Melissa’s case who’s gone from Sicily to Manchester in the BBC video!) for an appointment in order to get a contemporary, on-trend haircut.

Where British salons are concerned, they’re a cut above the rest as they offer unique styles and techniques, plus provide better value for money, all of which are appealing to intrepid travellers. It’s social media, Instagram particularly, that’s responsible for generating interest in our nation’s hairdressers.

We should be rightly proud of our homegrown hairdressing talent such as the entrepreneurial owner-manager who’s the star of the Manchester salon in the BBC clip. Attracting clients from locations as distant as Canada and the Middle East is no small feat, especially when hairdressing services will be readily available in their country of origin.

Watch the 1½ minute video here.

In saying this, it’s also important not to get too complacent when selecting your hairdresser. You see, just as with any sector, there are good and bad craftsmen (and women!). Check out credentials in order to make an informed choice about which hairdresser to use.

If you’ve read our earlier blog posts, you’ll know that hair appointments can end in complete disaster, albeit on extremely rare occasions. In these instances, damage can take the form of severe hair breakage or painful scalp burns and blisters. Our legal team specialises in claims against hairdressers to help injured parties affected by negligence.

Find out more 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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Recovery for ravaged hair

Damaged hair
Damaged hair

We recently wrote about the causes, signs and fixes of damaged hair (check out ‘How to care for damaged hair’). Today’s post is an extension of our earlier advice based on the experience of someone who suffered bleach-ravaged hair and recovered it back to health.

You see, we found this story on the www.rocknrollbride.com website. The author, Kat, has striking pink hair with purple roots in a beautiful ombre effect. Two years prior to penning her blog post, though, was a different story altogether. Due to hairdresser negligence, where bleach had been applied carelessly and overlapped, Kat’s hair was stretchy when wet, and straw-like and thin when dry.

With the help of her ‘fairy hairmother’, Kat managed to reverse the damage and shares how with other people who may find themselves in a similar, sad situation. Much of this advice mirrors our earlier tips, namely avoiding hot styling tools, cutting down on chemicals, limiting washing and getting a good trim. There’s also this extra guidance:-

Restore the protein: With chemically damaged hair, protein is degraded. To repair the outer layer and put the protein back into your hair, use protein-rich shampoo, conditioner and treatments. Once the restoration is complete, switch back to your normal hair products as too much protein in your hair isn’t great either.

Moisturise your hair: On top of your high-protein hair diet, give it a moisture injection using hydrating products such as argan oil-based deep conditioning treatments. This will help combat brittleness and breakage.

Take fish oil supplements: The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils can nourish your scalp, thicken hair strands and encourage new growth. As with all tablets, however, it’s best checking with your doctor first in order to get the right dosage and minimise possible side effects.

Wear clip-in extensions: Why not invest in some natural clip-in extensions and dye them to match your hair colour? This can give your own hair a break and present the appearance of thicker, healthier and stronger hair during the recovery phase.

Be patient: The best thing you can do is allow plenty of time. There’s no overnight rescue. With patience and persistence, you’ll notice big changes to the health of your hair and scalp over a lengthier timeframe.

Unfortunately Kat’s sorry tale was the result of bad hairdressing. If the same fate befalls you, don’t suffer in silence. Instruct our expert legal team who are specialists in claims against hairdressers so you can be compensated accordingly. We operate in the strictest of confidence and focus on the best outcome for you always.

To contact our legal team, email enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk, call 0800 970 9102 from a landline for free, telephone 0333 202 6560 from a mobile or complete our online enquiry form.

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