Our client successfully recovered £21,000 in compensation for hair damage caused by a negligent hairdresser.
At the hair appointment
Miss C had been a client of the salon for approximately two years. On the day of the incident, she attended the salon for her roots to be bleached and for maintenance on her hair extensions. A strand test was taken from the rear of her hair and she was informed that the result was acceptable, so the salon owner proceeded to remove and refit her hair extensions. Miss C was seen by a stylist for colour correction using Olaplex and bleach. Three batches of bleach were brushed directly onto her hair, in addition to at least one bleach bath of the hair. During the appointment the stylist far exceeded the manufacturers’ recommendations for bleach processing times leaving Miss C’s hair in a terrible state.
Following the appointment, Miss C’s hair started snapping off and felt extremely over-processed. She was distressed and so contacted Hairdressing Claims for help (hairdressingclaims.co.uk) who passed the matter to their legal team at LLB Solicitors.
The Claim:
A solicitor at LLB Solicitors who specialises in hairdressing compensation claims spoke to the client and accepted the case on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. LLB Solicitors then arranged for Miss C to be seen by one of the country’s top trichologists (hair scientist). The examination confirmed that 100% of our client’s hair was damaged by the bleach applied by the hairdresser at the salon. Our client’s hair didn’t just look in a poor state, it had been structurally damaged leaving the hair brittle, dry and prone to breakage. The effect on the hair would last approximately 3 years, while she waited for the damage to grow out.
Miss C also suffered psychological symptoms. LLB Solicitors arranged for her to be seen by a specialist psychologist who diagnosed an adjustment disorder with anxiety and a social phobia connected to her appearance, all caused by the damage to her hair. Our client undertook a course of one-to-one therapy sessions with a Clinical Psychologist to help resolve her symptoms.
LLB Solicitors then presented the case to the hairdressing salon, who passed it their insurance company, Axa Insurance. LLB Solicitors identified 12 different mistakes, faults and failures made by the salon which together had caused the damage to Miss C’s hair and scalp. The hair stylist was negligent and had acted in breach of nationally approved standards of practice.
The salon’s defence:
Despite all the evidence presented to the salon and their insurance company, the salon owner and stylist denied all responsibility. Even after LLB Solicitors had obtained CCTV footage which recorded the mistreatment, the salon still refused to accept they were to blame. Indeed, their insurance company even tried to suggest that our client had caused the damage to her own hair. Axa Insurance went as far as to suggest that our client might be a fundamentally dishonest claimant who risked serious sanction if she dared to take the case to court.
The outcome
Our colleagues at LLB Solicitors commenced court action against the salon. The case proceeded to a one-day trial. LLB Solicitors had arranged for the client to be represented by a leading barrister with specialist experience in hairdressing claims. After hearing all the evidence from both sides, the Judge agreed with our client completely. The salon’s insurance company was ordered to pay £21,000 in compensation, which included extra compensation due to the salon’s refusal to agree to settle the claim at an earlier stage. Our client was delighted with the outcome, although obviously would have rather avoided the whole ordeal.
If you have suffered damage to your hair or scalp during a visit to the hairdressers and you require advice and support, please contact us for a free no obligation discussion about making a compensation claim. Contact our team today. You can reach us on 0800 141 3682 (freephone) or 0333 202 6560 (from mobiles). Alternatively, send a message to enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk or use our contact us form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.