Hairdressing Claims – Suing Hairdressers!

Hairdressing is a huge industry in the UK with over 40,000 hair and beauty salons across the country generating up to £7bn in turnover each year1. All of us will use a hairdresser at some point in our lives and for many, visiting a hairdresser is a regular part of their routine.

However, whilst we go to the hairdresser to look and feel better about ourselves, there are many risks involved which if poorly managed can lead to hair damage, personal injury and a loss of self-confidence. Such accidents are sadly more common than you realise and go far beyond just that of a “dodgy haircut”. Often these accidents can include burns, blisters, brittle hair and hair falling out. If this has happened to you, you may wish to sue a hair dresser’s to gain compensation.

If you’ve Suffered an Injury

If you want to find out if you are eligible to make a claim, or simply want more information get in touch with us. One of our qualified and experienced lawyers will take all the details and be able to advise you as to the best course of action. It only takes a few minutes to get in touch and you can do so by either calling 0800 141 3682 (free from a landline), 0333 202 6560 (free from a mobile), emailing enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk or completing our online contact form.

1www.nhf.info/about-the-nhf/hair-and-beauty-industry-statistics

We run a nationwide service so whether you are at Land’s End or John O’ Groats, we can help.

Many solicitors who typically deal in more common forms of personal injury underestimate the emotional, as well as physical impact that hair damage or hair related injuries can have. Our solicitors, having done this for years, know that the emotional impact suffered as a result of hair damage or injury can be devastating. Therefore, we ensure that you receive the empathy you deserve when dealing with us. We aren’t just here to help you make claims against hairdessers. We’re here to support you also.

As for the claim itself, once we have your details and you have instructed us to act on your behalf, we will take control of the claim process right from the beginning all the way to the very end. Throughout the process, we’ll make sure that you are always in the know and never have to phone us to ask where you are at with the claim. We only talk in plain English so you will always understand exactly what’s happening with your case.

Having hair damage or a personal injury is bad enough without having to worry about costly upfront legal fees. That’s why we operate on a no win, no fee basis so you can feel rest assured there’s no risk to you. We only get paid if you get compensation.

Starting the claim is simple and there are a number of ways to get in touch with us:-

• Calling for free on 0800 141 3682 from a landline
• Calling 0333 202 6560 from a mobile
• Emailing us at enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk
• Completing our online claim form
• Tweeting us at HairClaims

Can you make a claim?

To sue hairdressers, the rule of thumb is that there has to be negligence shown and for actual damage to have occurred as a result.

Therefore, having a haircut that you don’t like won’t entitle you to compensation. However, if you have suffered burn injuries, blisters, cuts and bruises or have experienced hair damage such as brittle hair or loss of hair, then you may be able to make a claim.

A hairdresser has a responsibility for your personal safety and wellbeing whilst under their care. If they are negligent and misuse equipment or chemicals, or fail to adequately prepare, then you may be able to make a claim.

To find out for sure if you have a case, get in touch with us by either calling, emailing or completing our online contact form. One of our lawyers can advise you within minutes as to where you stand.

WHAT IS A TRICHOLOGIST AND HOW CAN THEY HELP?

A trichologist is an individual who is highly specialised in the field of hair and scalps. They are able to identify causes of hair damage or scalp injury and in doing so can be used to provide independent opinions on cases.

We use trichologists in our cases to help prove negligence. If we can do that, and damage occurred as a result of this negligence, then you are entitled to compensation.

WHAT IS A HAIRDRESSER’S RESPONSIBILITY?

Whilst under the care of a salon or hair stylist, they are responsible for your personal safety and have a duty of care to ensure it.

What this means in practice is that when performing a treatment, they follow the appropriate guidance when using chemicals and take care when using potentially dangerous equipment. This includes strand and skin testing to check for hair quality and allergies as well as using their professional judgement when assessing your hair.

If they have cut corners and missed some of these steps, and as a result you have been injured or your hair been damaged, then they may be at fault. If they are at fault, you are entitled to sue the hairdresser’s.

WHAT CAUSES HAIR DAMAGE OR INJURY?

Click on injury cause to open / close previous.
Hidden Q

LOVE is located in a stunning old Victorian building with a spacious, air-conditioned dressing room which takes up the whole of the first floor of the boutique (she is a beauty!) We close the boutique for each and every bride during her appointment so you will have complete privacy during your appointment. For this reason we are by appointment only so to book your exclusive appointment please get in touch via email hello@lovebridalboutique.co.uk or via our enquiry form on our website and we can get you booked in with us.

Overview

Typically, the main reasons why hair damage or injury occur are:-

1. Lack of or inadequate testing
2. Poor preparation of products
3. Burns from hair equipment
4. Cuts from hair equipment

The above are some of the causes. However, there are also a few main sources of claim for hairdressing injuries. These are:-

1. Perming and straightening hair
2. Over-processed hair
3. Extensions
4. Re-applying hair dye or bleach
5. Inadequate or lack of skin/strand testing

1. Perming and straightening hair

These two treatments are common in all salons across the country. Thousands of people every year go to the salon to either get a perm or to get their hair straightened. There are many variants of both perms and straightening but all use extremely strong chemicals. Using strong chemicals means that testing should be performed prior to treatment.

If this is not done, and strong chemicals are applied, there is a risk that hair damage or injuries such as blisters, burns and painful scalp could occur.

Another risk associated with perms is the type of hair. Not all types of hair are appropriate to be permed and this needs to be considered prior to treatment commencing. For example, if someone has had a perm recently, then they should not have a perm too soon after. The reason for this is that hair takes a long time to grow and if you were to return to the salon too soon after the previous perm, it is inevitable that a large amount of hair would be re-permed. This increases the risk of damage significantly.

A hair stylist should be trained to know the risks that both perming and straightening present. During the consultation, they should ask relevant questions as well as performing testing and visual checks to ensure that the hair and skin are suitable for treatment. If they haven’t done this, and you’ve suffered as a result, you may be entitled to make a claim.

2. Over0processed hair

Have you been to the hairdresser’s recently and now find your hair is brittle, difficult to style and lost its shine? If so, it’s likely that your hair may have been over-processed.

Over-processing is either where too many products have been applied to the hair, too strong a product has been applied or when a product has been applied for too long a time.

Over-processing can be prevented by strand testing and visual checks to ensure the quality of the hair is sufficient to withstand treatment. Equally, a hairdresser should follow the guidelines of the product.

3. Extensions

Extensions have become more accessible in recent years and the use has risen dramatically. However, when extensions are incorrectly fitted or poorly maintained they can be extremely painful and in some cases, lead to hair loss.

The most common reason for injury or damage to occur as a result of extensions is that they are either fitted too close together or that there are too many bonds. Further to this, once they are fitted, if they are not properly maintained, this can cause issues also.

Hairdressers should not only fit them correctly, in line with guidance but also advise the customer on how to maintain them properly going forward. If this hasn’t happened and hair damage or personal injury occurs as a result, then a claim may be possible.

4. Reapplying hair dye or bleach

Similarly to over-processing, this is where the hair is exposed to too much treatment in too short a space of time. When you go to the hairdresser’s to have your roots touched up, only the roots should be treated. If the hair stylist applies the dye or bleach to the already treated hair, then there is a risk of hair damage.

5. Inadequate or lack of skin/strand testing

By performing skin and strand testing, the hairdresser is ensuring that the hair is of suitable quality for treatment and that the skin is free of reaction to chemicals used. This is a vital part of any hair treatment that is required. Not doing it puts hair at risk of damage and skin at risk of injury.

If this hasn’t been done, and you’ve suffered injury as a result, you may be entitled to compensation.

The Claims Process

What steps should you take?

If you have suffered hair damage or a personal injury as a result of negligence, you are likely to be entitled to compensation. There are some steps you need to take prior to rectifying any hair treatments:-

• Record any appointments you have had
• Photograph the hair damage or injury
• Keep pictures of your hair prior to the damage
• Record the name of both the salon and the hair stylist
• Obtain the names of any products that were used
• Keep any damaged hair
• See your doctor
• Contact us so we can offer you advice

What is the claims process?

We will be able to fully explain in detail over the phone but as a basic guide the process is:-

• Get in touch with us
• We’ll write a letter to the hair salon outlining all the issues
• Both the salon and us will be required to follow the protocol of trying to settle the case outside of court
• We’ll use experts to gather any evidence if required
• If the protocol of trying to settle out of court fails, we will represent you in court

The process from start to finish can take up to 18 months but this depends on the case and whether it settles outside of court.

Click to open / close

Hidden Q

LOVE is located in a stunning old Victorian building with a spacious, air-conditioned dressing room which takes up the whole of the first floor of the boutique (she is a beauty!) We close the boutique for each and every bride during her appointment so you will have complete privacy during your appointment. For this reason we are by appointment only so to book your exclusive appointment please get in touch via email hello@lovebridalboutique.co.uk or via our enquiry form on our website and we can get you booked in with us.

Why are insurance companies important?

Simply put, insurance companies are important as typically they are the ones who will foot the bill on behalf of the salon. However, this doesn’t mean only salons who are insured can be sued. We have successfully made claims directly against salons before also.

What compensation can I expect?

This depends largely on the individual case and the damage or injury incurred. As a guide, somewhere between £3k and £9k is where most cases are settled, although more serious cases can achieve far more.

What's next?

If you have been injured or experienced hair damage as a result of a hairdressers negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. To find out where you stand for sure, get in touch with one of our qualified and professional lawyers. Do this by:-

• Phoning 0800 141 3682 free from a landline
• Phoning 0333 202 6560 free from a mobile
• Emailing us at enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk
• Completing our simple online claim form
• Tweeting us at HairClaims

Our experienced lawyers will be ready and waiting to help.

Contact Hairdressing Claims

Call or email us, or simply complete the contact form below to start your claim…

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Professional Negligence Lawyers Association