Hairdressing compensation can protect you against the most severe of beauty accidents. Usually, when we head off to have a new haircut, we go with the expectation that we are going to come out with a look that represents who we are. The last thing we expect is to suffer an injury due to the negligence of the hairdresser or perhaps an unmarked hazard in the salon itself. After the UK lockdown hairdresser studios have now taken extra care to implement new social distancing regulations that can protect both staff members and clients. However, even in the safest salon environments, accidents can still happen. That’s why you need to be prepared for the worst. This is where Gowing Law can step in to make sure that you get the compensation that you need to recover.
We are an extremely experienced law firm in Manchester and come across a range of hairdressing injuries that entitle claimants to receive compensation. This is why we are going to discuss the most common hairdressing accidents today. Let us know about your own experiences and we can let you know if we can help you claim compensation.
What could make me eligible for claiming hairdressing compensation?
Before we dive into the types of accidents that could happen in a hairdressing salon, let’s have a quick discussion about compensation claims in general. Whether you are looking for beauty treatment compensation or have suffered from damages to your hair, the main thing you need to prove is that it was not your fault. In the legal world, this is known as “liability”. If you are liable for an accident then that means the accident was your fault. Unfortunately, if you were the main cause of the accident (for example, if you had been messing around with hair products or perhaps started a violent altercation) then you will not be able to claim for damages through the hairdresser’s employer liability policy. Instead, you may find that you are sued for damages to the salon.
However, if you are not responsible for your injuries, and instead have evidence to prove it was not your fault, you should make a compensation claim to get a pay-out that can help you with your recovery. Keep in mind that the more evidence you have, the more likely it is that you will have a validated hairdressing accidents claim.
So, remember, the main ways you can prove that you are eligible for compensation is to prove:
- The accident was not your fault.
- Clients were not given appropriate advice about the treatment.
- You were not asked about any allergies or given a hair patch test.
- You were not told about any side-effects that could happen due to the treatment.
How bad does my accident need to be to claim hairdressing compensation?
One of the main things you need to do when you have been hurt is consider your options for compensation. Yes, whether you have a large injury or a small injury, you can claim compensation if you have suffered at the hands of your hairdresser. However, it is entirely up to you to decide about whether you think it is worth it or not to pursue a claim. For larger accidents, you could be owed thousands of pounds. However, for those who have only received a few minor injuries, it may not be worth compensation. After all, you may end up spending more money on the court case than what you may get out of a pay-out. Consult an experienced hairdressing claims solicitor to talk about your options and whether or not you want to press charges.
What should I do if I have been involved in some type of hairdressing accident?
Whilst it can be tempting to immediately start collecting your evidence, what you should actually be focusing on is your own health and safety. Of course, it is up to your hairdresser to ensure that you are fully safe throughout the treatment. But once an accident has happened, you should focus on getting medical treatment for your injuries as quickly as possible. That way they can be seen by a doctor and a medical report can be written up. Even if you have only suffered from small injuries, these should be seen to by your GP to check to see if they are any worse than they originally seen.
Don’t forget that you should also ask for your accident to be recorded within the hairdresser’s accident workbook. That way you will have written documentation that the accident took place. If you are the victim of a violent altercation, you can also ask for the police to be involved. That way you can get a police report. For both of these reports you should be able to get a copy that you can use in your evidence when you finally go to court.
What types of hairdressing accidents are there that I can claim for?
Now that you understand exactly how you could be owed compensation, it’s time to talk about the most common types of accidents that happen in hairdressing salons. Keep in mind that during this time, your hairdresser may be experiencing pressures due to Covid-19. They should be implementing the following safety measures to ensure that their clients and staff remain completely safe from getting ill.
With that said, if you do get hurt because of an accident in a hairdresser’s salon, you need to know exactly how you could make a claim. But first, let’s focus on the type of accidents that you could have suffered from.
1. Cuts & Lacerations
Your hairdresser should be an expert with scissors. After all, they have been trained in hair and beauty and know how to give a look by just looking at a picture. However, sometimes scissors can cut too far and you may find that you get hurt. Worse still, you may even get deep wounds or gashes that require medical attention. Untrained hairdressers may even accidently nip at your ears or leave wounds on your skin that need to be treated with anti-sceptic. If this happened due to the inexperience or negligence of your hairdresser, you could be owed compensation.
2. Baldness and Bald Patches
Whether you’re a man or a woman, you may have suffered from a buzz cut gone wrong or perhaps balding due to the chemical products your hairdresser has used. If you were not informed that your hair would react in a certain way, or perhaps that it might fall out altogether, this may leave you feeling frightened and embarrassed to go outside. If you have been hurt due to this you can claim physical damages as well as emotional damages.
3. Chemical Burns and Heat Burns
Using hot tongs and chemical products may react badly to your skin, especially if you were not given a skin test to make sure your hair could handle products like bleach, toner and dye. It is very easy to simply move a tongue or straightener too close to your hair and have the skin burned. In the worst case scenario, these burns may require hospital treatment to help repair the skin. This could leave you with scars and permanent damages that are difficult to cover up.
4. Slips and Trips
Sometimes when we think about hairdressing accidents, we think about injuries that can happen during the treatment itself. However, accidents can also happen before and after your appointment. Your hairdresser needs to operate under a “duty of care”, meaning that they keep you, other customers and their employees as safe as possible. If they don’t then this could lead to a compensation claim, or even a work accident claim.
When you enter a hair salon, the environment should be clean and tidy to avoid any accidents. However, recently cut hair, spilt products or even water spills can cause slips and trips. If the area is not marked then you could fall over and hurt yourself. This includes getting bruises, broken bones or trauma to your head, back and spine. You will require immediate medical help if this happens. If the hazard is not marked out then you could claim compensation. After all, the hairdresser had the opportunity to mark out the hazard but chose not to. This meant that you had more chance of getting hurt.
5. Customer/Employee Violence
It’s not just the environment of the hairdresser’s salon and your hair cut that you need to worry about. Criminal injuries are quite common and a fight could break out if your hairdresser or a different customer gets angry about their appointment. If you are forced into an altercation then try to get in contact with the authorities/police as quickly as possible. They can help calm down the situation and also make a police report. This can be used as valuable evidence when your case is taken to court. That way you can prove that you were not the cause of the attack. You should also ask for CCTV footage to show an unbiased view of what happened when you went to the hairdressers.
Injuries from a fight may include cuts, bruises, broken bones and internal bleeding. However, there is always a chance that a fight goes too far. You could suffer from severe injuries due to thrown products or the use of scissors. Try to keep safe and defuse the situation as quickly as possible.
What type of evidence do I need to prove my case?
If you are going to pursue a hairdressing accident claim, you need to have the evidence to back it up. That way you can show that you were not responsible for your accident and instead can show the hairdresser you had was negligent. The amount of evidence will also affect the pay-out you receive at the end. If you have more evidence, you should get a higher pay-out. This is because you have proven the amount of pain and suffering that you have been forced to endure. If you are going prove your claim then you should consider the following evidence:
- Photographs of your injuries and the scene of your accident
- CCTV and video evidence of your injuries and the scene of your accident
- Witness Testimonies and statements
- Medical records
- Receipts of expenses
- Diary Entries
- Police Records
Keep in mind that the type of evidence you find can come from the time of the accident and from after the accident as well. For instance, you can claim for loss of opportunity. This is due to the fact that you spent time off work to recover. You can also claim for the following losses and damages:
- Physical injuries
- Emotional trauma
- Financial damages
- Medical expenses/recovery treatments
- Travel fees
- Equipment damages
Gowing Law can help you with your hairdressing compensation!
Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we understand the how difficult it is to cope with the trauma that comes along with hairdressing accidents. The embarrassment, vulnerability and anger that can come from an appointment gone wrong can leave you feeling like you have nowhere to turn. But this is where Gowing Law can step in. We can offer you free advice and consultations to talk about your claim. If you are happy to work with us, our solicitors offer their services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will always come out on top when making a claim.
Contact Gowing Law Solicitors today at 0800 041 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or even use our direct messenger on our contact page. We would be more than happy to answer any additional questions you may have about our services.
Want to read more about hairdressing compensation claims?
Don’t forget that Gowing Law keeps its blog updated with the latest legal information about beauty and hair claims. Keep an eye on our blog to see the latest articles and legal topics. If you cannot see the topic that interests you, let us know! We would be more than happy to write about your suggestions. Tell us now by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk.
We look forward to seeing you in our next blog.
