Common Hair Salon Injuries and Your Legal Options for Seeking Compensation
Whether you regularly go to the salon or just go occasionally to get pampered, the worst-case scenario you want to leave with is a bad hair day, not a personal injury claim. Unfortunately, there are great risks present in hair salons that can cause injuries to the customers and the hairdressers that work there. While not every unsatisfactory visit to the hair salon results in a legal claim, burns, infections, or permanent hair loss may provide a legal basis to hold the hairstylist and/or hair salon civilly liable for the injury and damage you suffered at their hands. Whether you suffered a personal injury as a customer or as an employee during the course of your employment at the hair salon, contact Charles E. Boyk Law Offices, with convenient offices throughout the northwest Ohio region, for a free and confidential consultation with an experienced hair salon injury attorney.
Legal Claims
The hair salon and the hairstylist may have acted negligently and caused you to suffer injuries and damages. Negligence is “the failure to behave with the level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under the same circumstances.” A person is deemed negligent based on their actions or their failure to act when they have a duty to do so. Negligence has 4 elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. The hairdresser and the hair salon itself have a duty to act reasonably and prudently to ensure the safety and well-being of their customers. This duty includes maintaining a safe and clean environment while utilizing the proper tools, procedures, and products. Duty is breached when the established standard of care is not exercised, and a reasonably foreseeable danger or potential for harm causes injury and damage. The duty can be breached by actions or omissions such as failure to follow safety protocol, improper sanitation, or negligent use of chemicals, such as the hairstylist not conducting a patch test before using a new product. The third element, causation, is established when the breach of duty directly, proximately, or in fact caused the injury and/or damage. Lastly, actual damage must be suffered. Actual damage includes medical expenses and lost wages; categories that can be quantified.
The hair salon and the hairstylist may have acted recklessly, causing your injuries and damages. To the law, reckless behavior is “conduct that creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk of harm to others and involves a conscious disregard of, or indifference to, that risk.” Reckless conduct is more severe than negligent conduct. This is because a person or entity is reckless when they are aware of their conduct creating a great risk, but they do not care about the consequences of their actions, so they continue the conduct.
The experienced personal injury attorneys at Charles E. Boyk Law Offices have helped clients who have suffered injuries at hair salons gain compensation for their permanent injuries. Previously, a client reached out to the office because she had a hair highlighting appointment at a hair salon but left her appointment with third-degree burns to her scalp, severe damage to her scalp, and permanent hair loss. The injuries occurred when the hairdresser applied lightener and bleach to our client’s hair, wrapped each piece in foil, and placed our client under a hot steam machine even though the product applied to the client’s hair explicitly warned stylists not to use it with heat. The hairstylist had never worked on our client’s hair; our client informed the hairstylist that she had box hair dye on her hair, and the hairstylist did not perform a patch test to find out how the client’s hair would react to the chemicals and bleach that would eventually be applied over the client’s entire hair and scalp. Our client began to feel like her head was on fire because the chemicals were burning her scalp, and immediately notified the salon. In this lawsuit, our experienced hair salon injury attorneys believed the hair salon and the hairdresser acted negligently or recklessly to cause the client’s injuries. In the end, this matter settled for over half a million dollars prior to trial. If you or a loved one has suffered chemical burns or other injuries at a hair salon due to the hairstylist’s work on your hair, contact Charles E. Boyk Law Offices for a free consultation.
Preventative Measures
There are actions the hairstylist, the hair salon, and the client can take to prevent injury during an appointment. The hairstylist and the hair salon should follow all applicable safety protocols and standards set by the federal government, the state, the health department, and their licensing board. The hair salon or the individual hairstylist may have their clients sign a waiver that releases the salon and/or hairdresser from liability in some situations. It is important for the client to read the waiver before signing it and continuing their appointment to make sure they understand how this waiver affects their legal rights. If you suffered an injury at a hair salon in Toledo, Ohio, or elsewhere, contact Charles E. Boyk Law Offices to speak with an intake specialist and experienced personal injury lawyer about your civil legal options.
The client can also be proactive in attempting to prevent damage to their skin and hair. Before going to a new hair salon or hairdresser, research them thoroughly, look at their portfolio, look at reviews, and look at photos of the salon, if possible, to begin your assessment of the quality of their work and practices. This simple research prior to booking your appointment can help you avoid lower-rated salons or hairstylists. The inquiry does not have to end once your appointment is booked. You can continue to observe the salons and your hairdresser’s overall protocol and sanitary practices from the moment you walk in for your appointment. Observe whether there are spills or hair trimmings on the ground, whether the hair washing bowls have been cleaned, if you are sitting at a clean station, and if the tools used during your treatment appear to have been cleaned. Be aware of your surroundings as there are many potential injury sites in a hair salon: cords, hot wax pots, hot irons, and chemicals. Staying alert and aware of potential risks for infection, disease, or injury can prevent you, and possibly others, from suffering a personal injury in place of a perfect hair day.
Additionally, if you have any sensitivities or allergies, you should inform your hairdresser as soon as possible so they can plan the treatment accordingly. If you book your appointment online, you may be able to provide the details in a comment box. If you book your appointment over the phone or in person, it may be wise to inform the hair salon of your circumstances to ensure they are noted as early as possible.
Communicating clearly with your salon and hairstylist helps keep you safe and increases the likelihood of a satisfactory visit and hairstyle. If you are getting a treatment that involves hair dye, bleach, or other chemicals, your hairstylist will likely conduct a “patch test” on a small area of your hair or skin to ensure you do not have an adverse reaction before they complete the full treatment. If a product that you have never used before is going to come into contact with your skin or hair, you may insist on a patch test, especially if you have sensitive skin, allergies, or are prone to adverse reactions from chemical products. If you are prone to reactions, consider discussing the ingredients involved and the process of the treatment before the hairstylist begins to minimize the risk of burns, irritation, and injury.
While it is important to be cautious, some injuries may still occur at hair salons. If you or a loved one has recently visited a hair salon and left with burning, cuts, swelling, or permanent hair loss due to the hairstylists and/or hair salon’s actions, contact an experienced hair salon injury lawyer at Charles E. Boyk Law Offices to share your experience during a free consultation.
Potential Injuries
There are many sources of possible injury within a hair salon. If you or a loved one went to the salon expecting a relaxing experience but left with injuries and pain, you may be able to be compensated with the assistance of an experienced civil personal injury lawyer at Charles E. Boyk Law Offices.
A hair salon and/or hairdresser may be negligent if they failed to clean up hair trimmings, water, or a spill and the customer slips, falls, and suffers a personal injury. When you enter a salon, watch where you are going and be mindful of potential dangers on the floor, such as water near the hair washing station. If you did your due diligence but still slipped, you may be able to hold the salon and/or the hairdresser civilly liable for the injuries you suffered in the slip and fall. The personal injury attorneys at Charles E. Boyk Law Offices are experienced with slip and fall cases and will work to maximize your recovery so you are properly compensated for your painful experience.
A slip and fall is not the only risk of injury associated with the hair washing station or bowls at a hair salon. The hairstylist should ensure that their client is comfortable in the seat and that the seat is properly adjusted. The hairstylist should also be mindful of the water temperature and where the water is contacting their client to prevent burns or water-related injuries. While the client’s hair is being washed, the hairdresser may act negligently or recklessly and cause injury to the client’s head or neck. If your seating position, the water pressure, or the water temperature is bothering you, inform your hairstylist so you can have an enjoyable experience and leave the salon with a new hairdo, not new injuries.
If you need to travel from the hair washing bowl to the hairdresser’s chair or station, be mindful of slipping hazards within the hair salon. Once you are in the chair, the hairdresser will perform your requested services and treatment; there may be risks of injury involved with these as well. Your hairstylist should ensure they are using sanitized tools when working on your hair and scalp. Combs, brushers, clippers, styling tools, towels, and the physical stations themselves all have the potential to carry germs and must be cleaned between each use. Unsanitary tools can spread infectious diseases such as fungal, bacterial, skin, or staph infections, ringworm, or general bacteria that can cause illness and injuries. If your hairstylist is negligent or reckless and you become infected or injured as a result, contact Charles E. Boyk Law Offices to explore your civil options with a hair salon injury lawyer to hold the hairstylist and/or salon accountable and to be compensated for the harm you suffered.
Most hairdressers use shears, trimmers, clippers, and/or razors; all sharp tools that have the potential to cause great injury. Hairdressers may also use hot tools such as hair straighteners and curling irons or pots to keep wax warm. Without proper precautions and diligence of the hairstylist, the clients are at risk of being cut and burnt at their appointments. Some salons use chairs with overhead dome dryers attached; if the hairstylist is not paying attention to how long their client has been under the dryer or how hot the dryer is, the dryer can damage the client’s hair and scalp. There is a lot of room for error and injury at a visit to the hair salon. Clients can protect themselves by researching the hairstylist and hair salon they are visiting, researching potential risks and dangers associated with the treatment(s) they are receiving, and, if necessary, calling Charles E. Boyk Law Offices to discuss their injury-inducing experience with an intake specialist and experienced personal injury lawyer.
Exposure to risk of injury varies based on the service you are receiving from your hairstylist. A trim may have fewer risks than a service that includes bleach and/or chemicals. Professional hairdressers should perform a patch test to ensure that their clients do not have adverse reactions to the products and chemicals they are using on the client’s scalp and/or skin. Using bleach or other chemicals on hair can cause permanent hair damage, permanent hair loss, injuries to the scalp and/or skin, allergic reactions, chemical burns, redness, itching, swelling, or other injuries. If you are receiving a new service or product, you can insist on a patch test prior to the hairstylist applying the product to your entire scalp or treatment area. Even if you do not have a reaction from the initial application, products that are left on the hair, scalp, and/or skin too long may cause irritation, burns, hair loss, or other painful injuries.
Overall, it is best practice to research the treatment you are going to receive prior to your appointment, including any risks involved and the products that will be used. Clients with known allergies may want to research the ingredients within the products to ensure they will not have an allergic reaction at the hair salon. Clients with sensitivities, such as sensitive scalps or sensitivities to chemicals, should communicate this with their hairstylist. If you or a loved one has been to a hair salon and left with injuries within the last two years, reach out to Charles E. Boyk Law Offices to speak with an intake specialist about your experience to learn how a Toledo, Ohio hair salon injury attorney may be able to help you gain compensation from the hairstylist and/or hair salon for the damage you have suffered.
Potential injuries to employees of the hair salon
Clients are not the only people who may become injured at a hair salon; the hairstylists themselves are exposed to injury risks throughout their appointments. If the hair salon provides Workers’ Compensation Benefits and a hairdresser is injured in a manner that “arises out of” and is “in the course of” their employment, they are entitled to coverage for their medical expenses and loss of pay. Workers’ Compensation claims and personal injury claims may be brought for the same situation; having an attorney experienced in both fields is important. If you are a hairdresser who was injured during your employment, contact Charles E. Boyk Law Offices to discuss your injury with an attorney experienced in hair salon injuries and Ohio Workers’ Compensation matters. If Charles E. Boyk Law Offices is unable to assist you with your claim, your intake specialist may refer you to another trusted Ohio or Michigan lawyer whose practice is better suited for your needs.
Just like clients, employees of the hair salon must be mindful of their surroundings. With water, hair trimmings, or spilled products on their floor, there is potential for an employee to slip and become severely injured. Protecting yourself with non-slip footwear is wise if your salon has any of these fall hazards. Additionally, some salons provide non-slip mats at workstations or high-traffic areas. If you are concerned about slipping and falling, you may consider purchasing a non-slip mat for your work area. If you or another employee at a hair salon has slipped or tripped and become injured while you were working, you may be entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits and/or may have a personal injury claim to pursue against the hair salon where you were working at the time you were injured.
When using sharp or hot tools, a hairstylist must be mindful of their surroundings, their client, and themselves. While sharp tools can be used to create hairstyles, they also can deeply wound someone. Also, even if you were careful not to cut yourself with sharp shears or electric razors, a hairdresser should still be careful of hair splinters. Hair splinters, created when your client’s hair is cut, can penetrate skin and cause infection. The products or chemicals used in treatments you apply to your clients can also adversely affect you. Contact dermatitis, burns, or chemical reactions as discussed above can happen to the hairstylist if they mishandle the products. Ensure you are following the applicable best practices set by the government and governing administrative body for hairstylists, hairdressers, and/or hair salons to best protect yourself from personal injuries.
Whether you are a client who was injured at a hair salon or a hairdresser who was injured in your workplace, contact Charles E. Boyk Law Offices over the phone or through this website to share your experience with an intake specialist and experienced hair salon injury lawyer. Charles E. Boyk Law Offices has many offices conveniently located in and around Toledo, Ohio, in the northwest Ohio region, and six attorneys who work diligently to maximize their clients’ recovery. Even if you are unsure whether you want to pursue a civil case against your hairdresser and/or hair salon, contacting Charles E. Boyk Law Offices for a free, confidential consultation may help you better understand your civil legal options.
