Case Study – Salon Chemical Burn

At 16, Nikki was excited for her hair appointment at a new salon. She was going to get her hair color lightened, like one of her friends. This excitement turned to anxiety and fear as the skin on her scalp felt like it was burning. Then, things got worse. This is Nikki’s story.

This story is a real case handled by the attorneys at Haggerty Silverman & Justice. The names and exact details of the situation have been changed to protect the identities of the parties involved. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Any pictures are for illustrative purposes only. Legal disclaimer.

Case Type: Premises Liability – Negligent Care
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of Burn: Summer of 2017
Injuries: Scalp burns, scarring requiring multiple surgeries
Initial Offer From Salon: $45,000
Final Settlement: $300,000
Date of Final Settlement: Fall of 2022
Attorney: Randall M. Justice

First Hair Color Appointment

Nikki was excited for her first hair color appointment at a new salon. Her friend had recently had her hair color changed, and Nikki was going to the same place. Nikki’s mom made the appointment with the salon and instructed them not to use any bleach on Nikki’s hair. The salon made a note with Nikki’s appointment.

The hair colorist told Nikki what to expect when the chemicals were on Nikki’s hair. There might be a slight tingling or itchy sensation, but nothing that would hurt. The colorist started working on Nikki’s hair. Initially, everything seemed okay.

Severe Chemical Burns

Nikki went home, but her scalp didn’t feel right. She didn’t know if it was normal or if there was something wrong. The next day, Nikki had developed swelling on her scalp and face. She had burn welts on her scalp. Something was wrong, and her parents took her to the doctor.

The doctor referred Nikki to a dermatologist for specialized treatment. The dermatologist wanted to rule out an allergic reaction, so they did patch testing. Nikki had no allergies. In the meantime, Nikki was given a cream to treat her scalp.

Salon Colorist Negligence

The salon colorist had made a mistake in the application and/or removal of the hair color product used in Nikki’s hair. This directly caused the chemical burns on Nikki’s scalp. We put together Nikki’s case while she continued medical treatment. We’ll admit that initially, this did not seem like a significant injury case. But the chemical burns were worse than they initially appeared, and Nikki required surgery.

Salon Color Chemical Burn Injury

Nikki had severe chemical burns on her scalp. The burns left scar tissue on the scalp. This left Nikki with at least one patch on the scalp with no hair. For a 16-year-old girl, this was mortifying! She did everything her doctor told her to, but the scarring did not heal. The hair did not grow back. Nikki needed surgery to remove the scar tissue and minimize the bare spots on her scalp.

Nikki had 4 surgeries to fix the scar tissue areas of her scalp. After each surgery, it took several months to heal before doctors could determine if she would need another surgery. After all the doctor visits, tests, and surgeries, Nikki’s family had about $45,000 of medical expenses. This doesn’t even count the parents’ time off work to take Nikki to the appointments and accompany her through surgery.

Salon Color Chemical Burn Settlement

The insurance company for the salon admitted the salon made a mistake. But, they also tried to pin part of the blame on Nikki. They tried to blame an allergic reaction – which we shot down with the dermatologist test results. They tried to blame Nikki’s shampoo before and after the color service – which we also shot down with evidence. Nikki had a solid case, and we wanted to make sure she got the money she deserved.

The adjuster offered $50,000, which we advised Nikki’s family to reject. This offfer simply wasn’t enough to cover the damages for the salon’s mistake. Our team continued to push for a fair settlement, and we weren’t going to back down. In the end, we obtained more than $300,000 for Nikki in this case.

Salon Chemical Burn Lawyer

The team at Haggerty Silverman & Justice helped Nikki, and we can help you too. The outcome of negligent care cases can depend on a variety of factors. Contact our legal team today for a free consultation.