After having my hair dyed a month ago I suffered a bad burn on my scalp and wish to know about compensation for hair dye burns. It has healed slightly but the damage is still visible. Am I eligible to make a claim?
Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor
Editor in Chief
You may be entitled to make a compensation for hair dye burns claim if it can be established that your injury came as a result of your hair colourist’s negligence. For negligence to be determined, it must be proven that the colourist used a product on your scalp that was intended for “off the scalp” use only or that he or she behaved in a poor professional manner in applying the off the scalp dye which led to the burn injuries when the product came into contact with your scalp.
A very important factor in a compensation claim for hair dye burns is to see a doctor immediately after the injury is sustained in order for the burn to be professionally examined and treated and also so that the details of your injury are noted in your medical history. It is also recommended that you make a report of your injuries in the salon’s “Accident Report Book” which should be available on site. By doing this you can ask them for the details of the product used – they should have kept a record – which can help determine whether your hair dye burn injuries were caused as a direct result of the salon’s negligence.
In order to further support a compensation for hair dye burns claim, you are advised to take two pictures of the injury – one close up shot of the area of your scalp damaged by the burns and the other taken from a slight distance which shows how visible your injury is from a distance.
For an increased opportunity to gain a successful compensation for hair dye burns you should seek the assistance of an experienced solicitor who can advise you on whether or not your claim is worth pursuing. As most solicitors offer a free initial consultation, it will cost you nothing to ask questions and have the solicitor assess your potential claim.
It is worth noting that no two compensation for hair dye burns claims are identical and each claim is evaluated on its individual merits. Therefore, even if you did not carry out all of the procedures mentioned above you may still be eligible to make a claim.