By Danielle Griffin. Last Updated 28th July 2023. Welcome to our hair damage claims guide for those who’ve suffered damage to hair because of negligence. In it, we explore hair damage compensation, answering questions such as ‘a hairdresser ruined my hair or a salon damaged my hair – could I claim?’ and ‘where do I get guidance on compensation payouts for hair damage for 2022 claims?”
Can I claim or damage to hair?
Whether it’s a trip to the hairdressers or another type of accident that has caused damage to your hair, the effects can be long-lasting and can affect more than just the physical condition of your hair. Many of us take pride in our crowning glory and work hard to ensure it is in good condition. If something untoward happens to it, it can have a profound effect on our mental state, which can last for long after the injury/damage has healed. With this in mind, we have put together a guide to cover what you need to know about hair damage claims when you can make them, how the process works, and answer the big questions, such as ‘Can you sue a hairdresser from ruining your hair’ and ‘How much hair damage compensation could I get for hair damage?’
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- Our complete guide for hair damage claims – a hairdresser ruined my hair – could I claim?
- What constitutes hair damage?
- How vital are patch tests for avoiding hair damage?
- A salon damaged my hair – what can I do if I have hair damage due to someone else’s fault
- How Long Do I Have To Claim For Hair Damage?
- What can I look to claim for after hair damage?
- Common hair damage compensation claims
- Compensation Payouts For Hair Damage Claims
- A salon damaged my hair – am I entitled to make a No Win No Fee hair damage compensation claim
- Accident claims – why choose our service for your hair damage claims
- Want to know more about making a claim?
- A salon damaged my hair – I am ready to begin a hair damage claim
Our complete guide for hair damage claims – a hairdresser ruined my hair – could I claim?
Whether you have wavy hair, straight hair, short, long or afro, our hair often makes up an important part of our psyche. When hair damage in hairdressers or elsewhere happens, it is likely, therefore to have an effect on our mental health as well as the physical condition of the hair. There are many different things that can cause damage to the hair, such as medication, stress, hormonal changes and even diet. However, sometimes the damage is caused by someone else, which can make the situation a whole lot worse. Here at Accident Claims, we believe you should be duly compensated for hair damage you have suffered through the fault of someone else. This can happen through hair salon negligence or through another type of accident. This is why we have produced this guide to hair damage claims, which should offer all the information you need before making a decision on whether to pursue hair damage compensation further.
What constitutes hair damage?
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hair damage claims
Many of the people we speak to regarding hair damage claims ask us this question, and the simple answer is; anything that has made the condition of your hair worse than it was to begin with. Whether you have been left with brittle hair, patchiness, burnt hair (from chemicals or from equipment) dermatitis of the scalp or had your hair was torn out during an incident, it is likely to affect the look and feel of your hair for some time to come, if not forever.
In some cases, a cut that is not to the client’s specifications can be classed as hair damage, as it can have a profound effect on a person’s mental state, and their earnings if they have a job that requires their hair to be in a certain condition/style, such as modelling.
If you are unsure at all on whether you have reason to further investigate damage to hair claims, then at Accident Claims, we have legally trained staff who can advise you.
How vital are patch tests for avoiding hair damage?
Whilst many salon goers have no issues with the chemicals used in hair dyes or treatments, it is still essential for a salon to perform a patch test before they try to use any chemicals on your hair or on your scalp. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to a hair product can include dermatitis, which is local irritation, and damage to the hair, as well as, in extreme cases, anaphylaxis.
It speaks volumes that for many specialist hairdressing insurance companies, a condition of their cover is that patch tests must be performed on the first occasion that they see a client to prepare for future treatments. It is also required in most cases for those using chemicals to follow manufacturers guidelines on how often patch tests needs to be performed and also take into account any health changes, medical conditions, or ingredient changes within the product, performing another patch test when these changes occur.
If your salon has not provided an opportunity to have a patch test before chemical products such as dyes are used on your hair, then it is wise to seek advice on whether you could be entitled to launch hair damage claims for hair damage compensation due to any damage that has occurred as a result of this failure.
A salon damaged my hair – what can I do if I have hair damage due to someone else’s fault?
Should you be of the opinion that you might have cause to launch one of the many hair damage claims that are successfully concluded each year, then you should certainly take action to collect any evidence of what has happened, both in terms of the expenses you may have had to pay out for (remedial treatment, medical appointments etc.) and the event itself. It can be a good idea to collect photographic proof of the damage that has occurred for hairdressing claims, as well as at regular intervals as your damage heals. In addition, you should also seek medical attention for your injury/damage. This will not only help your case should you choose to pursue a claim but will also help you gain advice on how to treat anything that can be treated and prevent further infection or damage.
If anyone was witness to what happened to cause your hair damage, it is wise to note down their details so that they can be contacted in the case of damage to hair claims to tell their account of what happened. Also make sure to note down your own recollection of what happened as soon as you possibly can. Important details can be forgotten if they are not written down quickly, and these may prove vital to proving your hair damage compensation case.
Whether you are looking to pursue a claim or not at this juncture, it is wise to get advice from those who know the facts behind how and whether you can claim. Our trained and experienced call handlers can certainly give you any advice you might need on how to sue a hairdresser, with no obligation to use our service.
How Long Do I Have To Claim For Hair Damage?
In addition to collecting sufficient evidence to prove the damage to your hair was caused by a relevant party breaching their duty of care, you will need to start the legal process within the personal injury claims time limit. Typically, this is three years from the date of the incident as set by the Limitation Act 1980.
However, there are exceptions to this limitation period in certain circumstances. These include:
- Those under the age of 18. In these cases, a pause is applied to the time limit that lasts until the injured party turns 18. Prior to this, a court-appointed litigation friend can bring forward a claim on behalf of the injured party. However, if they turn 18 without a claim having been started, they will have three years from the date of their 18th birthday to begin the claiming process.
- Those who lack the mental capacity to bring forward their own claim. For these parties, a time limit suspension is applied that lasts for as long as they lack this capacity. During this time, a litigation friend can start the claiming process on their behalf. If the injured party regains the mental capacity to claim and one was not started for them, they will have three days from the recovery date to start legal proceedings.
If you have any questions about claiming compensation for damage to your hair, please get in touch with one of our advisors.
What can I look to claim for after hair damage?
Compensation claims, whilst all different in terms of what has occurred, the level of damage and the prognosis for recovery, often include payouts within certain specific areas. Here, we explain the different types of compensation awards that could make up your award should you wish to pursue a damage to hair claim as part of a compensation suit.
Hair damage compensation – General Damages
An award for the actual damage, pain and suffering – This is the amount of money that has been calculated in terms of your suffering, the actual injury (e.g. hair loss) and the pain it has caused.
Hair damage compensation – Special Damages
An award for any loss of earnings – If you have had to be off work for any length of time and have lost out on some or part of your wages as a result, then the likelihood is, you will be able to pursue a claim for these to be compensated for. If you are likely to miss out on any work in the future (especially if your hair forms part of your job, such as a model etc.) then this can also form part of your claim.
An award for someone who has cared for you – Whilst this is not common in hair damage claims, if someone has had to help you with every day tasks after you have been injured, this can also be taken into account and that person can be compensated for it.
An award for financial losses (e.g. expenses) – The most common out of pocket expenses for many personal injury claims are travel and medical costs. This is why it can be important that you keep evidence of these.
If you feel you have been financially disadvantaged in another way, feel free to tell our staff when you call us. We will be able to advise on whether this loss can form part of a claim for compensation.
Common hair damage compensation claims
Hair damage at the hairdressers forms the bulk of all damage to hair claims but there are a variety of different ways in which this can happen. There are too many different types to list, but we have detailed the most common here. If your specific type of damage or injury is not listed, then it does not mean you will not have a claim. Simply call us and we will tell you for free whether we feel your case merits further investigation.
Assault – Claims resulting from hair damage after an attack can be for where hair is pulled from the scalp, or where a chemical is forcibly applied to the area, such as part of an acid attack.
Product left on the hair for too long a time – There are restrictions on the amount of time certain chemicals such as hair dye can be left on the hair and scalp. Left too long, your hair can be damaged, sometimes beyond repair, leading to hair claims.
Allergic reactions – It is entirely possible for you to suffer hair damage from hair dye as part of an allergic reaction or hair damage from bleach. This is usually avoidable as a patch test should be done before you have any chemicals applied. If not, then you may be able to seek compensation for no skin patch test.
Hair trapped in machinery – In some cases, an accident at work causing hair damage can occur whereupon a person can effectively ‘scalp’ themselves by getting hair caught in a machine. If a guard was missing from a machine or you were not informed to keep hair out of the way, you might have an accident at work hair damage claim against your employer. If you do, then you should not worry that you will put them out of business by pursuing hair caught in machine claims – they will have insurance that works to cover the costs, and it may improve their health and safety in the future so something similar does not reoccur.
Whatever the damage you have been subjected to, there will be advice on the other end of the phone that will be of use to your hair damage claims if you call our team.
Compensation Payouts For Hair Damage Claims
As we had previously mentioned, compensation in your claim will be determined by how your hair was damaged or by any other injuries you may have sustained as a result of a breach of duty of care.
The Judicial College Guidelines is a publication commonly used to help value claims in the UK. The compensation entries featured in the publication are the general damages we had described earlier.
While the JCG may be consulted to calculate your claim for damages, the featured figures are not a reflection of what you are guaranteed to receive. The evidence you can provide of your injuries will determine your compensation.
We have included a table below for illustrative purposes.
| Injury | Notes | Compensation Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate Brain Damage (iii) | The claimant suffers concentration and memory problems with a reduced ability to work and a small epilepsy risk due to brain damage. | £43,060 to £90,720 |
| Moderately Severe Psychological Damage | The claimant experiences problems coping with life and personal relationships. However, the prognosis is more positive than what is seen in more severe cases. | £19,070 to £54,830 |
| Moderate Psychological Damage | The claimant has suffered problems coping with life and personal relationships. However, they’ve improved and the overall prognosis is positive. | £5,860 to £19,070 |
| Less Severe Facial Scarring | The claimant has suffered substantial facial disfigurement along with a significant psychological reaction. | £17,960 to £48,420 |
| Less Significant Facial Scarring | The claimant may have one facial scar or many little ones. Their appearance is marred but not markedly impacted. The psychological reaction is no more than that of an ordinarily sensitive person. | £3,950 to £13,740 |
| Dermatitis (a) | In these cases, dermatitis impacts employment and the claimant’s domestic capabilities with some psychological problems as a result. The symptoms are expected to last for some years. | £13,740 to £19,200 |
| Dermatitis (b) | In these cases, treatment will help settle the symptoms, which continue for a significant amount of time. | £8,640 to £11,410 |
| Dermatitis (c) | The claimant experiences a short term aggravation of a pre-existing skin condition or itching, irritation or rashes that resolve within a few months with treatment. | £1,710 to £3,950 |
| Hair Damage (a) | The claimant experiences distress, depression, embarrassment, and lost confidence because of damage to their hair causing dermatitis, eczema, scalp tingling/burning, and dry or brittle hair that falls out. | £7,340 to £11,020 |
| Hair Damage (b) | In these cases, the claimant experiences similar symptoms to more severe hair damage claimants, but they are more minor in nature. | £3,950 to £7,340 |
If you have suffered from hair damage from a dye job performed negligently – or any other form of hair procedure – please reach out to a member of our team now to either discuss starting a claim or to learn how much you could claim in compensation.
A salon damaged my hair – am I entitled to make a No Win No Fee hair damage compensation claim
Legal action may appear to be too expensive for some people, but when it comes to personal injury cases such as damage to hair claims, it is important not to discount this action because you do not believe you have enough funds to pursue a case. In order to make sure that people with a valid case do not have to scrape together the money to fund it, we help you pursue your case on a no win no fee type of arrangement, whereupon you will not have to find even a penny to start a claim.
Even better, if for whatever reason your case does not succeed, and you do not receive the compensation award, then you will not be saddled with a success fee for legal services that you cannot afford. There will be no financial burden as you will not have a legal bill to pay.
Feel free to ask our experts about this when you call us – we are always delighted to furnish callers with a full explanation over how no win no fee hair damage claims work, and the premise behind them.
Accident claims – why choose our service for your hair damage claims
At Accident Claims, we feel we offer damage to hair claims services that go beyond what many other companies offer. We have put a lot of time and effort sourcing the right people for our team, those who will offer a sympathetic ear to those who have been through an ordeal as well as having the knowledge and training to be able to offer not platitudes, but useful, actionable advice.
Our staff are handpicked to serve our customers, whatever their problem with respect, and we will never forcibly persuade you to go ahead with any type of claim. We understand that all of this is your decision, and we respect that. We will still provide advice that you can count on, without leaving you obligated to use our service.
Using a personal injury solicitor in hair damage compensation claims
If you decide to begin a claim for damage to hair compensation, you are very likely to end up claiming against the defendant’s insurance policy. Public liability insurance is taken out by firms to cover them if things go wrong and clients end up suing them. The problem is that insurance firms deal with claims every day of the week and they will only pay out if it is absolutely clear that a) their client was liable for the incident and b) the injuries that are being claimed for were caused by their client. If you’re unable to answer all of the insurer’s questions and supply supporting evidence, your case could be lost or you might receive less damage to hair compensation than you should.
Therefore, we’d suggest letting us help you with your claim. If one of our solicitors accepts your case they will:
- Listen to what happened and how you suffered.
- Collect evidence to back up your allegations.
- Arrange for you to have a local medical review to assess the impact of your hair damage.
- Handle all queries from the insurer and try to counter any objections they raise.
- Keep you up to date with any progress.
- Aim to ensure you are fully compensated for your suffering.
We believe our solicitors could improve your chances of winning a damage to hair compensation claim. Therefore, why not get in contact with us today and we’ll review your options with you for free?
Want to know more about making a claim?
If you still have questions about hair damage claims, whether that is to ask can I sue a hairdresser for ruining my hair? How do small claims court hairdresser compensation claims work? What is a conditional fee agreement? Or perhaps you feel your injuries are complex and do not quite understand whether the impact on your career will be covered by your hair salon negligence claim. Whatever your query or worry, we will take the time to talk you through it and give you advice that should help.
A salon damaged my hair – I am ready to begin a hair damage claim because a hairdresser ruined my hair
After reading the information contained in our guide, you may feel ready to take that first step towards claiming hair damage compensation. If you do, then why not call one of our hair damage claims experts, by dialling 0800 073 8801 today.
hair damage claims
Our well-trained and experienced staff are ready for you to tell us your story, and provide all that is needed, including a referral to specialist hair lawyers to begin a claim that could gain you compensation for your hair damage injuries. While we know no monetary award will completely compensate you for the stress you have been under after your hair damage, we will work hard to ensure you receive financial compensation with as little disruption to your life as possible.
A Hairdresser Ruined My Hair – Helpful Links Relating To Hair Damage Compensation
Bad service – What you should do – CAB
If you have been subjected to a poor service, this page from the CAB is useful. It details the actions you can take in such a case. This advice applies to hairdressers as well as other service providers.
NHS advice on a hair product reaction
The NHS have produced a guide to explain why people can suffer allergic reactions to hair products, as well as what should be done to keep the risk relatively low. You may want to read this is you are pursuing allergic reaction claims.
What are my rights if I am injured in an accident at work? Find out more in this dedicated guide.
Find out how to claim compensation for harm caused by negligent beauty treatment as well answers to ‘a beautician or hairdresser ruined my hair, can I claim?’.
Reasons that someone may want to make hair damage claims; scalp, eye or ear injuries, cuts and lacerations, damaged or burned hair or other injuries suffered through other services.
Learn about the supermarket accident claims process with our helpful guide.
A hairdresser ruined my hair – can I claim – final words
Thank you for reading this guide on hair damage claims. Hopefully now you have a better understanding of when you could claim hair damage compensation, and we have answered questions such as ‘a hairdresser ruined my hair or a salon damaged my hair – could I claim?’. If you require further guidance on making a claim, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.