I went to the local beauty parlor to get my facial hair waxed, other than hands and legs. During facial waxing I did feel a bit of burn and pain, but nothing was visible, so I left after paying. While I was reaching home I started getting a more intense burning sensation, and after getting home I saw the burn marks.
I was not aware of the laws so didn’t know what to do. Later my husband saw it, and asked me to get in touch with the parlor manager. Unfortunately it was shut by then. What should I do now? Thanks for any information you can give.
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Answer
Dear Anonymous,
Take photographs of the burn marks. If you think there may be scarring, seek the medical opinion of your physician. If your physician is confident the waxing caused permanent scarring, ask him or her for a letter confirming the permanent scarring was caused by a burn to the skin.
Because of the severity of a permanent scarring injury, the matter is best left in the hands of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Here’s why:
In the unfortunate event you did sustain permanent scarring and wanted to pursue compensation from the salon owner on your own, you wouldn’t know what amount to ask for.
If the salon owner refuses to cooperate, you would have no recourse but to sue the owner in one of Dallas County’s Small Claims Courts. To do so would likely require your physician’s testimony in support of his or her claim of permanent scarring. The judge might not accept the letter into evidence based on hearsay rules.
In any event, it is unlikely your physician would agree to testify in court; especially small claims court. Worse, if the salon owner is insured, you would likely be up against the owner’s insurance company’s defense attorney.
A personal injury attorney can cut right to the heart of the matter. He or she can demand the salon owner refer the matter to their insurance company. If the owner refuses, your attorney can file a lawsuit in a County or District Court. It is likely doing so would prompt a settlement from the salon owner’s insurance company.
Most personal injury attorneys do not charge for initial office consultations. Moreover, if you find an attorney to accept your case, he or she will not charge any legal fees until, and unless he or she prevails in settling your case, or winning in court. In the event your attorney does not succeed, you will owe the attorney nothing.
In the alternative, if you have not sustained permanent scarring, and you are fine, there wouldn’t much point in confronting the salon owner, except to demand he or she reimburse you for the amount you paid for the services. You might ask for an amount for your pain and suffering, but it is doubtful the owner would agree.
Without permanent scarring, the basis of a legal claim against the owner is tentative. In that case, it would be better to celebrate the lack of serious injury and go about seeking another salon.
Learn more here: Beauty Salon Injury Claims
The above is general information. Laws change frequently, and across jurisdictions. You should get a personalized case evaluation from a licensed attorney.
Find a local attorney to give you a free case review here, or call 888-972-0892.
We wish you the best with your claim,
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Hi Doretha,
What was the result of your burn mark, what compensation did you get?
Thank you.
I was burned by a beauty salon worker yesterday, and now I look in my face there is a burn mark. It’s painful and it looks ugly. Since it’s visible I took pictures. Today I’m going back to the salon for answers.