No Win, No FeeWhile lots of people undergo waxing treatments regularly and without any problems, mistakes are sometimes made. Waxing burns are one of the main risks of a botched treatment. We’re often asked, can you sue for waxing burns? The answer is usually yes if your burns were caused by negligence. We’ll explain more about what that means throughout this guide.
To make it easier to understand your options, we offer a free consultation where no-obligation legal advice is provided. A specialist from our team will review your case and explain whether they feel you have a reasonable chance of success. If you wish to proceed and a personal injury lawyer from our panel offers to help, they’ll process your claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.
Please continue reading for more on waxing burn compensation claims or call us today on 0800 652 1345 to speak with a specialist right away.
What is a waxing treatment?
Waxing is a method of removing unwanted hair from different parts of the body. Waxing usually provides smooth skin for longer periods than simply shaving or plucking hair.
Body hair waxing involves applying wax to the body and then it is pulled off to remove hairs from the follicle. Soft waxes (or strip waxes) are pulled off by strips of paper whereas hard waxes can be pulled off of the skin directly once they have set.
Waxing can be performed on various parts of the body including legs, arms, underarms, backs and bikini areas. Facial waxing can also be applied to remove hair from the eyebrows, cheeks and upper lip.
What are waxing burns?
Waxing burns refer to injuries or skin damage that can happen during or after a waxing treatment and are typically caused by excessive heat, improper waxing techniques, or sensitivity of the skin. Generally, it is the first layer of the skin affected (first-degree burns) but waxing burns can cause deeper damage.
Common problems linked to botched waxing treatments include:
- Skin burns and blistering
- Excessive redness or bruising.
- Damaged hair follicles.
- Infections.
- Ingrown hairs.
- Irritation or itchiness of the skin.
- Swelling.
- Temporary or permanent scarring.
- Allergic reactions to chemicals in the wax.
If you believe you’ve suffered wax burns because of a negligent beauty technician, please feel free to contact our team to see if you could receive compensation for your suffering.
How waxing burns are treated
If you’ve sustained a waxing burn, you should run it under cold water for at least 20 minutes to cool the burn but never apply ice or greasy substances to the burn.
Advice from the NHS states you should attend hospital for any burn that affects the face, neck or genitals. Also, anyone affected by diabetes, heart, lung or liver conditions should also go to a hospital for treatment.
First-degree waxing burns will usually heal naturally but second-degree burns may lead to temporary scarring. Third-degree burns affecting the deeper skin tissues can result in permanent scars and may require skin grafts.
Can you sue a salon for wax burns?
You may be able to sue a salon for waxing burns if:
- The defendant in your claim breached their legal duty of care because they were negligent; and
- You sustained waxing burns or other injuries as a consequence of that negligence.
Establishing both negligence and the extent of your injuries is essential if you’re to receive compensation for waxing burns. As such, we’d always suggest a) seeking free legal advice from our team and b) working with a specialist solicitor if you do decide to sue.
When could I sue for a waxing burn?
You could be entitled to compensation if your wax burns were caused by:
- A beauty technician who had not received adequate training on safe waxing procedures.
- If you were not patch tested before wax was applied to your skin.
- Where poor hygiene conditions in a beauty salon led to an infection.
- If inadequate waxing aftercare advice was provided.
- If waxing was applied to skin that was already affected by a wound or sunburn.
This list does not cover all of the types of beauty treatment negligence that could mean you are entitled to begin a claim. So, please call us if you believe you should be compensated and we’ll review your options with you for free.
How much compensation will I get for a waxing burn?
The general idea of compensation for a waxing burn is to try and get you back to the position you were in prior to the burn (or as near as reasonably possible). Any settlement amount you’d get should cover your pain and suffering (general damages) and any costs the waxing burns have caused (special damages).
Each claim will be different from the next but you could be entitled to compensation for:
- Physical symptoms (pain, discomfort and general suffering).
- Psychiatric injuries i.e. emotional distress, embarrassment and anxiety.
- The cost of remedial medical treatment including private plastic surgery for severe waxing burns or scarring.
- The time someone else spent caring for you while injured.
- Lost earnings (including future losses in some cases).
- Loss of amenities if your waxing burns prevent you from participating in normal hobbies or activities.
It’s important to ensure everything is included if you sue for waxing burns as you can only request compensation once.
How will my solicitor know how the waxing burns have affected me?
To prove the extent of any physical and emotional injuries you’ll be asked to visit an independent medical specialist. This is nothing to be concerned about and your appointment will normally be arranged locally.
In the meeting, the specialist will talk with you about the impact of the waxing burns and examine their current state. They’ll then provide your solicitor with a report which they’ll use to calculate how much compensation for waxing burns might need to be paid.
How do I prove negligence caused a waxing burn?
It’s very easy to say that a beautician has caused you to suffer after applying hot wax negligently but it’s another thing to prove it. That is something you will need to do though if you’re to sue for waxing burns. As such, if one of our personal injury lawyers agrees to help, they’ll try to secure proof including the following:
- Photographic proof. Before and after photographs of the area affected by waxing burns will help to prove the extent of your injuries. Taken over a period of time, these photos can also show how long you suffered.
- Medical notes. Your doctor or the hospital that treated your waxing burn will be asked to forward copies of your medical records from the appointment where your injuries were diagnosed and treated.
- Witness statements. If you took a friend or family member with you when your waxing treatment was performed, they might be asked to describe what they saw and heard during your appointment.
- Communications. Any letters, emails or text messages you received before the waxing treatment or after you complained about your burn will be reviewed in detail by your solicitor.
- Financial records. To help claim back any costs linked to your waxing burns, you should retain any relevant financial information.
The more proof you can supply to support your claim, the better. If you have any information that could improve your chances of being compensated, please tell your advisor when you call for a free initial consultation.
Do beauty treatment claims end up in court?
There is no guarantee a claim won’t end up in court, however, in most cases, the solicitor and the defendant’s insurers will try to avoid a court hearing because of the time and costs involved. Instead, both parties will usually try to settle the claim amicably by agreeing on a) liability for your waxing burns and b) the extent of your suffering.
However, if an out-of-court settlement can’t be achieved, your solicitor may decide to pursue compensation in court. While you’re waiting for the court hearing, it is still possible for your solicitor to agree to a settlement amount with the defendant.
How long do I have to sue for waxing burns?
Most personal injury claims for waxing burns have a 3-year time limit beginning from either the date you were treated negligently or from when you became aware you suffered a burn.
It’s often a good idea to get in touch with us as soon as possible. That should reduce the risk of running out of time to lodge your claim. It will also mean you’ll receive any compensation due sooner if the claim is won.
No Win, No Fee claims
Suing a beauty salon (or equivalent) for waxing burns will usually mean dealing with their insurance provider. In these circumstances, we believe it’s best to take on legal representation from a specialist solicitor to improve your chances of being compensated.
To reduce some of the worry relating to solicitors’ legal fees, those on our panel offer a No Win, No Fee service for all accepted claims. In basic terms that means that:
- You won’t be charged legal fees upfront.
- There are no legal fees to pay if the claim fails.
The only time your solicitor will be paid is if they secure a compensation payout for you. If that happens, a success fee will be deducted from your compensation. You’ll sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) which will explain your success fee in more detail but for peace of mind, it is legally capped at 25 per cent of any damages awarded to you.
Once the CFA has been returned, your solicitor will begin working on your claim. This involves:
- Collecting proof and arranging a medical assessment.
- Contacting the defendant or their insurance company.
- Handling everything on your behalf so you won’t need to communicate with the defendant directly.
- Sending you updates regularly to explain how the claim is progressing.
- Aiming to ensure that you are compensated fully for your suffering.
To see if you could sue for waxing burns on a No Win, No Fee basis, please call today.
Start a compensation claim for waxing burns today
We hope this article has answered the question, “Can you sue for a waxing burn?”. If you’ve decided that you’d like to sue for your waxing injuries, call us on 0800 652 1345. There’s no obligation to lodge a claim but one of our specialist advisors will guide you through your options for free.
During your free initial consultation, we’ll let you know if we believe you’re entitled to compensation. If you are, and a personal injury solicitor from our panel is happy to help, your claim will proceed on a No Win, No Fee basis. Knowing that legal fees aren’t payable if the claim fails should make claiming a lot less stressful.
Please feel free to call or connect to live chat if there’s anything else you want to know about suing for waxing burns.
