suing my hairdresser, was this a mistake?

[askyfullofstars]

Long story shory, I had my hair coloured back in March. I asked if I needed a patch test (have been using this salon for a number of years not had one), was reassured I didnt need one as Ive been dying my hair many different colours for years and had no reaction (yes I feel like an idiot now).
Then boom! Had a severe allergic reaction which resulted in my head swelling (it was horrendous), weeping blisters all over my scalp and breathlessness (ended up being taken by ambulance to A and E as I couldnt breathe.
It was horrendous. I am (among other things) now still suffering with paranoia about using beauty products and I burst into tears when I think about how awful it was. How much it hurt how I couldnt bring myself to look at myself in a mirror for ages.
So, long story short I felt angry that my life had been put in danger in this way, that they either had a disregard for my safety or massive ignorance about allergies so I contacted a solicitor.
My solicitor has had contacted them asking for their insurance details and they are just ignoring it. Theyve chased them but had no response. So they are just ignoring it.
If they dont cough up the info theres nothing my solicitor can do. So just by burying their head in the sand they are going to get away with it. They almost killed me and they are going to get away with it.*
Was this just a huge mistake?

[des8]

Re: suing my hairdresser, was this a mistake?

Hi and elcome
Must say I'm glad to be a balding male!

Why does your solicitor feel there is nothing to be done.

Presumably he wrote to the hairdresser , confirming the problems and suggested they pass the matter to their insurers.
If the hairdresser ignores the matter the next stage is to initiate court action against the hairdresser.
This should focus their minds to pass the claim to their liability insurers.

Every time your solicitor politely writes or phones the hairdresser without a result it just pushes up his fees.
Tell him to get his digit out!

[Snoopy1948]

Re: suing my hairdresser, was this a mistake?

Having had to visit several hair dressing salons over the years ( for business purposes ) I can report that only two of them had a principal running them with everyone on a PAYE contract while the rest were essentially a principal ( who may or may not work in the salon ) with the rest being self employed on a percentage 'of the take' or simply renting a chair and maintaining their own profits and clients. One would assume that every shop has its own public liability insurance to deal with this kind of thing, regardless of how the staff are individually paid. I assume that in this case a principal has been identified rather than just the trading name? Just my thoughts ...

[Openlaw15]

Re: suing my hairdresser, was this a mistake?

Long story shory, I had my hair coloured back in March. I asked if I needed a patch test (have been using this salon for a number of years not had one), was reassured I didnt need one as Ive been dying my hair many different colours for years and had no reaction (yes I feel like an idiot now).
Then boom! Had a severe allergic reaction which resulted in my head swelling (it was horrendous), weeping blisters all over my scalp and breathlessness (ended up being taken by ambulance to A and E as I couldnt breathe.
It was horrendous. I am (among other things) now still suffering with paranoia about using beauty products and I burst into tears when I think about how awful it was. How much it hurt how I couldnt bring myself to look at myself in a mirror for ages.
So, long story short I felt angry that my life had been put in danger in this way, that they either had a disregard for my safety or massive ignorance about allergies so I contacted a solicitor.
My solicitor has had contacted them asking for their insurance details and they are just ignoring it. Theyve chased them but had no response. So they are just ignoring it.
If they dont cough up the info theres nothing my solicitor can do. So just by burying their head in the sand they are going to get away with it. They almost killed me and they are going to get away with it.*
Was this just a huge mistake?

Your solicitor has a duty to provide you with reasonable legal services. If the company won't provide their insurance details your solicitor should take other action, ie go through the courts as this is an obvious tort (compensation a wrong). This is an obvious personal injury claim, I would transfer to another specialist in personal injury if the solicitor is too lazy or just simply crap. You should have been directed to go and see a skin specialist so that your claim can be valued. You should have been directed to take photographic evidence of the injuries at the time for proving causation (ie the link to their wrong (breach) and your specific injuries). Your new solicitor (if you choose one) can claim for costs up to the point where your previous solicitor (if you get rid of them) provided their legal services.

[CLL1]

Re: suing my hairdresser, was this a mistake?

Your solicitor has a duty to provide you with reasonable legal services. If the company won't provide their insurance details your solicitor should take other action, ie go through the courts as this is an obvious tort (compensation a wrong). This is an obvious personal injury claim, I would transfer to another specialist in personal injury if the solicitor is too lazy or just simply crap. You should have been directed to go and see a skin specialist so that your claim can be valued. You should have been directed to take photographic evidence of the injuries at the time for proving causation (ie the link to their wrong (breach) and your specific injuries). Your new solicitor (if you choose one) can claim for costs up to the point where your previous solicitor (if you get rid of them) provided their legal services.

Consider the terms of any agreement you have with your solicitor if you're considering following the suggestion offered by Openlaw15. Most "no win no fee" agreements contain a clause which means you will be liable to pay your solicitor's fees should you terminate the agreement.

Claiming costs & damages from an insurer is far better than litigating - I can understand his/her hesitation (depending on the length of that hesitation, of course).

The personal injury protocol regard the joint selection of a single expert to be the norm. An expert won't have been engaged because the salon aren't replying....