Laser Hair Removal Burn Claims Explained

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How Much Compensation For Laser Hair Removal Gone Wrong?

By Olivia Fitzpatrick. Last updated 7th September 2023. Getting laser hair removal treatment should be a straightforward process. However, there are times when things don’t work out according to plan. In this guide, we explore your legal rights if you’ve been injured because of laser hair removal gone wrong.

As well as exploring the likes of compensation payouts and the criteria to make a personal injury claim, we also offer a free case check if you’d like to take legal action.

Our solicitors specialise in these types of cases and you can benefit from their expertise on a No Win No Fee basis.

To get in touch, you can:

Select a Section

  1. A Case Study On Laser Hair Removal Gone Wrong
  2. Can I Claim For A Laser Hair Removal Burn?
  3. What Injuries Can You Suffer During Laser Hair Removal?
  4. How To Claim Against A Beauty Salon
  5. Common complaints leading to a beauty salon compensation claim
  6. Make A No Win No Fee Claim For Laser Hair Removal Gone Wrong
  7. Learn More About Personal Injury Claims

A Case Study On Laser Hair Removal Gone Wrong

Let’s take a look at a case study exploring a case involving laser hair removal gone wrong.

A laser hair removal injury claim was brought by a client of a salon who experienced burns from laser hair removal and subsequent scarring after an IPL (intense pulsed light) treatment. The beautician in the salon was found to be in breach of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 because she failed to act with reasonable care in carrying out the laser hair removal service.

She was found to be negligent as she turned up the machine intensity too high and it reached a hazardous level of intensity which was untested. She did not take reasonable care to ensure that she wouldn’t be putting the client in danger. A patch test was not carried out and the client was unaware of the possible side effects. The normal procedure would be to cool the patient’s skin before and after the treatment but she did not do this.

This combination of failings meant that the client was found to be eligible to receive compensation for laser hair removal claims.

What Happened Next?

The laser burns, in this case, was due to the fact that the claimant suffered superficial burns, and although these healed after around a month, she was left with some hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, which is discolouration of the skin and is visible when seen up close. The beautician admitted responsibility and so the laser hair removal burn claim was settled out of court for an amount that the claimant was happy with.

In typical cases of personal injury, the claimant can claim compensation for general damages and special damages. Whereas general damages aim to cover physical and mental pain or suffering, special damages aim to cover financial losses, such as loss of earnings or out-of-pocket expenses paid for medical bills and adaptation to property.

Can I Claim For A Laser Hair Removal Burn?

In order to make a personal injury claim for laser hair removal gone wrong, it’s necessary to meet a set of criteria. They are:

  • That the beauty salon or person carrying out the treatment owed you a duty of care. In most cases, this is simple to prove
  • That the beauty salon breached its duty of care. For this, you’d need evidence that they failed to act in a way they should have
  • As a result of the breach, you suffered an injury such as a burn

If you want to get a free case check to see if you meet the criteria for making a personal injury claim, just get in touch on the number at the top of the page.

How Long Do I Have To Claim For Laser Hair Removal Gone Wrong?

If you are eligible to claim for laser hair removal that has gone wrong, you will need to initiate legal proceedings within the time limit for personal injury claims. Under the Limitation Act 1980, this is typically 3 years from the date of the incident. 

However, in some circumstances, there are exceptions to this limitation period. These include:

  • Those who lack the mental capacity to bring forward their own claim. These parties have the time limit suspended for as long as they are unable to start their own legal proceedings. During this time, a court-appointed litigation friend could file a claim on their behalf. However, if the injured party regains this capacity and a claim was not made already, they will have 3 years from the date of recovery to start the claims process. 
  • Those under the age of 18 have the time limit paused until they turn 18. Before this, a litigation friend can begin the claiming process for them. However, if they turn 18 and a litigation friend did not act on their behalf, they will have 3 years from the date of their 18th birthday to initiate proceedings. 

To find out if you are still within the personal injury claims time limit, get in touch with one of our advisors.

What Injuries Can You Suffer During Laser Hair Removal?

IPL uses a light source to heat and destroys hair follicles in the skin which results in semi-permanent removal of unwanted hair. Side effects of this can include skin blisters, lightening or darkening of the skin, swelling, burns, scarring, bruising, mottled skin or even a skin reaction called ‘erythema ab igne’.

These side effects are more frequent with prolonged or repeated treatments. It’s best to let a doctor see the injuries as soon as possible to increase your chance of winning a burn injury claim. If you are wondering how to get rid of laser burns then the best way is to keep the burns moist and use an ice pack. Take over the counter pain relief and stay out of the sun. You may want to use some skin healing ointment that is available either over the counter or by prescription.

The average healing time for laser burns, in this case, was around one month. If you’re wondering “can I sue for laser burns?” then the answer is probably yes, if you are the result of the salon or clinic’s negligence then you can make a laser hair removal burn claim.

How To Claim Against A Beauty Salon

Suing a beautician or clinician is possible if there is evidence of negligence or ignorance which results in injury to the client. The laser hair removal burn claim can even extend to suing for emotional distress if the injury is shown to harm self-esteem or quality of life. The person carrying out the treatment has a duty of care to the client to ensure that they are not unduly harmed during a procedure.

Salons and clinics will have insurance to cover them in the event of a claim for any kind of injury. Should you suffer an injury in a salon, it is useful to provide a before and after picture for evidence. Try to establish who was responsible and keep any appointment cards and receipts. Also, keep a record of any medical advice that you were given following the injury.

Make A No Win No Fee Claim For Laser Hair Removal Gone Wrong

If you are eligible to claim for your laser hair removal burns, you may wish to do so with legal representation. One of our personal injury solicitors could help. They typically use a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) to work on your claim. This is a type of No Win No Fee agreement. 

If your personal injury solicitor works with you on a No Win No Fee basis, they generally don’t charge upfront for their services. There also won’t be any ongoing fees. You also won’t be expected to pay for their work on your case if your claim is not successful. 

However, if the outcome of your claim is positive, your solicitor will deduct a success fee out of your compensation. The amount that your solicitor can take as this fee is a legally limited percentage. 

To find out if you are eligible to seek compensation for your hair removal injury, get in touch with one of the advisors on our team. If you have valid grounds for a claim, our solicitors can get to work on your case right away. 

To speak to an advisor:

Call us for free advice

Our team of experts would love to advise you on whether you have a laser hair removal burn claim that is likely to be successful and we will put you in touch with an experienced solicitor who can make the claim on your behalf.

If you think you may be entitled to claim compensation, please call us for free advice on how to proceed. We’re here to help from 9am – 9pm, 7 days a week:

Learn More About Personal Injury Claims

Below, you can find more information on personal injury claims:

Laser hair removal burn blister – Our guide to making a personal injury claim for blistering as a result of last hair removal burns.

£5,000 for laser hair removal burn on back – Another case study to help illustrate how a claimant won £5,000 from their claim for sustaining a burn on their back due to negligence.

How much compensation for beauty treatment claims? – Our guide on how much compensation you could claim for a beauty treatment injury.

An NHS guide to treating burn injuries – This NHS guide offers lots of useful advice on treating burns of all types, including those caused by laser hair removal.

Other Guides You Can Check Out

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    • Patrick Mallon

      Patrick is a Grade A solicitor having qualified in 2005. He's an an expert in accident at work and public liability claims and is currently our head of the EL/PL department. Get in touch today for free to see how we can help you.

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