More personal injury claims could reach the UK courts after Parliament threw out a proposal for strict regulation of hairdressers.
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers’ chief executive, Deborah Evans, said Parliament had missed a golden opportunity to cut down on personal injury compensation cases when it voted 67 – 63 against the Hairdressing Bill tabled by Morecambe MP David Morris.
The personal injury expert explained that the chemicals contained in hairdressing products could cause terrible injuries, including anaphylactic reactions, blood poisoning, chemical burns and scarring. These incidents occur too frequently for the hairdressing sector to be allowed to continue to operate completely unregulated.
Because parliament did not act, personal injury solicitors are likely to see hundreds of these injuries every year, she continued. And it is very disappointing that MPs chose to dismiss the issue.
However, she said she hoped the Bill had highlighted the risks involved in having certain types of treatment and people will make sure they go to a qualified, professional hair stylist who will treat their hair with the care it deserves.
More than 35,000 hairdressing salons operate in the UK and worryingly the lack of regulation means that anybody can set themselves up as a hairdresser and offer their services to the public. A professional hair salon will test people for allergies before applying treatments such as hair dye.
If you have suffered at the hands of an unprofessional hairdresser you should contact your nearest personal injury solicitor for advice on claiming compensation.