Suing Your Hairdresser
By Amy E. Feldman
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Anyone who's ever walked out of a salon in horror after a bad haircut wants to know: can you sue your hairdresser for making you look ridiculous?
A 26-year-old woman in a village in England committed suicide, apparently over a bad haircut. In America, we handle bad haircuts differently. We sue.
A woman in Oregon sued her hairdresser after the platinum blonde dye caused her hair to fall out in clumps.
If you have had a bad haircut, can you sue your hairdresser? Yes, but you're not likely to win.
You need to show that the hairdresser was negligent, and just because the picture in your mind doesn't match the hair on your head doesn't necessarily mean there was negligence involved. But even if a jury of your peers would agree that you look awful, and that your hairdresser was negligent, you still need to prove monetary damages. The fact is, a bad haircut grows out. If the chemicals used led to permanent injuries, you'd have a better chance of winning a claim - but a far worse outcome than a one-time cut that will eventually grow out.
The good news is that a salon will usually refund your money or agree to restyle your hair if you ask; also, I hear straw hats are all the rage this summer.
