Help-customer nail complaint

[cumbriangirl]

I'm looking for advice, I received a letter from a regular client saying her middle toenail has come off during the night and blames shellac for this occurance even though all her other toes are fine. She now wants compensation!!
We have a very lovely salon, a very good reputation and we are always busy with repeat custom! This has never happened in the 23 years I've done beauty treatments!
Any advice would be appreciated, I haven't replied in writing as yet but phoned the lady but did not get anywhere, she was very argumentative and twisted everything I said. Now I have received a second letter and she wants compensation.

 

[Selina]

Hi there, have you contacted your insurance and asked them how they think you should proceed? They would be best at telling you how to handle it in the correct way so as to not admitting blame.

I don't really see any way that Shellac could possibly make someone's toe nail just fall off, but your insurance company would be able to advise you how best to respond to the client x

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[Charlistar]

yep, speak to your insurance,
In the meantime send her a letter detailing that you are looking into her complaint and need to investigate this as the health and safety of your customers is of the utmost importance to the salon, and in order to do this you would need X X X X information about what has happened, and also the note from her GP or Chiropodist confirming that the shellac is indeed potentially the reason for this.

Personally I would request photos too.

I wouldnt get your knickers in a twist cause she sounds like a chancer

 

[NailsXpress]

Just for information, I watched Embarrassing Bodies the other night and a lady lost three toe nails. Well actually they were lifting really really badly and asked the doctor to remove them. Unknown to her and she wasn't told, but when you have a toe nail removed it doesn't re grow! (Apparently).

Anyway, the reason why they kept lifting so much (apparently) was because she had worn nail polish, none stop, for 23 years. No breaks at all. The specialist said that because of the acetone properties in the polish and remover, it had dried her nails out so much, that they just dried up and were falling off.

I had never heard of this before. Just wondering if she had been removing acrylic or gel over a long period of time with acetone or even been using strong nail polish removers for years. This may have contributed to her nail coming off.

Not saying it's you or your salon at all, just a thought.

Hope it all goes well for you with her. X

 

[Selina]

Also have a wee check on your policy details. I recently renewed my insurance so read over the bumf that comes with it to make sure there weren't any changes. It says on mine that if anything like this happened, I've to inform them as soon as possible and I'm not to engage in any written correspondence with the person complaining except to acknowledge you have received their complaint and are investigating the matter. (the suggestions by Charliestar seem ok too as they are just requesting further details and not arguing with them or admitting any blame).

Different insurance policies may have different rules though so you would definitely be best to get their advice ASAP.

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[lessthanthree]

It would be great if Doug Schoon could weigh in on this... The whole acetone causing your toenails to drop off thing sounds shifty to me. Your body creates acetone for some bodily functions and you get rid of it through urination... Are you out there Doug?

 

[Charlistar]

Also have a wee check on your policy details. I recently renewed my insurance so read over the bumf that comes with it to make sure there weren't any changes. It says on mine that if anything like this happened, I've to inform them as soon as possible and I'm not to engage in any written correspondence with the person complaining except to acknowledge you have received their complaint and are investigating the matter. (the suggestions by Charliestar seem ok too as they are just requesting further details and not arguing with them or admitting any blame).

Different insurance policies may have different rules though so you would definitely be best to get their advice ASAP.

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good thinking batman.

 

[cumbriangirl]

Thanks very much for your advice everyone! Il call my insurance company on Monday morning for advice and probably call cnd shellac too!
My client has had shellac on her fingers regularly but this was the first time on her toes so I don't think it would of caused her toenail to come off! She said her chiropodist told her shellac had caused her problem. But she has failed to get a letter to prove this! Hopefully it will get resolved soon, but I have a feeling I will be getting more letters

 

[kellybeauty]

Please keep us updated how things go

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[Selina]

Hopefully it will be resolved quickly for you. I'm sure your insurance company wouldn't give her the time of day without a medical professional being willing to give written evidence that they believe it is what caused the problem, without that she really doesn't have any case against you that would have a chance of winning. Maybe a letter from their legal team will be enough to put her off X

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[Saira23]

I honestly wouldn't worry about this.
If she has a real case of compensation, then surely every lady who's finger nails have weakened through acrylics can also seek compensation?
People go in for nail treatments knowing that they are covering their natural nails.
There's also no proof that the shellac caused this as she could have been rough with her feet and caused the damage herself.
There's so many arguments against her claims so I really wouldn't lose any sleep - just an awkward customer looking for a freebie! Disgusting!

 

[fluffy26]

This situation is a little annoying as the "DIAGNOSIS" has come from a source, who probably knows absolutely nothing about shellac, what it is or what it does!! I feel they are obviously grasping at straws..... Ridiculous! I feel for you! Xx


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[Winnie2013]

I hate this blame/compensation culture that we've become. Everyone is after something for nothing or looking for an excuse to get compensation over nothing. It's just disgusting to be honest. I know you can't but it must be so tempting to give this woman a piece of your mind. X

 

[dolly81]

I'm looking for advice, I received a letter from a regular client saying her middle toenail has come off during the night and blames shellac for this occurance even though all her other toes are fine.

How long had she had them on for?

I had a friend say something similar to me the other day.

She had had her nails done in the town where she lives and said they had ruined her nails and the gel had ripped 1 of her toe nails off completely.

After having a quick look and asking a few questions, it turned out she had had them on 7 weeks, when I said with all the regrowth you probably caught them on something she said no iv been cutting them down myself with nail clippers she had also picked the rest off.

So maybe it would be worth inviting her in to have a look and asking her a few questions, make note of what she says. She could of done anything to her nails after she left and you don't even know there is any damage until you see it for yourself.

Hope you get it sorted soon

😃 x

 

[lessthanthree]

I'm looking for advice, I received a letter from a regular client saying her middle toenail has come off during the night and blames shellac for this occurance even though all her other toes are fine. She now wants compensation!!
We have a very lovely salon, a very good reputation and we are always busy with repeat custom! This has never happened in the 23 years I've done beauty treatments!
Any advice would be appreciated, I haven't replied in writing as yet but phoned the lady but did not get anywhere, she was very argumentative and twisted everything I said. Now I have received a second letter and she wants compensation.

Just to let you know I've forwarded the link to this thread to Doug Schoon's email, so helpfully he can help us out with an answer as to how this could happen, with all your experience though my gut tells me it's a client-side issue, no doubt you know what you're doing... We're rooting for you cumbriangirl!

 

[Doug Schoon]

I agree with Selina’s very good advice and would add there is no way that I can conceive of that wearing any type of nail coating can cause a loss of the nail plate when properly applied, maintained and removed. If that were the case, it would happen all the time and not just in isolated cases. As far as the doctor who claims that acetone dried the nail so much that the plate to lift… that’s pretty unlikely as well. The problem with these TV shows is they won’t let you be on them, unless you are willing to say outrageous things, even without evidence to back up the silly comments. So, guess what doctors who want to be on TV will say and do? Outrageous things.

 

[Daisy Digits]

Now that's what you call sound advice! How good it is to have an expert on the side of the Nail Tech. Let us know what happens.
And just in case you're still there Doug, thank you on behalf of all nail techs. :biggrin:

 

[hkylene87]

I've had that happen to a few of my clients. Living in an area that is filled with hikers and runners, it's very common to see. Ask your client if she is an avid runner or hiker. That can damage the nail enough that it falls off. It usually grows back, but it takes close to a year.