$1,400,000 Recovery for Foot/Ankle Burns Suffered in a Pedicure Spa Chair Leading to Leg Amputation
William O. Crutchlow, Esq. of Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP with offices on Edison, Toms River and Red Bank, New Jersey recently settled a negligence and product liability case arising from thermal burns to our client’s feet and ankles that occurred due to the use of excessively hot water in a pedicure spa chair.
Our client is a diabetic who had lost feeling in his lower legs and feet due to diabetic nerve injuries. He regularly got pedicures for health maintenance reasons. On the date at issue, he went to his usual spa and had a pedicure performed. His feet were soaked in hot water as part of the procedure. The water was extremely hot and caused severe burns to our client’s feet and ankles. He spent several weeks hospitalized in a burn unit and endured numerous surgical procedures in an effort to save his legs. Unfortunately, one leg ultimately required an amputation below the knee.
We argued that the spa’s workers were negligent in permitting overly hot water to collect in the pedicure chair basin and that the manufacturer of the chair was negligent in failing to design and install safeguards to keep excessively hot water from collecting in the basin. Settlement was reached with the spa and with the manufacturer.