A mother who suffered chemical burns whilst applying defective fake blood as part of a fancy dress costume has secured compensation with the help of Thompsons Solicitors.
Chemical burns to the face. Not what Victoria Eaton, a mother of two from North Yorkshire, envisaged whilst applying fake blood as the finishing touch to her fancy dress outfit. Following specialist investigations conducted by Thompsons Solicitors, which revealed that the product was untested and defective, Victoria has secured £1,987 in compensation.
As the summer season of fêtes and parties kick-starts, children across the country will be asking their parents to buy them face paints and other novelty cosmetic products to complete their costumes. But Victoria is urging parents to be vigilant against products that are bought over the internet.
Skin began to peel
She was unaware that the fake blood that she had bought via eBay had not been properly tested. Within just 30 minutes of applying the product to her face and chest, a white foam appeared and Victoria’s skin began to peel.
Victoria explains: “The fake blood quickly caused a burning sensation, it was incredibly painful and became very itchy. Despite receiving treatment at A&E, I was left with blistering and redness which lasted for weeks. It was a really difficult time and the incident had a real impact on my everyday life. I had to cover my face and chest with a scarf at work during this period – it was very embarrassing and I became very self-conscious.
“What’s worse is that I had offered to put some of the fake blood on my son for his costume. He happened to say that he didn’t want any, but I just dread to think what would have happened had he said yes.”
Tighter restrictions needed
Victoria is urging all parents to check the fine print of these sorts of products and to always buy them from reputable suppliers, where possible, and says: “I don’t want anyone else to go through what I went through.”
Catherine Reynolds at Thompsons Solicitors who represented Victoria explains that Victoria’s case underlines the dangers that are present for parents buying products online. “We need tighter rules to stop the sale of untested products that come into the UK via import.
“Victoria’s injuries could have been prevented if the product in question had been properly tested and the defect detected before it was put into circulation.”
Consumers who have been effected in a similar way should call Thompsons Solicitors for legal advice on 0800 0 224 224.
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