$825,000 Settlement In Product Liability Burn Injury Lawsuit Against Hair Product Manufacturers

A product liability lawsuit against the manufacturers of a hair gel product and a hot straightening comb recently settled for $825,000. The plaintiff suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns to her head and neck when she applied Blue Duchess Lustre Sheen to her hair and then attempted to use a pre-heated Kentucky-Maid brand straightening comb, which ignited the gel. Plaintiff’s burn injuries required an 18 day stay in a burn center, where she underwent hydrotherapy and debridement. She currently suffers from permanent scarring and post-traumatic stress and anxiety. Plaintiff sued the manufacturers of the hair gel product and the comb and relied on the testimony of a flammability expert who opined that the gel contained higher than appropriate levels of petrolatum, a flammable substance. The case settled prior to trial.