Melanie Chandler Testimonial

Melanie Chandler fell victim to a beauty business that used equipment that had not been tested and staff that lacked due care and attention.

The accident left Melanie with depression and anxiety issues, alongside physical markings, not something she was expecting on the back of what she hoped would be a simple procedure. With the help of the team at HPW, we are pleased to share that all efforts ensured the case was a success. We spent time with Melanie discussing her experiences of HPW:

Can you give some background on your case and the services that HPW provided…

In October 2013 I was halfway through a course of laser hair removal when I suffered partial thickness burns to the backs of my thighs and bikini area. This was as a result of faulty equipment and the therapist’s lack of due care and attention when I told her that the treatment was far more painful than usual. The burns were so severe that I had to end the session early to go directly to Accident & Emergency with blistering and intense pain. It took about a month to recover, which included two weeks off work, huge discomfort, and multiple visits to the hospital to have dressings changed. Once the burns had healed I was left with multiple (around 60), rectangular pale patches from beneath my buttocks to the backs of my knees and all over my bikini area as a result of the melanin having been destroyed by the burn. I was told that the only options to improve the appearance of my legs in the short to medium term in skirts, shorts and bikinis would be to have some pretty drastic plastic surgery, otherwise just to “watch and wait” to see whether it improved over time. This whole episode massively affected my self esteem and confidence, had knock on effects on my relationship with my partner and ultimately contributed to me suffering depression and anxiety for over two years following the incident. The team at HPW ensured that I received the medical attention I needed, going above and beyond to ensure I made a full recovery.

How would you describe your experience of using HPW Solicitors?

I first approached HPW with some trepidation, having developed quite a negative impression of personal injury solicitors from aggressive television advertising I had seen. I had an initial conversation on the phone and was expecting a “hard sell”, so I was really surprised that the solicitor I spoke to spent more time listening to me than talking. I went to meet him face to face and was taken aback by how “human” he seemed – he expressed concern and sympathy for what had happened which made me feel as if he saw me more than just the next sales opportunity. He also seemed very knowledgeable in my specific area and gave examples of not only the kind of timescales and compensation I might expect, which helped me to set / manage my expectations about what I was getting into; but also the treatment options that HPW could help me to exploit, which really made me feel that pursuing the case was about helping me to recover, rather than just a cynical pursuit of financial compensation. Once I had decided to pursue the case, I was guided through every step of the way with patience, discretion, understanding, and unobtrusive follow-up, which I really appreciated at times when things got on top of me and the last thing I wanted to do was write long, detailed reports about what had happened or submit photographs of my intimate areas.

Around halfway through my case, my solicitor left the firm and my case was reassigned.I met with Melanie Neale who took over the conduct of my case. I was kept informed throughout the process and had a face-to-face meeting with her. This maintained my sense that I was dealing with a person and that my case was important to her. When it came to settling my case I really appreciated that she took on board my requests and feedback and it felt that she was advocating on my behalf to come to an agreement on my compensation. This was balanced with sound advice about similar cases and the quantum of damages it was reasonable to push for without jeopardising our chance of success.

Would you recommend HPW Solicitors to somebody else who is looking for a Personal Injury Solicitor? If so, why?

I would recommend HPW for all the reason outlined in bold above as follows:

• solicitor I spoke to at my initial enquiry spent more time listening to me than talking
• seemed “human”– expressed concern and sympathy
• was able to recommend the appropriate medical experts, who were able to help me
• very knowledgeable in my specific area
• helped me to set/manage my expectations about what I was getting into
• made me feel that pursuing the case was about helping me to recover
• patience, discretion, understanding, and unobtrusive follow-up
• kept informed throughout the process
• sense that I was dealing with a person and that my case was important
• took on board my requests and feedback and it felt that she was advocating on my behalf
• sound advice about similar cases and the quantum of damages it was reasonable to push for

We are pleased to confirm that Melanie was successful in her case and that she has managed to move forward positively on the back of the accident.

If you have been involved in an accident or know someone who has, please do not hesitate to get in touch.