Can I sue my hair braider for bad work if my braids did not last as long as guaranteed?
Question Details:
I got my hair braided. Asked the braider all the pertinent questions about swimming and washing my hair and she said the braids would stay in and from experience and verbal confirmation they should last 2 - 3 months. The first braid slipped out in 2 weeks. More followed within the month, most while I was out of town. Came back and asked for half my money back. They offered to fix it free but I am not willing to let them touch my hair. Do I have grounds to sue them?
IF there was an actual guaranty, whose existence and terms you can prove--and not just some unenforceable expectation about their longevity--then you might have a cause of action; note however that if you had already committed to having the work done before you asked how long they would work (i.e. the braiding had started), then anything said is likely not enforceable.
Proving an oral or verbal guaranty can be difficult. The most you could sue for would be the cost of the braiding--you can't sue for more compensation than the actual loss or injury you incurred. And lawsuits, even in small claims court, have costs...in short, it is almost impossible to imagine that even if there were a guaranty, that it would be worth the time, cost, and effort of suing.
