Hyderabad: Layers Clinic asked to pay Rs 30K compensation for defective hair treatment

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed Layers Skin & Hair Clinics, Himayath Nagar, to pay Rs 30,000 to a customer as compensation for causing him “mental agony” due to their negligence.

M. Shanthi, a resident of New Boiguda, Secunderabad, approached the clinic for treatment of hair fall and alopecia. The clinic informed her that it would cost of Rs 25,000 and assured good results within six months. Believing in their words, she agreed for the same and in July, 2019, paid the amount and agreed to undergo the treatment.

She said that in the beginning of August, 2019, she was administered an injection but she did not notice any decrease in her hair fall. In the last week of August, 2019, she was administered the second dose and found that her problem of hair fall has in fact aggravated.

“Immediately, I contacted the clinic and informed the same but the clinic assured that the hair fall would reduce after the 3rd dose of injection and convinced me to take the third dose also and in September, 2019, the third injection was also given but instead of decreasing, the hair fall had been more severe,” said Shanthi.

When the same was informed to the clinic, they told her that the injections were not suitable for her and prescribed tablets and asked her to

take Betnesol Forte tablets, five at a time in a day, that too at her expenses, which cost her nearly Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000, apart from some other tablets.

“When I consumed 5 tablets at a time, I felt some uneasiness and also had vomitings due to which I had to rush to the clinic once again and this time, they changed the tablets and prescribed some other tablets and ointment,” she said.

Despite taking injections and tablets, her problem has not subsided and she alleged that she had spent money but without any result. She asked the clinic to refund the amount but the clinic failed to do so.

Layers Skin & Hair Clinics, Himayath Nagar, didn’t respond to the notice served by the Forum too.

The Consumer Forum, after examining the documents and facts, said that “the opposite party had failed to take the due care required in

treating the complainant. Shanthi had established the deficiency of service on the part of the clinic but there is no response from them. The burden is on the clinic to prove that they have taken due care and that there was no negligence on their part in treating her.”

The Forum said that Layers Skin & Hair Clinics had been negligent and careless. “The opposite party (Layers Skin & Hair Clinics) is liable to compensate M. Shanthi for the mental agony and hardship it caused her,” it said.

It directed the clinic to refund Rs 25,000 towards the cost of the treatment and pay Rs 25,000 as compensation for causing mental agony to the complainant and an additional Rs 5,000 as litigation expenses.