Nail salon agrees to pay $1.75M to woman who lost leg after pedicure

A Florida nail salon recently reached a $1.75 million settlement with a woman whose leg had to be amputated after she suffered an infection because of a pedicure she had at the establishment in September 2018.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Clara Shellman was getting a pedicure at Tampa-based Tammy’s Nails 2 when an employee cut her foot. Shellman ended up getting an infection, and the wound rapidly spread as it was worsened by her severe peripheral arterial disease. The disease, according to the news outlet, is a circulatory condition where narrowed blood vessels reduce the flow of blood to the limbs. Shellman’s infected leg had to be ultimately amputated.

Court documents revealed the 55-year-old plaintiff reached the settlement agreement with Tammy’s Nails 2 on December 16. And though the documents do not state the amount, Spellman’s attorney said they reached a $1.75 million settlement.

“She was stunned, shocked, crying and giddy, all at the same time,” the plaintiff’s attorney, Paul Fulmer, revealed.

Fulmer also said Spellman’s life went downhill after she suffered the infection. The 55-year-old mother ended up losing her home as she became overwhelmed with medical expenses incurred from the amputation. Spellman, who currently lives with her relatives, also had to rely on the help of others when it came to taking care of herself because of her inability to walk.

Per the 2020 lawsuit, Spellman alleged the tools and equipment the salon worker used were so dirty to the extent that they endangered customer health. The lawsuit also stated that the salon violated its own policies and failed to train its employees and adequately maintain its equipment, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Responding to the lawsuit, however, Tammy’s Nails 2 reportedly shifted the blame on Spellman for her amputation as the salon alleged the plaintiff did not promptly seek medical care or “take reasonable efforts to prevent the development of infection.”

The salon had also previously denied Spellman’s claim that the tools the worker used on her during her pedicure were dirty. And though Fulmer said it was just for Spellman to receive the full settlement, the attorney admitted they were surprised the salon agreed to pay the specified amount as the plaintiff had a pre-existing health condition.