BEAUMONT – Just about everyone has seen a film where a female actress complains about breaking a nail while escaping danger, but how many people can claim they’ve seen someone have a bottle of “dangerous” nail polish break and splinter into their hand while on the job?
Sarah Gibbins is claiming that’s exactly what happened to her and has filed suit against Signature Nail Systems and T&T World Nail Supply.
According to her lawsuit, on May 19 Gibbins was working at A Cut Above in Orange. She was injured when a bottle of gel top coat “broke and then splintered into” her hand and finger, cutting the skin, muscle, tendons and ligaments.
Gibbins was rushed to the emergency room where pieces of the splintered glass were excised from her hand. Plastic surgery was later performed to help reduce the scarring.
The defendants are accused of designing, marketing and placing the “unreasonably dangerous and defective product” into the stream of commerce, the suit states.
The defendants were also allegedly negligent in “failing combining the product into the packaging” and in failing to warn her that the bottle could break.
Furthermore, Gibbins is claiming the defendants were grossly negligent and is suing them for exemplary damages.
She is also suing for her past and future medical expenses, lost earnings, pain, mental anguish, impairment, disfigurement, loss of consortium and loss of household services.
Gibbins’ husband, Sam, is also named as a plaintiff.
Beaumont attorney Gilbert T. Adams III represents them.
The suit was filed Sept. 1 in Jefferson County District Court.
Case No. B-200598