Portland, Oregon – A $1.75 million lawsuit has been filed against a Portland salon, alleging that a customer contracted the genital herpes virus during a manicure due to poor hygiene practices at the establishment.
The lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, claims that a 23-year-old woman visited the PDX Nails salon in June 2023 for an acrylic nails manicure. According to the suit, the nail technician did not wear gloves and stored drill bits in an Altoids tin, leading to the transmission of the herpes simplex virus 2, also known as the genital herpes virus.
Following the manicure, the woman experienced inflammation and swelling around her fingers, eventually leading to painful blisters. After seeking medical attention, she tested positive for herpetic whitlow, a form of herpes caused by the virus. Despite using antiviral medication, the virus continues to flare up, as stated in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit names the salon and individuals as defendants, with one listed as the manager and the other as the owner. The salon’s second location, also run by the manager, had previously been fined for failing to comply with health and safety regulations.
Instances of herpes transmission through manicures are rare but have surfaced in court cases across the country. In a similar case in 2002, a jury awarded a woman $3.1 million after she contracted herpes from a non-sterile manicure.
The plaintiff in the lawsuit, identified as “S.R.,” expressed shock upon discovering the source of her outbreaks, noting the impact it has had on her daily life. She mentioned the need for ongoing caution, especially when it comes to potential future children.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the plaintiff’s attorney is working on her behalf to seek justice and compensation for the damages incurred. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining proper hygiene practices in nail salons to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.