Woman sues S.C. nail salon after she set her hands on fire while smoking

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – A woman has filed a lawsuit against the owners of a Grand Strand nail salon, claiming her hands were burned after employees said she could smoke while her fingernails were covered in acetone.

An attorney for plaintiff Patricia Perpetuino filed the lawsuit against Nail Pro and Spa on Thursday. She is seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

According to the lawsuit, Perpetuino went to the nail salon, located in the Carolina Forest area, on July 19, 2018. While there, an employee applied acetone, a flammable solvent, to her nails to remove the acrylic nails, court documents state.

While she waited for the acetone to work, Perpetuino asked the employee if she could step outside to smoke and was told she could, according to the lawsuit.

Court documents state Perpetuino’s hands caught on fire as she lit her cigarette.

“The Defendant owed the Plaintiff a duty to warn that the product on her hands was highly flammable and could pose a hazard to her health, safety, and property if not kept away from open flame,” the lawsuit states.

Perpetuino said the incident left her with pain and suffering, injuries to her hands, limitation of motion, and mental anxiety, among other issues.

WMBF News reached out to Nail Pro and Spa for a comment. The employee who answered the phone hung up when asked if a manager was available.

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