Razor Company Settles £5,000 Claim with Man Over Shaving Incident

A man has been awarded £5,000 in compensation after cutting himself while shaving with a faulty razor. Nick Silverthorn, 48, purchased a £2.50 Men Advance 3 razor from Sainsbury's in Richmond, southwest London. However, during its first use, the razor caused deep cuts on both cheeks, which he later discovered were due to a detached blade in the razor head.

Mr. Silverthorn, a part-time landscape gardener from London, described the incident as far more severe than a typical shaving mishap. "This wasn't just a small nick. The blade sliced my skin, and I bled for over 20 minutes. I took action because this could happen to someone else, and they might not be as fortunate," he said.

Recalling the incident, he explained, "I turned on the hot tap, applied my shaving lotion, and started shaving on autopilot. One stroke on one side, another on the other, and suddenly I was bleeding heavily on both cheeks. Blood was streaming down my face, and it wouldn't stop."

Upon inspecting the razor, Mr. Silverthorn noticed a blade hanging loose in the head. "When I saw the blade was detached, I realized how dangerous it was and how much worse it could have been," he said. His injuries left scars that took weeks to heal and triggered recurring nightmares due to past trauma involving blood and surgery. "Seeing my face covered in blood in my dreams brought back terrible memories," he added.

Determined to seek justice, Mr. Silverthorn hired Express Solicitors, who contacted Sainsbury's. The retailer redirected the case to the manufacturer, Wilkinson Sword. Following tests on the product, the company offered an out-of-court settlement of £5,000 without admitting liability.

Mr. Silverthorn said he pursued the claim on principle, stating, "It was important to hold a large company accountable for a serious fault. I stood my ground and won." Both Sainsbury's and Wilkinson Sword were approached for comment.

Affinity Seven Law