Nick Silverthorn, 48, purchased a supermarket own brand razor from his local Sainsbury’s store.
But when he got home and used it for the first time he says it cut both cheeks.
He says he discovered one of the razor blades was detached and believed the razor was faulty.
So instead of chalking his cuts up to experience he decided to sue the razor manufacturer.
Nick got £5K compensation. (Image: SWNS)
And incredibly he was awarded an out-of-court settlement against one of the world’s biggest razor giants – Wilkinson Sword.
London man wins £5K after razor cut him
Nick from London said: “This was no ordinary shaving cut. It sliced my skin.
”My cuts bled for over twenty minutes. I took action to protect others as they may not be as lucky as me.
”This was a serious fault. It was a matter of principle to take the big boys on and I did and won.”
Nick wanted to look fresh while visiting his relatives over the festive period after a few days of overindulgence.
Nick said there was a serious fault with the razor. (Image: SWNS)
So he visited his local Sainsbury’s store in Richmond in London and bought its own brand £2.50 Men Advance 3 razor.
But when he unwrapped it and started shaving on Boxing Day 2023 he cut his face.
Nick added: “I put on the hot tap and my shaving lotion and I was on autopilot.
”I started shaving on one side with one stroke and then another stroke on the other side.
”I noticed after a few seconds that I had started bleeding badly on my left cheek and then on my right-hand side as well and before I knew it, it was streaming down my face.”
The faulty razor. (Image: SWNS)
Unlike previous times when he had cut his face shaving, he says this felt completely different.
Nick added: “It just kept coming. Due to the wounds being on my face, it took me nearly half an hour dabbing with tissues before the blood finally stopped pumping out of the cuts.”
He said he inspected the razor and saw that one of the blades was detached in the razor head.
Nick – a part-time landscape gardener – added: “When I saw the blade hanging out I thought that could have done some real damage.
”It wasn’t just an everyday nick or cut I had been given. It had sliced into my skin. I had been shaving for thirty years and never had cuts like this.”
The scar left. (Image: SWNS)
Quick thinking Nick got relatives to take pictures of the cuts on his face and also preserved the razor, box and receipt as evidence.
Nick’s wounds took weeks to heal properly leaving him with scars on his cheek.
He said the trauma of being cut led to him having recurring nightmares for months afterwards.
He added: “I had had a bad experience with operations and blood in the past and it took me straight back and I kept seeing blood on my face in my dreams. It was a bad time for me.”
So instead of binning the faulty razor, Nick contacted product liability specialists Express Solicitors.
They contacted Sainsbury’s who referred them to the manufacturer of their own brand product – razor giant Wilkinson Sword.
Brand bosses then sent the razor for tests and a month later offered to settle his claim for £5,000 with no admission of liability.
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Product liability expert Jack Klein of Express Solicitors – who settled the case in ten months on behalf of Nick said: “Not many people who cut themselves shaving would think to sue one of the World’s biggest razor companies.
“But Nick did and by keeping the razor as proof he won a settlement. It just shows that if you are injured by any product there may be a valid claim no matter how big the company are.”
Sainsbury’s and Wilkinson Sword have been approached for a comment.