Slew of lawsuits over disability access frustrates US cafe and shop owners
Summary
Many small U.S. businesses, especially cafes and shops, are being sued repeatedly for not following the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These businesses often face high legal costs even when they do not know about the lawsuits or feel the claims are unfair.Key Facts
- Rodrigo Nogueira, owner of No More Cafe in Manhattan, was surprised to be sued for 35 supposed ADA violations.
- The lawsuit claimed a problem with an outdoor table that the cafe does not have.
- The plaintiff and lawyer involved have filed many similar lawsuits against small businesses.
- Small business owners, many of them immigrants, often do not understand how to handle these court cases.
- Legal fees can reach thousands of dollars, which is very hard for small businesses to pay.
- The ADA requires places like restaurants and stores to be accessible to people with disabilities.
- Businesses should fix problems if they can do so easily and affordably, but this can be confusing and costly.
- The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce says these repeated lawsuits harm small businesses and can be expensive to fight.
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