ADA Non-Compliance Lawsuits Continue
Hi Everyone,
I just read another article about businesses being sued by a woman in Winfield, KS. Several fast food restaurants were included in the suit, which claims various inaccessibility conditions exist in these businesses or their parking lots. The woman filing the lawsuits has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. Of the various alleged non-compliant conditions specified in the suit, one is that the mirrors in the restroom are mounted too high for a wheelchair-bound person to use. You can read the article here.
This made me think about the mounting height of ADA signs and it's clear why the minimum and maximum heights are required. If you are in a wheelchair and blind, the signs are not going to do any good if you can't reach them to read the Braille. I am preparing a blog now about ADA sign mounting heights that will be posted this month, so watch for that.
As I was thinking about this article I read, a very sobering thought came to mind. The number of people in the US who are disabled must be growing with so many of our service members coming home with permanent injuries. With limbs being lost due to IEDs and vision loss from the blasts, I feel more committed than ever to make people aware of the importance of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The men and women who serve deserve our utmost respect and honor. Those that gave more and suffered permanent injuries, deserve to be able to return to civilian society without difficulties in conducting their day to day business. And those who gave all can never be thanked enough.
So, I leave you with this thought. When you are annoyed because you have to purchase ADA signs to be ADA compliant, stop for a moment and remember why we had to have these laws; it's so everyone can enjoy being a free American citizen, including those that gave so much so we have that freedom. Thank a service member today!
