DOJ Logo Recently the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint against West Memphis School District (WMSD) for violating Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The lawsuit alleges that WMSD denied the request of a school science curriculum specialist with a disability temporary telework as a reasonable accommodation to avoid damage to her health. WMSD denied the request without discussing it, or possible alternative accommodations, with the employee. As a result of WMSD’s denial, the employee was forced to resign. The DOJ seeks a court order directing WMSD to ..read more

CAPS Logo Richard Acree has been certified as a CAPS consultant for home modifications in Steamboat Springs, CO. In this capacity Richard provides services as a building inspector, planner, and project monitor for aging-in-place home modifications in the Steamboat Springs area. CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist) is a residential accessibility services credential proxied by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) that offers principles to improve safety and accessibility in your home, regardless of your age or physical condition. Richard combines his CAPS certification with hi ..read more

Logo for ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC, (ADAIN) offers building and facility inspections in Little Rock, AR for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These ADA inspections reference primarily the 1990 and 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Title II for State, County, and Local government facilities, Title III for public accommodations and commercial facilities. The list of buildings and facilities available for inspection includes the following: 1) Places of lodging (e.g. , inns, hotels, motels, resorts); 2) Establishments serving ..read more

Logo for ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC, (ADAIN) offers building and facility inspections in Anchorage, AK for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These ADA inspections reference primarily the 1990 and 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Title II for State, County, and Local government facilities, Title III for public accommodations and commercial facilities. The list of buildings and facilities available for inspection includes the following: 1) Places of lodging (e.g. , inns, hotels, motels); 2) Establishments serving food or dri ..read more

DOT Logo The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to expand protections for airline passengers who use wheelchairs. The NPRM, entitled Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers with Disabilities Using Wheelchairs, would dramatically expand the rights and protections of airline passengers who use wheelchairs. The NPRM is designed to strengthen DOT’s rule implementing the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). Among other standards, the DOT is proposing to: Mandate annual, hands-on training for airline staff and contractors who physically assist pa ..read more

Kiosk in a Restaurant According to a recent article by Seyfarth Shaw LLP, edited by Minh Vu, courts in California certified two classes of plaintiffs to proceed with lawsuits against LabCorp regarding accessibility [compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)] of self-service check-in kiosks at LabCorp’s facilities. In the lawsuit the named plaintiff who is blind claimed that he was denied effective communication and equal access to LabCorp’s services because the kiosks cannot be used without sight. The courts ruled that the plaintiff could not use the inaccessible kiosk and had ..read more

DOJ Logo The US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that it filed an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Complaint and proposed Consent Decree in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to resolve allegations against MedStar Health, Inc. MedStar Health is a leading healthcare provider in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region. The lawsuit alleges that MedStar Health violated the ADA by denying people with disabilities equal access to medical care by excluding their necessary support persons. Under the proposed Consent Decree, which the court must approve, MedStar ..read more

Medical Diagnostic Equipment The Department of Justice (DOJ) has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) explaining how they propose updating the regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to lay out specific requirements for the accessibility of medical diagnostic equipment (MDE). The NPRM proposes to adopt specific technical standards that state and local governments would have to follow to meet their existing obligations under Title II of the ADA for MDE accessibility. The NPRM asks the public for comments about this proposal. People with disabilities co ..read more

CAPS Logo Recently Richard Acree of ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC, provided aging-in-place home modifications consulting services for a victim of a serious head-on collision. Richard is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) home modifications consultant for individuals living with disabilities. The collision happened on an interstate highway when one driver lost control and their vehicle crossed the median, missed one oncoming vehicle, then crashed into the second oncoming vehicle head-on. The two people in the vehicle that lost control died. Miraculously, the driver of the other veh ..read more

Exterior Accessible Ramp to Restaurant Entrance in FL Look at the photo on the right. This is an exterior pedestrian ramp route to a restaurant in Florida. Note the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) on the landing at the base of the ramp to the accessible entrance. The ISA is not required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction (FACBC), but it is here none the less. Also, there is a sign at the landing indicating this is the route for disabled individuals to reach the accessible entrance. Again not required by the ADA ..read more