-- NationsBank, N.A.
-- AMES Department Stores, Inc.
-- Choice Hotels International, Inc. & Sunburst Hospitality Corp./Clarion Hotel
-- Martin's Inc./Martin's Westminster
Plaintiffs seek a permanent injunction requiring the defendants to make and maintain all necessary modifications to eliminate all barriers that prevent access to persons using wheelchairs to use the public accommodations, facilities, goods and services entitled to them under the ADA.
"The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law," said Frank Pinter, Executive Director of MCIL Resources for Independent Living and a member of ACCESS Maryland. "And the four businesses that we filed lawsuits against are violating that civil rights law by not providing reasonable access to individuals with disabilities." By law, all businesses in Maryland should have been in compliance by January 1992.
ACCESS Maryland is a joint public interest project of the Maryland Disability Law Center, the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association and MCIL Resources for Independent Living.
The announcement of these lawsuits marks the start of a five week lawsuit campaign during which time ACCESS Maryland will announce a series of lawsuits targeting businesses that are not ADA compliant. The five week campaign will culminate the week of the 9th anniversary of ADA legislation. The overriding goals of the campaign are to (1) raise awareness among businesses operating in Maryland (2) bring businesses into compliance with the ADA (3) draw attention to the nine year-old law, and (4) reinforce that the time is now to bring facilities into compliance.
NationsBank
Jacqueline Speciner, who has physical disabilities, and MCIL Resources for Independent Living have filed suit against NationsBank (NYSE: BAC) because the company's banking lobby at its Light Street location is not accessible.
Ms. Speciner must do her banking from the building's main lobby through a teller who leaves the banking floor to service her account. Due to non- compliant elevators and the absence of interior or exterior ramps, NationsBank is in violation of the ADA.
AMES Department Stores, Inc.
Gloria Blumberg, who has physical disabilities, has filed suit against AMES Department Stores, Inc.'s Reisterstown location. Ms. Blumberg seeks structural modifications to the defendant's Reisterstown store.
This AMES location has failed to provide accessible fitting rooms and restrooms.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. & Sunburst Hospitality
Corporation/Clarion Hotel
Kimball Gray, who has physical disabilities, has filed suit against Choice Hotels International, Inc. and Sunburst Hospitality Corporation's Baltimore location, the Clarion Hotel. Mr. Gray seeks access to the hotel located on Cathedral Street.
The Clarion Hotel and Restaurant's registration desk, breakfast buffet, telephone booth and bathrooms are inaccessible to Mr. Gray. In addition, the night buzzer for after hours entry is too high to be reached when seated in a chair.
Martin's Westminster
Thomas Creutzer, who has physical disabilities, has filed suit against Martin's Westminster's location. Mr. Creutzer seeks access to the banquet and catering facility in Carroll County.
Mr. Creutzer cannot access this location's bathroom. Wheelchairs do not fit through the bathroom or stall entryways, latches cannot be operated with a closed fist and wheelchairs cannot be maneuvered inside the bathrooms.
The lawsuits do not ask for damages or other compensation. The lawsuits are part of a statewide campaign to enforce and publicize the requirements of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), covering places of public accommodation. The suits call for the businesses to make their buildings, goods and services accessible to people with disabilities and to come into compliance with the ADA.
SOURCE ACCESS Maryland
/CONTACT: Mark R. Eber of IMRE & Associates, 410-821-8220, for ACCESS Maryland/
[Copyright 1999, PR Newswire]