Lawsuits Over Disabilities Act Hobble California’s Small Businesses, Owners and Advocates Say

Lawyers suing over wheelchair ramps and restroom doors want a settlement, not compliance, say business owners: ‘It’s about how they can make a quick dollar.’

A security officer inside keeps watch at the entrance of a store in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 27, 2012. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Businesses, especially small ones, are facing a growing number of lawsuits related to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), costing them tens of thousands of dollars in settlements and fines and even forcing some to go out of business, according to business owners, advocates, and lawmakers. California leads the nation in the number of such lawsuits, they say.

The ADA, passed into law in 1990, is designed to protect people with disabilities from discrimination, as well as guarantee them the same opportunities as everyone else when it comes to employment, housing, purchasing goods and services, and other aspects of daily life.