today at the Supreme Court

[rootofnewt]

"Barred Americans from seeking punitive damages from cities and government boards that refuse to build wheelchair ramps and make other accommodations for the disabled."

from the washington post.

i'm looking for more information...



seems this year's agenda includes severely limiting the ADA. now, if this would make it easier for me to gain disability, i wouldn't complain... but it just makes it more difficult for me to find a safe workplace. :/≤

Comments

[fluzby.livejournal.com]

Here's the CNN article. I'm surpised the Post didn't cover it more other than the one paragraph in the wrapup.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/06/17/scotus.disabilities.ap/index.html

[krasota.livejournal.com]

thanks. :) cnn takes forever to load for me, so i don't always search there. and earlier, i was connected more slowly than my usual snail's pace, so i gave up quickly.

[fluzby.livejournal.com]

No problem. I'm surprised I missed it in the Washington Post article that I read this morning. I think I was so excited about the main story (ah, the Mormon in me) that I skimmed over the "other cases" portion.

[elnigma.livejournal.com]

A blatant omission was that the government is exempt from these lawsuits, but your average building is still liable. So the law becomes unfairly applied to being the responsibility of those less able to afford to make large changes. From hearing from those in the know whenever someone suggests setting up more in the fund to give businesses some help in improving accessibility, the government balks.

One of my young cousins needs a wheelchair. My trip to Niagara with him was educational about accessibility. You'll see ramps with a sharpness of over 30* (hard to move up - too steep for him to do on his own, and he's really heavy to push), you'll see "handicapped spaces" with no curb cuts(those are the little dent/ramps) next to them - so where are they going to go once they get out of the car, eh? (cause they aren't considered pretty was the explanation given (I overheard)) and you'll have the curb cut on the other side from the door, meaning they are supposed to circle around the building first if they can't walk. Most of the hotels are handicapped accessible to the lobby. Forget having a room thats accessible, since that requires a slightly wider door to the bathroom (most hotel bathrooms have a little metal handle in the shower space anyway). On the up side, where we did find a motel with a handicapped accessible room the place was quiet, clean and inexpensive.

Thanks for sharing the piece. - Tiamat