Common Legal Issues Faced by People with Disabilities

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Written by Mackenzie Saunders:

Living with a disability or multiple disabilities can be incredibly challenging. Not only do people with disabilities often face health complications and medical bills, but people with disabilities often face many different legal issues, as well. Studies show that living with a disability, as opposed to not living with a disability, greatly increases your chances of experiencing legal issues in your lifetime. Read below to learn about the most common legal issues faced by people with disabilities, along with what to do if you face these issues.

Employment Discrimination

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities in the workplace. The ADA protects people with disabilities from discrimination while applying for jobs and while holding a job. Unfortunately, many people still experience disability employment discrimination on a daily basis all across the country. The most common legal issues faced by people with disabilities in the workplace are as follows:

  • When a company does not hire someone because of their disability
  • When employers or coworkers harass or exclude someone in the workplace because of their disability
  • When someone is not promoted, or does not receive a pay raise, because of their disability

If you face employment discrimination due to your disability, you have the legal right to sue the person, people, or company at fault for discrimination. A successful disability employment discrimination lawsuit will grant you the compensation and justice you deserve. Make sure to contact an experienced ADA and disability rights lawyer to discuss your case.

Inaccessibility in Public or Private Spaces

The ADA grants people with disabilities equal access to public and private spaces. This includes parks, schools, courts, websites, stadiums, doctor’s offices, restaurants, public pools, and other entities. Unfortunately, people with disabilities are often unable to access certain public and private spaces because of their disability. Common examples of this legal issue are as follows:

  • When a restaurant is completely inaccessible to someone using a wheelchair
  • When a stadium does not have accessible seating for someone in a wheelchair
  • When a doctor’s office does not have accessible medical exam tables or equipment

If you are unable to access a public or private entity because of your disability, you may have the legal right to file a lawsuit against the entity at fault. A successful lawsuit against inaccessible goods and services can result in a court mandating the entity to fix their inaccessibility — for example, if you successfully sue a restaurant for a lack of wheelchair accessibility, the restaurant will be legally required to make their building accessible. You may also be granted compensation for the incident. Contact an experienced ADA attorney as soon as possible to assess your legal options.

Refusal of Goods and Services

The ADA makes it illegal to refuse goods or services to someone because of their disability. Under the ADA, it is also illegal to charge someone more for a good or service because of their disability. Despite these ADA protections, people with disabilities experience this legal issue on a daily basis across the country. Common instances of this legal issue are as follows:

If you are refused a good or service because of your disability, or if you are overcharged for a good or service because of your disability, you may have the legal right to sue the person or entity at fault. A successful goods and services discrimination lawsuit will grant you compensation, and will also legally require the entity at fault to fix this issue for the future. Talk to an experienced ADA and disability rights lawyer immediately to see if you have a case.

Contact The Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers

We know disability because we live it every day. The Spinal Cord Injury Law Firm is run for people with disabilities, by people with disabilities. We have vast experience in fighting for the legal rights of people with disabilities, and we will fight for you to receive the justice and compensation you deserve.

If you have experienced a legal issue or barrier because of your disability, contact us today at 1-877-SCI-FIRM or info@spinalcordinjurylawyers.com for a free legal consultation so you can assess your legal options.