“…Texas West BBQ in Sacramento faced a lawsuit in 2007…and made the needed changes…but then, in March of this year, a second lawsuit is forcing Texas West BBQ to make more changes to be ADA-compliant…including 
better striping in the parking lot, wider doors, and a larger bathroom…it will cost nearly $35,000…”
An American with Disabilities Act lawsuit was the last straw for a struggling, longtime burger business. Ford’s Real Hamburgers on Sutterville Road shut down just weeks after the governor signed a new state law that would crackdown on ADA lawsuit abuse.
Several attorneys have filed an exceptional number of lawsuits based on ADA violations. Attorney Scott Johnson has filed nearly 2,200 of them in federal court. More often than not, businesses settle after paying thousands of dollars.
“It scares you because it’s so expensive and time-consuming,” said Louise Haynes.
Gov. Brown just signed a bill co-authored by Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, that would prevent frivolous lawsuits. It would ban demand letters. It gives the defendant time to fix the ADA violations. It’ll also prevent lawyers from stacking multiple claims to increase pay-outs.
” It prevents what I like to call ‘legalized extortion,'” said Travis Hausauer who is co-chair of Californians Against Lawsuit Abuse. His Squeeze Inn Burger restaurant was sued twice by two different attorneys.
” I got sued in court the first time, then I got sued in federal court the second time around,” said Haushauer.
Many people believe the state law is a positive step. But some say it won’t stop ADA lawsuits because attorneys will continue to file lawsuits in federal court.
For more:Â http://landpark.news10.net/news/news/105381-ada-lawsuit-leads-long-time-sac-burger-business-close
