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Apple sued for ignoring disability law
Mac News Network ^ | thursday, august 30th

Posted on 08/30/2007 3:30:57 PM PDT by Swordmaker

Two women bound to wheelchairs are suing Apple for failing to abide by accessibility laws in its retail stores. The women last Friday filed a 17-page lawsuit claiming that Apple violated the federal Americans With Disabilities Act and the California Health and Safety Code because it fails to offer "full and equal" access to disabled persons at its San Francisco flagship store, according to AppleInsider.

The plaintiffs cite separate store visits where both experienced frustration and humiliation as a result of their conditions. The plaintiffs said they were unable to reach products or service desks at the retail shop, and one of the women recounted how she was unable to watch a Genius Bar technician service a software issue which, she claims, was deemed repaired but still remaimed when she returned home.

Further complaints include elevator buttons that are out of reach for those bound to wheelchairs, no wheelchair pathways or seating for the store's theater area, and poor setups for purchasing goods. One plaintiff remembers having to sign for a computer game purchase, but notes that the store clerk had to climb beneath the sales counter to untangle wires and pull the credit card system off the counter so that she could reach the equipment which caused an embarrassing scene.

The women also said the Apple Store staff seemed to unintentionally ignore them, leaving the disabled customers to fend for themselves before other customers in the store asked them whether they needed help obtaining software.

Lawyers representing plaintiffs Nicole Brown-Booker and Jana Overbo are seeking a jury trial with compensation for emotional and physical losses incurred by Apple's alleged neglect of disabled persons. The women said they are more interested in changing the store to better accommodate their disabilities than punishing the Cupertino-based company, and added that they will both return to the store once "legally required access" is added.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS:
"One plaintiff remembers having to sign for a computer game purchase, but notes that the store clerk had to climb beneath the sales counter to untangle wires and pull the credit card system off the counter so that she could reach the equipment which caused an embarrassing scene."

In every Apple store I've visited, the sales transaction can be handled by an associate with a hand-held wireless point-of-sale device... including credit/debit card transactions.

1 posted on 08/30/2007 3:30:59 PM PDT by Swordmaker
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To: 1234; 50mm; 6SJ7; Abundy; Action-America; af_vet_rr; afnamvet; akatel; Alexander Rubin; Amadeo; ...
Apple sued under Americans with Disabilities Act for stores not being Handicapped accessible... PING!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

2 posted on 08/30/2007 3:34:06 PM PDT by Swordmaker (Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE)
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To: Swordmaker

Oh my. If I was a judge I would vomit all over their suit and hand it back to them and their sleezy lawyer.


3 posted on 08/30/2007 3:39:47 PM PDT by Always Right
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To: Always Right

But then they might sue you, think how humiliated they’d feel!!


4 posted on 08/30/2007 4:26:00 PM PDT by Shimmer128
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To: Swordmaker

Penn and Teller did a good show on how insanely bad this law is.


5 posted on 08/30/2007 4:50:25 PM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Swordmaker

Whom is the lawyer?


6 posted on 08/30/2007 5:36:30 PM PDT by tubebender (My first great grandson is a Miniature Schnauzer...)
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To: Swordmaker

This is one of those ridiculous lawsuits in which the plaintiffs only goal is compensation for alleged emotional embarrassment. No real injuries were incurred, no real damages.


7 posted on 08/30/2007 6:03:24 PM PDT by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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To: Swordmaker

she must have been paying by check or cash.

otherwise most purchases can be done with what they call ezy pay, the hand held instrument.


8 posted on 08/30/2007 6:49:07 PM PDT by television is just wrong (deport all illegal aliens NOW. Put all AMERICANS TO WORK FIRST. END WELFARE.i)
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To: Swordmaker
Maybe these two women should just open their own computer store. Hey, I know, they can call it "Crippie Boy Computers for Ann Frank" (if you saw Clerks II, you won't need to ask).

Mark

9 posted on 08/30/2007 7:11:20 PM PDT by MarkL (Listen, Strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government)
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To: Swordmaker
plaintiffs said they were unable to reach products or service desks at the retail shop, and one of the women recounted how she was unable to watch a Genius Bar technician
I guess they could have all shelves at wheelchair level throughout the store and that would solve their problem. If they did that would tall people be able to sue cuz they had to stoop?
10 posted on 09/04/2007 10:02:01 AM PDT by ibbryn (this tag intentionally left blank)
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