Today is April 10, 2019 and I feel like it is a great time to check in on prolific ADA lawsuit filer Samuel Love. By my count, he has filed nearly 60 ADA lawsuits so far in 2019. 57 lawsuits to be exact. Said another way, Samuel Love has filed an ADA lawsuit every other day since the start of the new year.
We used to see Samuel Love file most of his lawsuits in Southern California. But right now, he is filing these ADA cases in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The Northern District covers the Bay Area, including places like Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Oakland, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Pinole, etc.
Unfortunately, there are no shortage of businesses to sue in the Northern District for ADA violations. This is why I strongly recommend that business owners and landlords be proactive about ADA compliance. A simple site survey performed every year will help businesses comply with the arcane ADA rules and regulations. A good CASp inspector can be difficult to find. Many of the inspectors are booked months out due to the large volume of these ADA lawsuits. Contact my office if you need a referral to a good quality CASp inspector.
Remember, even small violations can result in lawsuits. Incorrect door hardware, missing parking signage, a counter a few inches too high, and faded or missing parking lot lines give people like Samuel Love an open door to file a lawsuit. While ADA inspections are not free, they certainly are less expensive than the costs associated with litigation.
The pace of these shakedown lawsuits only seems to be increasing as times goes on. Our political leaders fail and refuse to fix this broken law. The result is endless litigation clogging our federal court system. Don’t be a victim — assess your ADA compliance often to avoid these problems.
I represent business owners and landlords throughout California in ADA litigation. Please call my office at 916-333-2222 to discuss an ADA lawsuit or demand letter that you have received.
