Los Angeles, CA: The fast food chain Wendy' has reached a proposed settlement in a pending discrimination class action lawsuit. The complaint maintains that Wendy' Pittsburgh-area restaurants have architectural barriers that limit access to wheelchair-bound individuals, a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Plaintiff Christopher Mielo and Wendy' reportedly reached the settlement on January 26th. Meilo, a mobility disabled man who regularly used a wheelchair to get around, filed the lawsuit in 2014, alleging that within the Pittsburgh area 17 Wendy' restaurants had excessively sloped parking spaces and access aisles, accessibility barriers that make it difficult for wheelchair users to access the restaurant' facilities independently. According to the lawsuit, these accessibility barriers are a violation of the ADA.
The lawsuit states, "The architectural barriers described above demonstrate that defendant' facilities were not altered, designed or constructed in a manner that causes them to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals who use wheelchairs."
Under the terms of the settlement, Wendy' would be required to remove the alleged architectural barriers in order to come into compliance with ADA standards and requirements. More specific terms have not been made public.
The Wendy' Wheelchair Access Class Action Lawsuit is Christopher Mielo v. Wendy' Old Fashioned Hamburgers of New York Inc., Case No. 2:14-cv-00893, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
