The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities such as going to the movies, buying groceries at the store, enjoying a steak at a local restaurant, taking a dip at a hotel pool or exercising at the gym. This “equal opportunity” law gives people with disabilities the right to file lawsuits in Federal court and obtain Federal court orders to stop ADA violations. Since it is estimated that more than 50 million Americans have disabilities, this law can create major headaches and lawsuits for businesses when it comes to complying with the mandates of the statute and avoiding ADA related lawsuits.
To learn about how businesses can best achieve compliance with the ADA from a forensic architect’s perspective join Dr. William Henry as he discusses the practical applications of the statute. The main topics discussed include the principle elements of the ADA, practical points for businesses to comply with the requirements of the statute, the ADA as a basis for Personal Injury claims and the forensic architect’s role in litigation. Further issues discussed in this CLE course include protected classes, Title II Public Services, Title III public accommodations in private facilities, prioritizing cures, accessible routes, resolving accessibility issues, the reality of the ADA today, using the right expert, ADA “testers”, defending an ADA suit, the defense strategy, buildings completed prior to 1991, personal injury – the unintended grounds, cutting your losses, code violations in Personal Injury cases, a forensic architect’s role in premises liability claim, steps to determining premises liability, constructing a timeline, applying code applicability, assessing causality in premises liability claims, depositions & trial testimony, the invisible parking lot drop off, how to block an access route and the Daubert rules.
William Henry, Ph.D., NCARB, is a practicing Florida Architect and the managing member of RGA-Design LLC based in Tampa, Florida. A licensed attorney in California, Jason Castillo actively participated in this course.