Keith Rozanski Discusses How Restaurants Can Protect Themselves from ADA Lawsuits

A growing number of restaurants have become the target of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuits alleging they fail to accommodate the visually impaired. In the Restaurant Hospitality article “Websites are latest target of ADA lawsuits,” Attorney Keith Rozanski offers tips to restaurateurs to minimize the risk of being sued by explaining what ADA compliance entails.

While the U.S. Department of Justice has issued detailed guidelines for making a brick-and-mortar buildings accessible to all, there are no such rules for website accessibility under the ADA. “The lack of guidelines for websites hasn’t stopped some plaintiff attorneys from citing restaurant and retail companies with ADA violations under both state and federal law,” said Rozanski.

The article offers a practical way to understand and adhere to the Department of Justice’s very technical guidelines, including making all websites perceivable by providing text alternatives for non-text content to make it easier for users to see and hear content. Business owners must also make their sites operable, meaning the navigation isn’t difficult to figure out and the content is easy to read.

Rozanski points out that because the law is ever-changing, restaurateurs need to be adept and ready to comply. “It’s the wild, wild West,” he says. “Every day there are more questions than answers.”

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October 2016