In a wheel chair accident case, Kopfler & Hermann represented a disabled individual who was attempting to enter a municipality jail to bail out a loved one. The jail had been constructed a number of years ago. The area where a handicapped individual would park required access to the jail along a side walk. The parking lot for the municipality had been designed improperly, and there were no wheel stops for the vehicles. As a consequence, any vehicle that parked with the wheels resting against the side walk blocked access for a wheelchair bound individual.
As it turned out, a vehicle blocking the side walk was parked there by an employee of the municipality. Her actions blocking the sidewalk required the wheelchair bound individual to leave the sidewalk to get around the vehicle blocking access. The grassy area she was required to traverse had a hole that caused her wheelchair to tip forward breaking one of her legs. Utilizing an expert architect and standards for construction of parking lots and sidewalks, Kopfler & Hermann was able to reach a successful settlement for the wheelchair bound patient’s injuries, pain & suffering, and medical expenses. Before the lawsuit was settled, the municipality installed wheel stops on all of the parking spaces so that any vehicles parking would not intrude on the sidewalk. A local victory for wheelchair bound individuals!
If you, your family, or friends suffer an injury due to the failure of a commercial business or municipality to provide adequate wheelchair access, please contact Kopfler & Hermann so we can explore your right and remedies under the American Disability Act and other related laws.
