SACRAMENTO — A disabled man is suing Vajello restaurant business owners, alleging disability discrimination and failure to uphold Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
Byron Chapman, who requires a wheelchair, filed a complaint Nov. 8, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California against Simple Thai, Gregg Schoepp and Hava Investment LLC, alleging they failed to provide full and safe equal access to the restaurant's facilities.
According to the complaint, on three occasions, Chapman was a customer at Simple Thai in Valjello. The suit says he was discriminated against, embarrassed and humiliated, and suffered violations of his civil rights to full and equal access, from experiencing difficulty while attempting to utilize the facilities including its entrance, service counter and unisex restroom.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to ensure that no individual is excluded, denied services, segregated or otherwise treated different, and failed to remove architectural barriers to the handicapped, where such removal is readily achievable.
Chapman seeks trial by jury, statutory, treble and general damages, costs of suit, interest and all relief the court deems just and proper. He is represented by attorneys Thomas E. Frankovich and Amanda Lockhart of Thomas E. Frankovich APLC in Chico.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California case number 17-at-01187