LOS ANGELES — A disabled customer is suing property owners of a Los Angeles gas station, alleging disability discrimination and failure to uphold Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
Brian Whitaker, who requires use of a wheelchair, filed a complaint Jan. 16 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Iraj V. Kashani, Simin Kashani, Westchester Mobil Inc. and Does 1-10, alleging they failed to provide full and safe equal access to their facilities.
According to the complaint, in July 2017, Whitaker sought to use the gas station at 6000 W. Manchester Ave., Los Angeles. The suit says Whitaker suffered discrimination, injury and damage from being denied full and equal access to the services, programs, goods, amenities and activities offered at the defendants' property, because of illegal architectural barriers.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to ensure that accessible facilities were available and ready to be used by disabled persons such as Whitaker, and caused difficulty, discomfort and/or embarrassment for the plaintiff.
Whitaker seeks trial by jury, damages and injunctive relief, actual damages and a statutory minimum of $4,000, attorney fees, litigation expenses and costs of suit. He is represented by attorney Isabel Masanque of Center for Disability Access in San Diego.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 18-cv-346