Bally’s Atlantic City Sued by Decorated Paralympian on Valet Discrimination Claim

Bally’s Atlantic City has been named inwards a suit filed by a decorated Paralympian who claims he was discriminated against past the casino’s man staff on deuce divide occasions.

Douglas Heir’s lifespan was forever changed on Father’s Day inward 1978 when he was workings as a lifeguard at a New island of Jersey pool. Heir, 18 at the time, peacenik into the pocket billiards to assist a kid seemingly in need but struck his lead on the bottom of the inning of the pool breaking his neck. The incident left Heir paralyzed from the caput downwardly and confined to a wheelchair.

It was later set that the youngster Heir tried to economize was only if joking around and wasn’t drowning. Heir didn’t let the tragical event permanently disable his life outlook, as he went on to accomplish bighearted things inwards both sports and business.

Heir became unity of the world’s sterling(a) wheelchair athletes ever. He’s won to a greater extent than 300 Paralympic gilded medals, appeared on legion(p) Team USA squads, and yet appeared on a Wheaties cereal grass box.

Professionally, Heir became an attorney specializing inward trauma law. He’s the chair of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association and a motivational speaker. He’s also known to take to a set off to Atlantic City, but his recent visits haven’t gone as expected.

Unruly Valet

In his sound complaint with Bally’s Atlantic City named as the defendant, attorneys representing Heir allege that the cassino was unobliging to their client’s vehicle. Heir uses a conversion van to hold his disability.

Heir claims that the gentleman's gentleman team up at Bally’s refused to commons his vehicle during II visits.

The first incident allegedly occurred on July 31 when Heir says he was told that the valet does non parkland “oversized vehicles.” Heir claims he and then drove chisel to Caesars Palace next door where the valet de chambre had no come out parking the van.

Heir claims he tried to shop Bally’s again during a touch off the next month but was at one time again turned away. A similar coming upon ensued, but this clip Heir’s entourage filmed the incident on their prison cell phone.

Heir asks the gentleman's gentleman to speak with a manager after being told they cannot common the vehicle.

“He’s going to evidence you the same thing, just the likes of how he told you in conclusion time,” the valet de chambre tin allegedly follow heard responding in the video.

Heir is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He told the Press of Atlantic Ocean City in a financial statement provided by his attorneys that he hesitated in bringing the suit against Bally’s.

I was neural about publically filing this complaint, only when because in my past all of the media attention i get received has been around winning atomic number 79 medals or making some typewrite of achievement, as easily as the positive degree messages that I get e'er shared to the handicapped and full general population,” Heir explained. “However, i matt-up i had to come up forwards to show companies the like Bally’s that discriminating against people with disabilities is wrong and is against the law.”

Bally’s GM Mike Monty issued the next statement:

“We receive and time value all of our customers, including those with disabilities. We perform not tolerate favouritism of any variety and are taking these allegations earnestly as we seek to collect all the facts.”

Accessibility a Legal Requirement

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal jurisprudence that requires any business organisation that offers parking to also supply accessible parking for people with disabilities. It’s why handicapped spaces are in nearly all public parking lots crosswise the nation.

But when it comes to man parking, the jurisprudence becomes a bit complicated. The northeastern United States ADA Center, a nonprofit that works to cultivate and empower ADA stakeholders inwards New House of York and New Jersey, says on its website that “valet parking causes precariousness well-nigh regulations.”

Valet parking does provide splendid accessibility. However, gentleman's gentleman parking is non sufficient for accessibility, and that’s for deuce reasons,” the Northeast ADA Center said.

“The first is because valet de chambre parking isn’t necessarily usable at all times when a parking facility is open. The s is because a vehicle that is customized for a mortal with a disablement may follow difficult for others to use. Facilities that supply man parking must also bring home the bacon approachable parking spaces, as considerably as an accessible passenger loading zone,” the centre added.