|
|
The CALA Watchdog
|
|
|
|
CALA HOLDS “WAKE” FOR LOCAL BUSINESS “LOST TO LAWSUITS” San Diego County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) held a wake Saturday, complete with coffin, mourners and flowers, to bid farewell to the Greenbrier Inn in Oceanside, calling the popular night spot the latest victim of a legal system out of control with lawsuit abuse.The Greenbrier Inn closed its doors after 26 years of operation in Oceanside and was a popular night spot. Unfortunately, it also became a target for another popular past time -- litigation. The business was sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “What makes this even more sad is that the business withstood the original lawsuit and paid thousands of dollars for renovations, but had no protection against future lawsuits,” said Andy Kotner, President of CALA. “Now instead of providing access for the disabled, litigation has denied access for everyone, forever.”
Kotner says an army of professional plaintiffs roves through California filing lawsuits over minor ADA violations without giving business owners the chance to fix the problem. It usually costs business owners thousands of dollars to settle the suits, most all of which goes into the pockets of the lawyers who file them. It’s a tactic that’s become so rampant in the state it’s got a name, “drive-by lawsuit.”
“This isn’t justice, it’s greed,” Kotner said.
Legislation now pending before the Assembly Judiciary Committee would give business owners a grace period of 120 to fix any ADA violations before a lawsuit could be filed. Kotner says the legislation, Assembly Bill 855 by Senator Charles Poochigian (R – Fresno) is the kind of common sense reform that protects access for the disabled and access to the courts, while ensuring more businesses and jobs are not lost to lawsuit abuse.
CALA is a nonprofit, grassroots watchdog over the legal system. It’s public education mission serves to expose those who would use the law for undeserved gain and showcase the human and financial costs of lawsuit abuse. More information is available at www.sdcala.org
|
|
|
