ST. LOUIS – A disabled woman has filed a lawsuit against a St. Peter's Kentucky Fried Chicken location claiming the restaurant fails to meet ADA guidelines.
Plaintiff Maryanne McCauley filed the lawsuit in federal court against Hecht's Real Estate Company and KBP Brands citing violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Accessibility Guidelines.
According to court documents, McCauley is disabled as defined by the ADA and needs to use a wheelchair for mobility purposes. She is also an advocate for the rights of disabled individuals and acts as a "tester" to ensure compliance with the ADA. McCauley claims that on November 11, 2022, she visited a St. Peter's Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant owned and operated by the defendants. She claims that while she was on the premises, she observed several ADA violations, including inadequate accessible parking spaces, inaccessible entrance doors, non-compliant restrooms, and various other violations of the ADA's Accessibility Guidelines.
McCauley claims these violations prevent her from fully enjoying the goods, services and facilities offered at the property.
McCauley requests the court issue a permanent injunction against the defendants to stop their discriminatory practices and to order them to modify the property to comply with ADA standards. Additionally, she seeks reimbursement for attorney fees, court costs, legal expenses and other relief. She is being represented by Douglas S. Schapiro of The Schapiro Law Group in Boca Raton, Florida.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri case number 4:23-cv-01300