[blindLaw] Justice Department Settles with Amtrak to Resolve Disability Discrimination - U.S. Department of Justice - December 2, 2020

[Seif-Eldeen Saqallah]

Thank you, Noel, for your email.

Whom do we contact to submit a claim; the information is blank?

"If you were harmed by Amtrak’s lack of accessible transportation
services between July 27, 2013, and [insert Effective Date of the
Settlement Agreement] you may be eligible to receive payment from a
compensation fund established by Amtrak.
To be eligible for consideration for possible payment, you must submit
a claim by [insert date].  You may obtain information on how to submit
a claim in several ways: (1) by sending an email with your name,
address, and telephone number to [insert email address to be
designated by Fund Administrator], or (2) by calling the Fund
Administrator at [insert toll free voice and TTY telephone numbers to
be designated by Settlement Administrator].

A copy of the Settlement Agreement between the U.S. Department of
Justice and Amtrak is available at [website]."
Settlement Agreement between the United States and National Passenger
Railroad Corporation - Amtrak
https://www.ada.gov/amtrak_sa.html

Sincerely,
Seif

On 12/3/20, Nightingale, Noel via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-settles-amtrak-resolve-disability-discrimination-across-its-intercity-rail
> Justice Department Settles with Amtrak to Resolve Disability Discrimination
> Across its Intercity Rail System
> Office of Public Affairs
> U.S. Department of Justice
> December 2, 2020
> The Justice Department today announced that it reached an agreement with
> Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, to resolve the
> department's findings of disability discrimination in violation of the
> Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the agreement Amtrak will fix
> inaccessible stations and pay $2.25 million to victims hurt by its
> inaccessible stations.
> The accompanying complaint filed by the department alleges that Amtrak has
> violated and continues to violate the ADA by failing to make existing
> stations in its intercity rail transportation system readily accessible to
> and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use
> wheelchairs. The ADA gave Amtrak 20 years from the law's 1990 enactment to
> make its stations accessible, requiring Amtrak to comply by July 26, 2010.
> "When Congress enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, it
> recognized the crucial role transportation plays in our lives," said Eric
> Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division.
> "Transportation is the linchpin of access for people with disabilities to
> the full economic, social, and cultural benefits of our country. The
> Americans with Disabilities Act gave Amtrak until 2010 to make its stations
> accessible for individuals with disabilities. Amtrak failed or refused to
> comply with the Congressionally-mandated 2010 deadline, and Amtrak's
> noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act injured individuals
> with disabilities. Passengers with disabilities have waited long enough.
> Today's agreement is a historic victory for individuals with disabilities,
> Amtrak, the rule of law, and the promise of equal opportunity for all
> Americans. We welcome Amtrak's commitment today to bring its system into
> compliance with the law so that all individuals have an equal opportunity to
> barrier-free rail transportation."
> Under the agreement, Amtrak has committed to make its intercity rail
> stations accessible, prioritizing stations with the most significant
> barriers to access. Over the next 10 years, Amtrak will design at least 135
> stations to be accessible, complete construction at 90 of those stations,
> and have at least 45 more under construction. Amtrak will also train staff
> on ADA requirements and implement an agreed-upon process for accepting and
> handling ADA complaints. As part of this commitment, Amtrak recently
> established an Office of the Vice President of Stations, Properties &
> Accessibility to coordinate its compliance with the ADA.
> To compensate those harmed by inaccessible stations while trying to travel
> by train, Amtrak will establish a $2.25 million settlement fund. Individuals
> with mobility impairments who traveled or desired to travel at 78 specified
> stations with significant accessibility issues may be compensated from the
> settlement fund.
> This action was brought by the Disability Rights Section of the department's
> Civil Rights Division. To read the settlement agreement, please click here,
> and to read the complaint, please click here.
> This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the ADA. The Justice Department
> plays a central role in advancing the nation's goal of equal opportunity,
> full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for
> people with disabilities. To learn more about the ADA's history and impact,
> please visit the department's ADA Anniversary webpage.
>
>
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>


-- 
Seif Saqallah
(Pronouns: he/him/his.)
University of Michigan
Juris Doctor/
Masters in Middle Eastern and North African Studies
J.D/M.A Candidate | 2020

International Studies, Arabic Studies, and Judaic Studies;
Law, Justice, and Social Change
B.A | 2017

248-325-7091 | seifs at umich.edu

Student Attorney | International Transactions Clinic

Student Attorney | Civil-Criminal Litigation Clinic

University of Michigan Law School
www.law.umich.edu/ITC
www.law.umich.edu/clinical/generalclinic/Pages/default.aspx

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