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Detroit
� Third
Judicial
Wayne
County
Circuit
Court
Judge
Deborah
Thomas,
lead
plaintiff
and four
other
plaintiffs,
represented
by
Detroit
Attorney
Richard
Bernstein,
win in a
landmark
decision
by the
U.S.
Court,
Eastern
District
of
Michigan,
Southern
Division.
They
allege
that
Northwest
Airlines
fails to
provide
adequate
accessibility
and
assistance
for
disabled
travelers
in the
airport
and on
its
airplanes.
The U.S.
Court
agreed
and
ruled
that
disabled
individuals
may sue
Northwest
Airlines
and the
Wayne
County
Airport
Authority
under
the
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act
(ADA).
�Judge
Deborah
Thomas
is a
true
crusader
and an
incredible
woman,�
said
Attorney
Richard
Bernstein.
�She
stepped
forward
because
disabled
people
have the
right to
travel
and they
have the
right to
commerce.
Her
willingness
to take
on a
challenge
like
this is
going to
open
international
doors.�
According
to the
ADA,
businesses
are
required
to make
reasonable
accommodations
to the
known
disability
of an
individual,
if it
would
not
impose
an
"undue
hardship"
on the
operation
of the
business.
Undue
hardship
is
defined
as an
action
requiring
significant
difficulty
or
expense
when
considered
in light
of
factors
such as
a
business'
size,
financial
resources,
and the
nature
and
structure
of its
operation.
�Every
day
private
citizens
with
disabilities
are
being
robbed
of their
civil
rights
and
their
ability
to
utilize
public
transportation
with
ease,�
said
Judge
Thomas.
�The
Wayne
County
airport
is
discriminating
against
disabled
travelers.
They are
noncompliant
in the
readiness
and
accessibility
of wheel
chairs
and
luggage
assistance,
which
causes
disabled
travelers
to use
damaged
wheelchairs
and in
some
cases,
miss
their
flights.�
About
Judge
Deborah
Thomas
Judge
Deborah
Thomas
had
polio in
her
childhood.
She has
successfully
worked
to
overcome
the
muscle
fatigue
that is
part of
�Post-Polio
Syndrome.�
The
syndrome
affects
many who
contracted
polio
prior to
the
development
of the
polio
vaccine.
Judge
Thomas
often
has
physical
challenges,
requiring
her to
obtain
special
services
when
flying.
About
Attorney
Richard
Bernstein
Attorney
Richard
Bernstein
is the
son of
noted
Detroit
Attorney
Sam
Bernstein.
Richard
Bernstein
is a
trial
lawyer.
Blind
since
birth,
he is a
fighter
who has
been
advocating
for the
disabled
for
years.
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