Ohio business owners must protect their companies from a broad spectrum of lawsuits. This calls for knowledge related to compliance in various aspects of business law.
One area that could result in a lawsuit concerns parking lot compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Parking lots and the ADA
According to Kiplinger’s Magazine, when the ADA became law in 1990 it required companies to follow several new rules. Failure to do so could lead to lawsuits and require the payment of fines and legal fees. The new law required that parking lots adhere to strict requirements for signage, lighting and slope measurements.
Handicap parking spaces with too steep a slope could harm persons in a wheelchair by causing the chair to move too rapidly. Business owners have difficulty with slope compliance because parking lots shift and settle over time due to usage and natural factors. Therefore monitoring of the slope in these spaces must occur regularly to ensure compliance. Even without a personal injury, a lawsuit could result due to this factor.
Parking lots and best practices
To avoid parking lot lawsuits, business owners can engage in several actions. The first involves keeping up on lot maintenance and making sure signage and lighting remain up to date. The second step involves hiring an expert to make sure the parking lot follows all requirements of the ADA.
This person in this position, known as a Certified Access Specialist, can measure the slope and determine if a violation does exist. If so, a repair of the handicapped space could avert expensive legal action. Business owners across the state must remain vigilant when dealing with many types of compliance issues.
