Two San Francisco women have filed a suit with Apple. They are accusing the company of ignoring accessibility laws at one of its retail stores by making shopping or service trips all but impossible for those confined to a wheelchair.
Filed last week, the suit claims that Apple has violated both a federal and state code by failing to provide "full and equal" access to its disabled patrons. Two plaintiffs were mentioned in the lawsuit; both requiring a wheelchair to shop. Both women have cited experiences in May and July that were "frustrating and humiliating".
According to the lawsuit filed with the court, neither plaintiffs were able to reach products or service desks, which for one plaintiff meant an unsatisfactory trip to the store. Apparently she brought her Mac to the Apple store for a software repair but, because the desk was too high, couldn't see the work being performed and was told it was fixed. After getting back home with the Mac, she found the issue remained.
Flagship Apple store
The shop was Apple's flagship store in San Francisco, California - one of the largest in the world. According to the plaintiffs, access to common features of the store, such as elevator buttons and the presentation theatre, and the ability to make a simple purchase were made impossible because of the company's negligence.
To make matters worse, the plaintiffs claim, the venue is difficult to navigate and Apple retail staff were less than helpful with some of them ignoring the plaintiffs when they asked for help.
No court date has been set, but Apple is currently expected to contest the lawsuit.
