TAMPA, Fla. A prolific tort lawyer who has filed dozens of suits against credit unions in Texas, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Tennessee over access to ATMs for the visually impaired, has set his sights on Florida, where a new client has filed 18 purported class action suits under the Americans With Disabilities Act against credit unions and banks in the last four weeks.
The new flurry of suits was filed by Andres Gomez, a legally blind individual who suffers from macular degeneration, by the Pittsburgh firm of Carlson Lynch, which has sued more than 100 credit unions and banks under the ADA.
The latest suits target Tropical Financial CU, Space Coast CU and Dade County FCU, as well as several banks. Carlson clients also have filed new ADA suits against Greater Texas FCU and Everence FCU in Pennsylvania in recent days.
The suits all seek a court order directing the credit unions to bring their ATMs in compliance with provisions of the ADA, including providing Braille keyboards and headphone jacks to provide verbal instructions for operations, among other changes.
Dozens of credit unions have entered into settlements with the Carlson firm requiring them to update their ATMs and maintain records for compliance with the ADA, and to pay the Pittsburgh firm’s legal fees.
The Pittsburgh law firm has declined several requests for interview from Credit Union Journal.
