A Bay Area blind woman asked for no damages when she sued for discrimination. But the county that let her legal saga drag on for five years is now settling for $1.2 million

"When blind Union City resident Lisamaria Martinez sought help from the Clerk-Recorder's office staff to file paperwork for her new business in 2019, she was repeatedly denied assistance violating the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), a federal jury ruled. CRO staff members refused to assist Martinez with signing a fictitious business name form in 2019, stating that only the business owner could complete the legal paperwork, according to court documents."

"While pleased with the victory, Martinez's lawyer Tim Elder expressed disbelief that the county let the case drag on for so long. Lisamaria Martinez was willing to resolve this case five years ago for no damages, minimal legal fees and the County of Alameda agreeing to change its policy, Elder told Bay Area News Group. Instead of following express federal guidance, the county dug its heels in on a nonsensical interpretation of the law and fought this case for five years."

"Under federal law, public and private entities must provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities to ensure they have equal opportunity to work and participate in public life, according to the ADA. For blind people such as Martinez, this may include having a staff member read or write on official forms under their direction. Her experience was time-wasting, frustrating, dehumanizing, and unnecessary."

Lisamaria Martinez, a blind Union City resident, sought assistance from the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder office in 2019 to complete a fictitious business name form and was repeatedly refused help. Staff and managers told her only the business owner could complete legal paperwork and declined to read or write on the form despite her inability to fill it out, causing her to leave after more than 90 minutes. Martinez sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act, arguing the county failed to provide reasonable accommodations. A federal jury found violations and the Alameda County Board approved a $1.2 million settlement. County resistance prolonged litigation for five years.

Read at www.mercurynews.com