Class Action Claims Northport, NY Chase Bank Denies Access to Wheelchair-Reliant Customers

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According to a proposed class action lawsuit, JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and the operator of a Chase bank in Northport, New York have unlawfully denied wheelchair-reliant customers “equal and complete access” to the facility’s services.

The plaintiff, a woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair for mobility, alleges that she, on August 4, 2019, attempted to access the Northport Chase and discovered that there was no accessible entrance. According to the lawsuit, steps “approximately 6 inches or more in height” run along the length of the bank’s entranceway and prevent those with mobility disabilities from reaching the door. Further, the case claims the bank failed to display the international symbol of accessibility to direct customers to the nearest accessible entrance. The plaintiff says the defendants’ staff confirmed that there was no temporary access to the premises for those with mobility disabilities. 

The lawsuit claims the accessibility barriers at the Northport Chase constitute discriminatory acts under the Americans with Disabilities Act and continue to bar wheelchair-reliant customers from using the defendants’ services. The complaint alleges the plaintiff and similarly situated individuals have been “deprived of the meaningful choice of freely visiting the same accommodations readily available to the general public” due to the apparent accessibility barriers. The plaintiff says she intends to visit the Northport Chase several times per year as a “tester” to ensure the site is fully accessible and compliant with federal law.