Dr. Ronald G. Cheek has filed a lawsuit against a major retail corporation, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR). The complaint was lodged in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on October 9, 2024, targeting Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust, Wal-Mart Louisiana LLC, and Walmart Inc.
The plaintiff, Dr. Ronald G. Cheek, claims that his rights under the ADA and LCHR have been infringed upon due to architectural barriers at a Walmart Supercenter located at 300 W. Esplanade Avenue in Kenner, Louisiana. Dr. Cheek is a resident of Jefferson Parish and suffers from T-7 paraplegia, necessitating the use of a wheelchair for mobility. He asserts that these barriers significantly impair his ability to access goods and services offered by Walmart. Specifically, he highlights issues such as an excessively steep accessible route from designated parking to the store entrance and an impermissibly wide gap along this path.
Dr. Cheek's legal action seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to compel Walmart to modify its premises in compliance with federal and state disability laws. "Removal of the discriminatory barriers is readily achievable," states Dr. Cheek's complaint, arguing that such modifications would not impose an undue burden on Walmart but would instead provide him equal access to their facilities.
In addition to seeking changes to the property’s accessibility features, Dr. Cheek is pursuing compensatory damages for what he describes as discriminatory practices by Walmart that have denied him full enjoyment of their services due to his disability. He also requests reimbursement for attorney fees and associated legal costs incurred during this litigation process.
Representing Dr. Cheek are attorneys Andrew D. Bizer, Garret S. DeReus, and Eva M. Kalikoff from Bizer & DeReus LLC based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The case ID is: 2:24-cv-02441.