In a compelling legal battle unfolding in the Eastern District of Louisiana, a woman with disabilities has taken legal action against a hotel management company and its owner for alleged violations of her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR). Geraldine Watkins filed the complaint on October 29, 2024, accusing Riverfront Lodging, L.L.C., and Omni Hotels Management Corporation of failing to provide reasonable accommodations during her stay at their New Orleans property.
The lawsuit details Ms. Watkins' harrowing experience at the Omni Riverfront Hotel, where she was forced to switch from an ADA-compliant room to one that did not meet her accessibility needs. On July 16, 2024, Ms. Watkins checked into Room 302 with her friend Keely Lewis, which was specifically reserved to accommodate her disabilities. However, following noise complaints, hotel staff moved them to Room 424—a non-accessible room—despite Ms. Watkins' protestations about her mobility challenges. "Nick insisted that she switch rooms," the complaint states, referring to a conversation with a hotel manager.
The bathroom in Room 424 lacked essential features such as grab bars and sufficient space for Ms. Watkins' walker or wheelchair. After enduring three hours without proper facilities and missing part of a volunteer event she was attending in New Orleans, they were moved again to another inadequate room. This ordeal left Ms. Watkins feeling humiliated and uncomfortable as she had to rely on assistance for basic needs.
Ms. Watkins claims that these actions by the defendants constitute discrimination under both federal and state laws designed to protect individuals with disabilities from such treatment in public accommodations. The lawsuit highlights several barriers present at the hotel that allegedly violate ADA standards, including narrow doorways and insufficient bathroom fixtures.
Seeking justice for these grievances, Ms. Watkins is asking the court for declaratory and injunctive relief mandating changes at the property to ensure compliance with disability access laws. She also seeks compensatory damages under state law for emotional distress caused by what she describes as deliberate indifference by the defendants.
Represented by attorneys Andrew D. Bizer, Garret S. DeReus, and Eva M. Kalikoff from Bizer & DeReus LLC based in New Orleans, Ms. Watkins hopes this case will prompt significant policy changes at the hotel chain level to prevent future occurrences of similar incidents.