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Not allowed in public bar - HELP!!

Mon, 07/31/2006 - 03:30
My friend has epilepsy and has been confronted with some public access discrimination. I have some questions... He was told he was not allowed to drink inside the bar because they kept saying he was drunk, but he would be having a seizure. They told him he could not come back, but later after taking some printouts off the net letting them know that it is illegal to discriminate they allowed him back in, but he was not allowed to be served. He agreed and starting going back to the bar drinking water and visiting with his friends. This last Thursday night he had a seizure and went to the ground. The bartender grabbed him while in the seizure and started dragging him through the bar and yelling at the bouncer tell him to pick him up. All this was going on while he was in a seizure!!! He had nothing to drink (he is not a "drinker" and may only have a Smirnoff Ice and sip on it for an hour or two.. he also does not drink at home) but was accused of drinking somewhere else which was not true. He had nothing but WATER to drink all day and there too! Anyway, he is now barred from this cocktail place because he had another seizure. He has the type of seizure where his left arm and left tighten and lift up. He does not have Grand Mal seizures now. He has had brain surgery and has a implant in his chest and wears a magnet to activate the implant when he feels a seizure coming on. He is 21, a great guy with a kind heart and he is so sad that he now can't go see his friends and watch karaoke twice a week. It's a shame they are getting away with this type of discrimination, but they are saying they have to protect themselves because what if he gets hurt or hurts someone else while having a seizure. He seizures are not violent and I can tell you, they kept on serving drunks in the bar and they fall down all the time! Actually I only have one question... Can they get away with this and can anyone help? Thank you! Ray

Comments

Re: Not allowed in public bar - HELP!!

Submitted by mscarmex on Mon, 2006-07-31 - 05:08
Tell him to try and contact Disability Discrimination office.

Re: Not allowed in public bar - HELP!!

Submitted by aquila316 on Mon, 2006-07-31 - 08:13
Hey Ray, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but depending on what state you're in, and those specific laws, it may be no use. In many states bars have the right to refuse anyone they wish (unfortunately it was set up with good intentions to refuse ppl who become violent when drunk) with no questions asked. The bar owner can very easily claim that he doesn't want your friend to have another sz in his bar, fall, hurt himself, and then he gets sued (I used to know someone who did this for a living). It's very possible that the owner of the bar just doesn't want to be liable for damages and injuries if something were to happen. If this is the case, you may want to find a different bar to frequent, because it will be hard (and extremely expensive)to do something about it legally. Susan

Re: Re: Not allowed in public bar - HELP!!

Submitted by therayban on Mon, 2006-07-31 - 11:16
Hi Susan, It does not seem fair that a bar would be exempt from the law. Seems like that a restaurant, theater, grocery store and etc. could give the same reasons to deny him their goods and services due to his disability. I wonder who I could contact to find out if bars are exempt here in California? Thank you! Ray

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