b'GUEST VIEWADA Lawsuits Are Changing the Legal Landscapetheir stores, recreation halls and even this means you can be sued for your ground owner, there has never been anrentalunits.Campgroundowners website anyway as many business own- intention to exclude customers frombegan to put in pool lifts or new zero- ers found out. Most judges choose not your property, so start making changes.Christine entrypools.Ownerslearnedabout to dismiss these lawsuits without the Askyourcustomerswithdisabilitiesturning radius in rooms and compliant use of an expert witness who could at- what featuresfrom your advertising toTaylor bathrooms from grab bars to shower test to how the website was compliant your accommodationswould make itentry. with the ADA. easier for them to enjoy their stay?Recently, the ADA has been extended About 90% of the lawsuits result in a Looktolocaldisabilitygroupstoto include things that were not contem- settlement, as it is cheaper to settle with test your website and property. HireAswrittenaboutprolificallyby plated when the act went into law. The the disabled consumer than it is to pay web-developers who know what to docampground owners, web developers, first change was when those with dis- an attorney to litigate, which guarantees to make your website accessible. Pro-and lawyers alike, the American with abilities, specifically deaf and blind con- no result and could end with the busi- vide a phone number for people to callDisabilities Act (ADA) has brought an sumers, began to sue or send demand ness being on the hook for both the if they need assistance and create anonslaught of new lawsuits against busi- letters to businesses regarding the com- plaintiffs and their own attorney fees. ADA action plan that you can provideness owners. From big corporations to pliance of business websites. Next, a bunch of lawsuits cropped up that shows your plan to update yoursmall mom-and-pop businessesno Business owners have spent thou- regarding the lack of subtitles on the tel- business to be more accommodating.one has been safe. sands of dollars defending these law- evision screens at gas pumps. Ultimately I know youre thinking I started byAt its creation, the ADA was enacted suits. Ultimately, business owners did these cases ended the same way, with talking about how businesses got suedto provide equal access to those with not want to exclude any consumer and one exceptiona judge in Florida recog- even after making changes. Ultimately,disabilities.Businesses,including spentmoneymakingacompliant nized a particular plaintiffs attorney as everything you do provides a better de-campground owners, saw this trans- website. However, there is no real legal abusing the ADA. You see, the ADA does fense in the case of a lawsuit and makeslated into the need for ramp access to standardforcompliance.Ultimately, not actually provide monetary relief for you less of a target.the plaintiff. The ADA provides only for Lastly,reachouttoyourlobbyist,an injunction forcing the business to senator or representative and let themremedytheissueandattorneyfees. know that you are looking for clear di-Thus, by settling over and over again the rection in the law as to how to accom-plaintiff and their attorney were making modate people with disabilities. Untilmoney off a statute, which was not its in- the law is clearer, the limits of the ADAtended purpose. The judge barred that willbetested,andthesecaseswillparticular attorney from bringing simi- progress without dismissal.lar lawsuits in that jurisdiction for thisand some other legal reasons. Christine Taylor, a graduate of UCLANowlawsuitshavebeenbrought School of Law, is an associate at Towne,against a variety of gift card issuers for Ryan and Partners P.C., a law firm withfailure to provide braille embossed gift attorneys licensed in New York, Con-cards. They demand identifying infor- necticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, Wash-mation such as the company name to ington D.C., and New Jersey. Taylor hasbe added in braille. grown up in the camping industry. HerWhat does this mean for you? We are family has owned three campgrounds inlikely to continue to see lawsuits of a both the Kampgrounds of America Inc.wide variety pushing the limits of the (KOA) and Yogi Bears Jellystone Parkapplicability of the ADA. As a camp- Camp-Resort franchise systemsWCMLake Rudolph Campground & RV ResortInvests $2M Into ImprovementsGuests of Lake RudolphCampground & RV Resort inSanta Claus, Ind., can expe-rienceandenjoyapproxi-mately $2 million in additionsandimprovementsforthe2020season,accordingtopark officials.Improvements and addi-tions for the 2020 season in-clude: A new interactive waterplayground called RainDeerWaterWorks inLakeRudolphsownSantasSplashDown WaterPark. RainDeer Water- tages, and rental RVs. A $50 pet fee perWorks opens the spring of 2020 and fea- reservation is required. Select rentals willtures water slides, water sprays, interactive remain pet-free for guests with allergies.water games and a giant Rudolph-themedA new dog park featuring a fenced-inbucket that dumps thousands of gallons of area with play structures where guests maywater every few minutes.let their dogs run free and play. New rental cabanas are also beingA new and improved reservation sys-added next to RainDeer WaterWorks where tem and brand-new online reservation ex-parents can relax in the shade and watch perience featuring interactive maps wheretheir kids play. Cabanas include furniture Lake Rudolph guests may research andand ceiling fans. choose their site or rental. 24 new vacation rentals, including 23A new and improved, mobile-friendlyholiday cottages, seven wheelchair-acces- website at LakeRudolph.com.sible cottages, and one wheelchair-acces-20 new golf cars for the golf car rentalsible Christmas cabin. fleet. A new pet policy in 2020. Dogs are now For more details, visit LakeRudolph.com orallowed in the majority of rental cabins, cot- call (877) 478-3657.WCM36 -May 2020Woodalls Campground Management'