Jarek Molski is a disabled man known for filing hundreds of lawsuits against small businesses for violations of the

Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ...

(ADA). Since a 1985

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accident that left him paralyzed, Molski has filed over 400 lawsuits against

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small businesses due to lack of

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, misplaced handrails, and other ADA violations. Molski has received heavy criticism over his lawsuits. In 2004, a

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accused Molski of

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, calling him a "hit-and-run plaintiff", and barred Molski from filing further lawsuits. Molski appealed the judge's order to the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

, but was denied after they refused to hear his case.

Lawsuits

All of Molski's lawsuits have been exclusive to small businesses for violating the

. Of them, only one went to a

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, while the rest have been settled out of court.

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, Tom Frankovich, has represented Molski in 232 of his cases. Frankovich is estimated to have earned over $10 million from Molski's cases.

Criticism and impact

Molski's lawsuits have sparked debates on the balance between disability rights and potential abuse of the legal system. Critics argue that Molski has exploited the ADA to file frivolous lawsuits for personal gain, while others maintain that he has brought attention to the accessibility issues faced by people with disabilities. The criticism surrounding Molski's lawsuits has led to calls for ADA reform to prevent similar tactics in the future. Some of these proposed changes include imposing stricter standards for ADA lawsuits, requiring plaintiffs to give businesses a reasonable opportunity to address violations before filing a lawsuit, and limiting attorneys' fees in such cases. Despite the controversy, Molski's lawsuits have led to increased awareness of ADA compliance issues among small businesses. Many businesses have taken steps to improve their accessibility, either as a result of being sued by Molski or to avoid similar lawsuits.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Molski, Jarek Living people United States lawsuits United States disability case law Year of birth missing (living people) American disability rights activists