Lisa Irving, a California resident, said she was denied travel or verbally abused by drivers 14 times in 2016 and 2018, Irving’s lawyer Adam Wolf told CNN.
“Whether its drivers are employees or independent contractors, Uber is, however, subject to ADA as a result of its contractual relationship with its drivers,” said the award.
“We are proud that Uber technology has helped blind people to get rides, and we are sorry for the experience of Ms. Irving. Drivers using the Uber app must serve passengers with service animals and comply with accessibility and other laws, and regularly we provide education to drivers on this responsibility. Our dedicated team reviews each complaint and takes appropriate action, “the company said in a statement.
In addition to being denied travel, Irving said some drivers who came to pick her up verbally abused her and her service dog Bernie, according to the award.
She claimed that some trips she was denied led to her being late for work and “contributed to her separation from her employer,” according to the award.
Irving said she felt insecure because of the behavior of at least one driver, according to the award.
“[The driver] yelled at her to get out of his car at least fifteen times, at one point stopping to demand that she leave in a dangerous area, making her feel helpless by her intimidation and threats, “wrote the referee.
Irving filed complaints against drivers with Uber, according to the report.
“Uber is responsible for each of these incidents according to the ADA’s DOJ interpretation, as well as Uber’s contractual oversight of its drivers and its failure to prevent discrimination through proper training of its workers,” said the award.
“Of all the Americans who should be freed by the shared transport revolution, the blind and visually impaired are among those who benefit the most. However, the history of the main shared transport services has been uneven, at best, and openly discriminatory, at worst. The line is that, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a guide dog should be able to go anywhere that a blind person can go, “said Irving’s lawyer, Catherine Cabalo, in an announcement.