ADA Title III Compliance Lawyer for People with Disabilities

ADA Lawyer for People with Disabilities

When a business is not accessible, it is more than inconvenient. It can be humiliating, isolating, and dangerous. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) exists so you do not have to quietly accept that.

At the Law Offices of Michelle M. Funkenbusch, we represent individuals with disabilities who encounter barriers in everyday life—at stores, restaurants, medical offices, gas stations, hotels, websites, and more. We use ADA lawsuits, demand letters, and negotiations to force real-world change, opening doors, fixing barriers, and making businesses accessible for you and everyone who comes after you.

If you are a business owner looking for information about defending an ADA lawsuit, you can also read our ADA lawsuit defense page for businesses, where we explain how we help companies come into compliance while respecting the rights of people with disabilities.

What Is ADA Title III and How Does It Protect You?

ADA Title III covers most businesses open to the public, known as “places of public accommodation.” It requires them to be accessible to people with disabilities in how they are built, maintained, and operated.

Examples of places covered by Title III include:

  • Parking lots, entrances, and routes to and through the building

  • Counters, restrooms, and seating areas

  • Hotels, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops

  • Retail stores, salons, gyms, theaters, and entertainment venues

  • Medical and dental offices and clinics

  • Websites and online services that offer goods or services to the public

When those spaces are not accessible, you have the right to demand change—and we help you enforce that right.

We Proudly Represent ADA Testers Who are Individual Plaintiffs

We represent individuals with disabilities who encounter barriers at businesses they visit or intend to visit, including locations within their normal travel patterns, their community, or along their regular routes.  We interview our clients extensively and meet them at sites with barriers to see how they are truly affected.

Some of our clients also evaluate accessibility at businesses located in areas where they shop, dine, travel, receive medical care, attend events, or regularly pass through — not as strangers, but as consumers who either do or reasonably expect to patronize those locations. Our clients always personally attempt to access the business and provide proof of their visit, such as photographs, receipts, multiple purchase receipts, videos, brochures, or business cards.

Courts recognize that evaluating accessibility at locations a person might naturally visit — or is reasonably likely to return to — is a legitimate and necessary method of enforcing the ADA.

Plaintiffs cannot get personal damages in ADA cases, but they can be reimbursed for reasonable time and expenses, like travel, mileage, or costs they incurred while documenting the violations. The only goal is to make the business fix the barriers and to cover the legal fees required to enforce the law.

We represent:

  • Wheelchair users and people with other mobility impairments

  • Blind and low-vision individuals

  • Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals

  • People with other physical or sensory disabilities who face access barriers

  • ADA testers who regularly check locations and websites for compliance

We do not apologize for enforcing the ADA. We explain it, stand on it, and use it effectively to create real access.

Some businesses try to make ADA plaintiffs look bad because they don’t want to spend money fixing accessibility problems. But the federal government actually helps pay for yearly ADA improvements through tax credits and deductions. Businesses can get reimbursed for a large part of the cost — so there’s no reason not to comply.

Common ADA Violations We See

Physical barriers and parking problems such as:

  • No accessible parking spaces or slopes that are too steep

  • Missing or narrow access aisles

  • Ramps that are too steep, too narrow, or lack handrails

  • Steps with no ramp or lift to reach an entrance

  • Heavy doors, narrow doorways, or high thresholds that stop wheelchairs

Interior and restroom accessibility issues such as:

  • Restrooms too small to enter or turn a wheelchair

  • Grab bars missing or installed incorrectly

  • Sinks, mirrors, and dispensers mounted too high

  • Aisles blocked with merchandise or furniture

  • No meaningful accessible seating or only “token” tables that are not actually usable

How We Handle ADA Cases for Plaintiffs and Testers

  1. We listen to your experience.
    Every case starts with your story—what happened, how it affected you, and what you want to see change. We talk about the location or website, your disability, and any documentation you already have (photos, screenshots, receipts, or notes).

  2. We investigate and document the violations.
    We may visit the property, take measurements, photograph or video the barriers, and work with ADA experts. Our goal is a clear, well-documented record of what went wrong and how it violates the ADA and applicable technical standards.

  3. We file suit or negotiate change.
    Depending on the facts, we may start with a detailed demand letter or file a federal ADA lawsuit. Under Title III, the primary remedy is injunctive relief—court orders requiring the business to fix barriers—plus recovery of reasonable attorney’s fees from the non-compliant business.  For some small businesses, we first write them and identify the ADA violations without seeking attorney fees in hopes of voluntary compliance.  Despite our good faith, these letters are usually ignored and lawsuits are necessary.

  4. We push for real, measurable accessibility.
    We do not settle for vague promises. We push for specific, technical changes—slopes, widths, signage, routes, deadlines, and proof of completion—so the result is real access, not just paperwork.

Why Work With the Law Offices of Michelle M. Funkenbusch?

Deep ADA knowledge
Michelle and her team understand the technical rules: slopes, clearances, reach ranges, door pressure, restroom layouts, parking design, and ADA standards better than any lawyer in St. louis. We know how to translate your lived experience into clear, enforceable legal violations.

Dual perspective
Because our firm also represents businesses in ADA compliance and defense matters, we understand the defenses and tactics that will be used on the other side. We use that insight to strengthen your case and to design demands that are harder to ignore or delay.

Respectful, trauma-informed advocacy
Accessibility barriers can be humiliating, exhausting, and sometimes dangerous. We handle your case with dignity, clear communication, and realistic expectations about the process and outcomes. You are never just a “tester” or a case number.

Who We Represent and Where

We represent individuals with disabilities and ADA testers in:

  • St. Louis County and St. Louis City

  • St. Charles County and surrounding communities

  • Federal court in the Eastern District of Missouri

If you are not sure whether your situation is covered, a short conversation with us can give you clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have a case if I only went there once?
Maybe. Courts look at whether you encountered a barrier and whether you have a reason or intent to return—or are reasonably deterred from returning because of the barrier. We will talk through the facts with you.

I’m a tester. Can I still bring a lawsuit?
Yes, the Eastern District of Missouri recognizes ADA testers as legitimate enforcers of civil rights, as long as the legal requirements for standing are met. We will evaluate those requirements carefully in your case.

Will this cost me anything?
No. In many ADA Title III cases, attorney’s fees are paid by the non-compliant business as part of settlement or judgment.

Will they actually fix things, not just pay money?
Yes. Our focus is on injunctive relief—binding commitments to remove barriers and improve accessibility. Money without accessibility does not create equal access, so we insist on concrete, verifiable changes.  If we settle, our settlement agreements require specific changes and have specific enforcement methods negotiated.

Learn More About the ADA

If you would like to read more about your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act directly from the federal government, you can visit the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA website at ADA.gov. It provides plain-language explanations, technical assistance materials, and official guidance about accessibility requirements for businesses and public entities.

Ready to Talk About an ADA Violation?

If you have encountered a barrier because of your disability—or you are a tester documenting non-compliant businesses—you do not have to handle it alone. We are ready to listen, explain your options, and help you decide what to do next.

Call the Law Offices of Michelle M. Funkenbusch at 314-338-3500 or email mmf@saintlouislegal.com to schedule a consultation.

You deserve equal access. We are here to help you enforce it.