 ACCESSIBILITY CONTROVERSY-Lawsuits have been filed against the Walgreen Company for not implementing better access for disabled customers at its stores, but complaints from the disabled have arisen about the length of the litigation. The Walgreens at 5400 W. 79th St., in Burbank, has some obstacles that the disabled may have difficulty maneuvering around. (News-Herald Photo by Brian Reidy)
State Moving Too Slowly For Disabled in Walgreens Case |
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Rosemarie Botthof of Elk Grove Village has been battling Walgreens for years, trying to get the pharmacy/retail chain to implement better access for disabled customers at its stores. She wrote to state legislators and even exchanged information with representattves from Walgreens, Inc., but did not see a change. She said that with the help of Attorney General Lisa Madigan, was hoping that justice would finally prevail. Madigan s office filed a lawsuit against Walgreens on March 11, alleging that the company , does not have enough handicapped-designated parking spaces or curb-cuts, which were deemed as violations of accessibility laws. Madigan had noted that in March that some stores had barriers to hold sbopping carts, but kept wheelehair-users out, preventing any kind of access. The suit was filed in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and Madigan"s office is seeking a correction of the violations, as well as a possible fine of $250 per dayfor each violation. Botthof, the head of the Unified Voice of Disabled America, said that she is pleased that, the lawsuit was filed, and looks forward to keeping track of everything that happens with the case. However, for the past five months, Botthof has not heard anything. She contacted the Attorney General's Office numerous times to check on updates of the lawsuit, but said that she was given the run-around. |
She even corresponded with the Attorney General's Disability Rights Bureau and the U.S. Disability Bureau to enforce new regulations, but did not receive satisfying answers about the case. She said she does not know what to do, because she thinks she, and other disabled residents throughout the state have to continue the hardship of attempting to use Walgreens' services without proper access. Melissa Merz, spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office, said that the office is still in litigation, but moving close toward its goals. Michael Polzin, spokesperson for Walgreens Inc., said that he has not heard of anything new since the lawsuit was filed, but knows that a settlement has not been made. When asked if any corrections were being made in regard to the al-leged violations of disability access to its stores, he said, "(We) were already in the process of addressing the issue." The Web site of the Unified Voice of Disabled America states that the organization tried to get former Attorney General Jim Ryan to take an active role in 2001 to get Walgreens to make changes for better entrance access.However, in a written letter to Madigan on June 8, Botthof said that Ryan's administration neglected to keep her informed of what steps they were going to take, and that Madigan's office might be doing the same thing. Botthof said that she will follow the case for as long as it goes in order to see if Walgreens is ordered to make changes. |