DISABILITY LAWSUITS: Lawyer says litigant faces roadblocks
The West Sacramento man who names 18 more local businesses in a new federal court filing over disability access is running into legal roadblocks, says an attorney who has successfully represented companies against George Louie.
"This gig for George Louie is coming to an end," David Wong said. "People don't need to be afraid of this guy."
Louie has filed more than 1,000 lawsuits citing Americans with Disability Act standards he contends businesses don't meet, said Wong.
Wong, an attorney in Berkeley, said he successfully defended three businesses that Louie sued three times. His clients could have paid Louie money to make the cases go away but decided instead to challenge the 64-year-old West Sacramento man in court.
Louie, in an April 4 filing in federal court in Sacramento, names local businesses, including Ramirez Towing, Trophy Car Wash, Allen's Auto Body, Golden Valley Tax Service, Sunrise Motors and Smity's Liquor. His filing is the fourth since December naming businesses in Yuba and Sutter counties.
Wong said that Louie has in the past sent to people he's sued a copy of a settlement offer from Pacific Gas & Electric involving the utility paying $200,000. That settlement notice is intended to spur businesses to settle the suits Louie filed, Wong said.
The attorney said Louie's legal targets includes small businesses and that the West Sacramento man's interest is money and not improved access for the disabled.
Louie has not returned phone messages and emails left for him since he began filing his legal actions here in December.
CONTACT reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4780.
