DOJ says retired US judge among victims of Lyft disabilities discrimination

By Nate Raymond

Nov 10 (Reuters) - The US Justice Department cited allegations involving a retired federal appeals court judge in its discrimination lawsuit against ride-share company Lyft LYFT.O on Monday, saying the judge was refused service because he relies on a guide dog.

Former US Circuit Judge David Tatel, who is blind, was twice denied service by Lyft, the Justice Department said in the lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco. The complaint included Tatel among 12 other alleged examples of Lyft discriminating against people with physical or mental impairments.

Tatel, who left the bench in 2023 after a long tenure on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, has for much of his life been blind as a result of an eye disease known as retinitis pigmentosa.

Lyft in a statement said it disagreed with the allegations in complaint and said it had "long-standing policies requiring drivers to accommodate riders who travel with service animals or use foldable mobility devices."

Tatel, who is now senior counsel at Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, did not respond to a request for comment.

According to the lawsuit, in April 2023, when Tatel and his guide dog got into a Lyft to take him and his wife home from their synagogue, the car's driver screamed at the judge to get out because of his dog.

Tatel told the driver that the dog was a trained service animal and that he was legally obliged to take him, but the Lyft driver continued to refuse him service.

Lyft gave Tatel a $10 credit, yet when the former judge this September sought another ride via Lyft with his dog, the driver locked the doors to prevent Tatel from getting in the car and drove away, the lawsuit said. Lyft again gave him a $10 credit, which Tatel found "insulting," the complaint said.

The Justice Department alleged that Lyft violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits private transportation companies from discriminating based on disability.

It alleged that the company and its drivers routinely refuse service to individuals with disabilities and refuse to reasonably modify Lyft's policies and practices to avoid such discrimination.

The lawsuit seeks a court order to force Lyft to stop the alleged discrimination, modify its policies and train its staff and drivers on the law. The lawsuit also seeks $53 million for individuals with disabilities who Lyft has discriminated against.

The case is United States v Lyft, US District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:26-cv-13454.

For the United States: Katherine Dutcher, Jane Andersen, David Wright and James Fletcher of the US Department of Justice

Read more:

US sues Lyft, alleges discrimination against disabled riders

Retiring US appeals court judge returns to law firm Hogan Lovells