Celiac.com 06/17/2019 - A federal appeals court reinstated a lawsuit filed by a boy with celiac disease against a Colonial Williamsburg restaurant. The court ruled that a jury should decide whether the restaurant violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when they barred a boy from bringing his gluten-free meal into the Shields Tavern.
The lawsuit lists the boy's name as J.D. Because J.D. has celiac disease and follows a strict gluten-free diet, he couldn't eat with his classmates on their May 11, 2017, field trip. The staff at the Shields Tavern told J.D. that they could make a gluten-free meal for him,  but they could not allow him to eat his own food in the tavern, which is owned and operated by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
J.D. had had problems before with ...

Celiac.com 10/09/2023 - Eleanor McGinn, a resident of a retirement community in Maryland, has filed a lawsuit alleging that the facility, Broadmead, repeatedly served her food containing gluten despite knowing about her celiac disease. 
The lawsuit, filed in Maryland District Court, claims that Broadmead violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by discriminating against McGinn based on her disability. The claim also includes allegations of breach of contract, negligence in food preparation, and negligent misrepresentation. These claims stem from McGinn's reliance on Broadmead's assurances that she would receive gluten-free food and the facility's promotion of a gluten-free dietary program.
Before moving to Broadmead in 2017, McGinn had met with the facility's dining director ...

Celiac.com 04/30/2024 - Inmate Daniel Phoenix filed a lawsuit against Virginia prison officials, including Dr. Paul Ohai and Dr. Mark Amonette, alleging deliberate indifference to his celiac disease. Initially, the district court denied summary judgment to Ohai and Amonette on Phoenix's Eighth Amendment claim. Around the same time that the case was set for mediation, it was transferred to a different district court judge. After mediation failed, the new judge set a date for a jury trial.
Before trial, however, the district court excluded Phoenix’s experts because Phoenix did not timely submit expert reports. It then granted summary judgment to Ohai, concluding Phoenix could not prove his claim without an expert to testify about the “threshold standard of care or on the presence of ...

Celiac.com 06/15/2024 - In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the number of online job applications that include questions about disability status. At least 50% of these applications now inquire whether applicants have a disability, with celiac disease often listed as a potential disability. This trend raises important questions about the nature of celiac disease and whether it should be classified as a disability on a job application. While recognizing the challenges faced by individuals with celiac disease, it is crucial to critically examine whether it fits the standard definition of a disability, especially considering that adherence to a gluten-free diet typically leads to a symptom-free state.
Understanding Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune...