Amtrak Compensates People with Disabilities Facing Station Barriers

Author: National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
Published: 2021/02/05
Topic: Disability Accessibility - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: U.S. railway company Amtrak starts compensating disabled experiencing inaccessibility at rail stations. Amtrak was given twenty years after the ADA was passed in 1990 to make stations accessible, but by 2010 had failed to make progress.

Introduction

People with mobility disabilities who encountered inaccessible Amtrak stations can begin submitting claims for monetary compensation. Claims must be submitted by May 29, 2021.

Main Item

Amtrak created the compensation fund as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) which found the railroad had engaged in disability discrimination violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Amtrak was given twenty years after the ADA was passed in 1990 to make stations accessible, but by 2010 had failed to make progress. An investigation in 2013 by the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) found numerous barriers at stations all over the country. NDRN then submitted a complaint to the Department of Justice which spurred their investigation and eventual settlement with Amtrak.

The U.S. National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.

"Transportation is the linchpin of community integration," said NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker. "Without it, many people with disabilities cannot go to work, go shopping, visit their friends and family, or accomplish many of the day-to-day tasks necessary to live in the community."

Compensation

Per the agreement, Amtrak will bring its inaccessible stations into compliance with the law while offering financial compensation to people negatively impacted through the establishment of the victim's compensation fund.

According to the DOJ, to be eligible for monetary compensation, an individual must:

Claims

Questions about making claims should be directed to the settlement administrator by any of the following methods:

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and published on 2021/02/05, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) can be contacted at ndrn.org NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Citing and References

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Cite This Page: National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). (2021, February 5). Amtrak Compensates People with Disabilities Facing Station Barriers. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved April 18, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/accessibility/ndrn-amtrak.php

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