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Disabled Vet Beaten By McDonald's Employees
By
Ben Muessig
Published Nov 21, 2009
Modified Nov 21, 2009
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By
Ben Muessig
Published Nov 21, 2009
Modified Nov 21, 2009
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A disabled Iraq War veteran who relies on the assistance of a service dog claims he was beaten by employees at a McDonald's in Sunset Park after being repeatedly kicked out of the fast food joint for bringing his pooch.
Luis Montalvan — whose service dog Tuesday has helped him overcome physical tasks and "social fears" since suffering post traumatic stress disorder and wounds to his head, legs and spine in Iraq — claims that after being kicked out of the Fifth Avenue eatery last year for bringing the dog, he sent a letter to McDonald's informing the corporation it was violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. In response, McDonald's posted a sticker at the shop stating “Service Dogs Allowed."
But when Montalvan went back with the dog, he says workers threw him out again. So he tells the NYU publication Live Wire that he planned to send another letter including a photograph of the sticker, but when he arrived at the restaurant and pulled out a camera, he claims that men from the shop asked him why he was taking pictures, then punched him and hit him with garbage cans, leaving him with a neck injury.
"That is absolutely no way to treat a combat disabled veteran, let alone a disabled person," said Montalvan, who is suing the company for assault and battery, discrimination, and violating the statutes of the American's With Disabilities Act. For its part, McDonald's issued the following statement: "We take these matters seriously. It is McDonald's policy to permit service animals to accompany disabled persons into our restaurants."
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americans with disabilities act
discrimination
Luis Montalvan
mcdonald's
service dog
Ben Muessig
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