A great many people with disabilities who drive find it hard or almost impossible when it comes to filling up their cars with petrol or gas. This may be due to the fact that they have trouble using the hose, nozzle or controls at the self service centres. Some service stations are only self service and this may mean that the disabled person cannot buy their petrol/gas from these types and are therefore discriminated against.

Most petrol/gas stations now have some kind of policy regarding disabled peoples needs, although they may differ slightly from country to country, but most stations are now required to meet conditions such as:

* Providing fuelling assistance upon the request of a person suffering from a disability although if the station is manned by a single assistant they are not required by law to provide this assistance but only ask that they try and assist disabled drivers.

* Display signs and notifications on pumps to let the disabled person know they can get assistance for example by honking the car horn to signal the attention of an employer. Some stations have started providing a button to press which then triggers an alarm which the assistant will hear.

* Provide help with re fuelling your car at no extra cost.

Although options have started to to be put in place to assist the disabled in re-fuelling their cars it is clear that more should be done to take the needs of the disabled into account, most stations still have a long way to go and a better system may be needed.

Some of the buttons for the disabled to press are so small and easily more than an arm reach away so if the disabled person cannot get out of the car then they often cannot reach the button to press for help.

For those service stations that don’t even have a button the whole process of filling up your car with fuel can be an embarrassment, having to sit and honk your car horn once or twice maybe even more before someone realises that you are in fact disabled and do need assistance.

Filed under: Disability Help

What Rights Do Disabled People Have?

Disability rights for disabled people have greatly increased over the last few years when the disability discrimination act came into force in 1995. The aim of the act when introduced was to put an end to discrimination that was being faced by disabled people.

Key points of the disability discrimination act include:

* The right to fair employment. Every firm which employs 15 or more people has to conform to this act and covers dismissal, working conditions and redundancy.

* The right to have access to services and facilities.

* The right to have reasonable adjustments made for access in the working environment.

* The right to education in any school, college or further education.

Discrimination is said to occur when any disabled person is treated with less favour, the treatment is relating to the person’s disability and when there has been inadequate adjustments made which cannot be justified.

Education providers

For places of education such as schools, colleges and any place of further education the disability discrimination act was extended and is called the special educational needs and disability act. This act was formed to protect students against discrimination, its key points are:

* It is against the law to prevent any disabled student from taking a course or to mark down in assessment any disabled person suffering from dyslexia or deafness.

* Certain policies have to be changed for disabled students, for example giving more computer access during exams.

* The place should be able to provide aids and services for those with disabilities, such as providing hearing aid loops and installation of special software on computers for those people with visual disabilities.

* Making adjustments to the building themselves for easier access.

Who has To Comply with the Act?

Any company or organization that provides facilities to the public has to comply with this regulation and includes:

* Building societies and banks.

* Hospitals and Doctor’s surgeries.

* Theatres and Cinema’s.

* Bus stations and Railway stations.

* Hotels, shops and restaurants.

* Soccer grounds, sports halls parks.

Who Isn’t Covered?

* Trains, buses and any other public transport.

* Private clubs.

* Manufacturers.

How Is The Law Enforced?

The law is enforced by the disabled rights commission which is an independent body of people. They were put there to ensure that elimination is met for discrimination of disabled people and to promote equal opportunities and for them to also assist and give advice on how to treat disabled people, and to advise the government on the legislation of disability.

Disability law is a speciality law so how do you go about choosing the right disability lawyer? There are many law firms listed in the yellow pages so finding one isn’t hard, but what should you watch out for?

Tips When Considering a Disability Lawyer

Integrity

Many lawyers will offer you a free half hour consultation, during this time you will be able to give the lawyer a brief insight into your particular problem, once presented with the facts a good lawyer will always tell you up front what they think your chances of winning the case are.

Background History

You should feel comfortable in the lawyer’s presence and a good honest lawyer will have nothing to hide when it comes to asking about previous cases that they have won or lost. Obviously they may not be able to go into great detail but they should be able to give you an idea of how many cases they have succeeded in winning and if any of those cases were similar to yours.

Does the lawyer specialise in disability law or just take the odd case? Disability law is a speciality and therefore you are better off with a lawyer who just specialises in disability law as they will have more experience and knowledge.

No win No fee

A lot of lawyers now have a no win no fee policy, this means as the name suggests that if you don’t win your case then you don’t pay. The lawyer will asses your case and if he thinks you stand a good chance of winning then they will usually go with this policy.

Don’t Pick the First One You See

You don’t have to pick the first lawyer you visit, check up a few of them especially if they offer you free consultation. Some important questions to ask yourself are: was the lawyer easy to get hold of, did they return your phone calls, do they seem to know about disability claims, were they willing to talk about past cases, have they been successful in winning past disability cases, do you feel comfortable in there presence, do they seem over confident?

Over confidence sometimes could signify that they don’t really have the experience needed to win your claim but they are just telling you anything to get you aboard. Common sense and good judgement is mostly needed on your part when choosing a disability lawyer.

If in doubt never be hasty and feel as though you have to go with the lawyer because you have had a free assessment with them, a good lawyer will not mind if you go away to think about it, the lawyer should never rush you into taking him or her on.