Litigation

We litigate cases of national importance to individuals with disabilities to ensure they have full and equal access to all parts of society.

Deaf Rights

The firm has lawyers fluent in American Sign Language who specialize in litigation on behalf of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Stein & Vargas, LLP has earned a national reputation for litigating the right to meaningful access in higher education, effective communication in healthcare settings, and access to the legal system.

Food Allergies

The firm is at the forefront of advocacy on behalf of individuals with severe food allergies and anaphylaxis and represents those with food allergies in achieving safe and inclusive access in all parts of society.

Chronic Pain

The firm has successfully litigated on behalf of those subjected to discrimination because of diagnosis with or treatment for chronic pain, including achieving a six-figure award for a client denied employment because of the use of prescription pain medication. These practice areas are representative of our broader focus on civil rights and human dignity.

Employment Discrimination

The firm’s employment discrimination practice has won critical victories for clients with disabilities in many career fields including commercial trucking, pharmacy, medicine, and veterinary practice.

Notable cases include:

  • Argenyi v. Creighton, 703 F.3d 441 (8th Cir. 2013) (recognizing the right of deaf medical students to full and equal access to medical school);
  • Prakel v. State of Indiana, 100 F. Supp. 3d 661 (S.D. Ind. 2015) (holding that a state court discriminated against a deaf court spectator when it refused to provide an interpreter);
  • Featherstone v. Pacific Northwest University, No. 1:CV-14-3084-SMJ, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102713 (E.D. Wa. July 22, 2014) (granting a preliminary injunction requiring a medical school to matriculate a deaf student and provide auxiliary aids and services);
  • Mosier v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, 640 F. Supp. 2d 875 (E.D. Ky. 2009) (holding that state courts may be required to provide interpreters for deaf attorneys).