The Connecticut Association of the Deaf (CAD) filed a lawsuit today against Bow Tie Cinemas and its owners for what it alleges was a failure to comply with federal disability laws.
In the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut , CAD said some of its members who attempted to go to Bow Tie theaters in Hartford and West Hartford were told that closed captioning devices that make the movies accessible to deaf patrons were either unavailable or did not work.
The nonprofit, which is receiving pro bono representation from the Connecticut Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, the National Association of the Deaf, and McCarter & English LLP, said having devices that don’t work or no devices available violates the American with Disabilities Act because it denied equal access to the move-going experience.
The suit lists Harvey Corson, CAD president, as a plaintiff, along as two other members. It alleges that the three, and several others with hearing disabilities who are listed by name, were unable to see The Hunger Games in March 2012 and Despicable Me 2 and World War Z in July due to the devices being unavailable or not working properly.
Bow Tie Cinemas has 11 theaters in Connecticut and is based in Ridgefield. A spokesperson for the theater chain could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
In April, Bow Tie announced it would nearly triple in size through the acquisition of Clearview Cinemas from Cablevision, bringing its total presence to 63 locations and 388 screens.
