A Louisiana resident is seeking court intervention after claiming that architectural barriers at a local fast food restaurant prevent him from accessing goods and services on an equal basis with other members of the public. The complaint was filed by James Bledsoe in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on March 12, 2026, naming Famous Chicken of Shreveport, L.L.C. and Shelton Restaurant Group LLC as defendants.
According to the filing, Bledsoe alleges that both companies are responsible for operating and managing Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen located at 1910 N. Market Street in Shreveport. The lawsuit asserts that Bledsoe is a qualified individual with a disability under both federal and state law due to T-2 paraplegia and amputation of his left leg at the knee, which requires him to use a wheelchair for mobility.
The complaint states that Bledsoe resides less than six miles from the property and has visited it previously, most recently in early March 2026. During his visit, he reports encountering several obstacles while attempting to navigate the premises with his wheelchair. These include an access aisle for one of the designated-accessible parking spaces containing an impermissible gap caused by a drainage grate; an impermissible change in level where the parking lot meets the accessible ramp; missing or improperly placed vertical signage for accessible parking spaces; broken or poorly maintained surfaces in accessible parking areas; and other mobility-related barriers yet to be identified pending further inspection.
Bledsoe’s legal team argues that these conditions violate Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as provisions set forth by the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR). The complaint alleges that “DEFENDANTS are obligated to comply with the ADA and the LCHR” but have failed to remove discriminatory barriers even though such removal is described as “readily achievable.”
The lawsuit claims that these alleged violations exclude Bledsoe from participating in or benefiting from programs, services, and activities offered at the property. It further contends that “removal of the discriminatory barriers to access located on the Property is readily achievable, reasonably feasible, and easily accomplished, and would not place an undue burden on DEFENDANTS.”
Under Count I of his complaint, Bledsoe asserts violations of Title III of the ADA by denying him full participation in public accommodations due to physical barriers. Under Count II, he cites violations of LCHR statutes prohibiting discrimination based on disability in places offering goods or services to the general public.
The plaintiff requests several forms of relief from the court: a declaration that defendants’ property is in violation of both federal and state law; an order requiring defendants to alter their property so it becomes accessible for individuals with mobility disabilities; compensatory damages pursuant to Louisiana law; reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs including expert fees; as well as any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The case was filed by attorney Andrew D. Bizer of Bizer & DeReus LLC based in New Orleans. The case identification number is 5:26-cv-00781.
Source: 526cv00781_James_Bledsoe_v_Famous_Chicken_Complaint_Western_District_of_Louisiana.pdf
