eBay Sued For Discriminating Against the Deaf

Should eBay have to follow the Americans with Disabilities Act?  A Missouri woman is trying to make the courts say yes so that she can cash in on her stash of old comic books and vintage baseball cards and timepieces, some of which are worth thousands of dollars.

FOX News Radio’s Chris Hoenig has the story:

Melissa Earll is suing eBay, saying they discriminate against her because she’s deaf.  The auction site requires a phone verification from sellers – which Earll can’t hear – but she says eBay just isn’t listening.

(Earll) “They said, ‘Can your mom or dad answer the phone for you?’  And I’m a 40-year-old adult woman…no, I don’t live at home.”

A Federal court has already thrown out the suit, saying eBay doesn’t have a physical storefront for interaction with customers so the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t apply.  Earll is appealing.

(Earll) “eBay keeps me from taking advantage of the opportunities that other people have.”

eBay declining comment, except to say that they’re happy the initial lawsuit was dismissed.

Chris Hoenig, FOX News Radio.