Brooklyn, NY – A wheelchair-bound Hasidic man from Borough Park, who has stirred controversy in recent years for bringing dozens of discrimination suits against city businesses under the Americans with Disabilities Act, has filed his latest suit against Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply, claiming in federal court that he “continues to be discriminated against due to the architectural barriers.”
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
NYPOST.com (http://pge.sx/1mm2Dox), who dubbed Zoltan Hirsch “Hell on Wheels” in 2011 after he filed 87 claims during one calendar year, is raising the question once again as to whether the 34 year-old Hirsch should be viewed as a crusader for the rights of the disabled, or just a two-bit con-man scamming New York City business owners with the help of his slick Florida attorney Bradley Weitz.
On face value, some past claims filed by Hirsch and Weitz appear suspect, such as their 2011 claims against Midtown’s Lace strip club and Soho’s Red & White Spa over which they argued that the spa’s pedicure station discriminated against the double-leg amputee Hirsch, but the pair continues to insist that their campaign is only to better serve the disabled.
Weitz, however, was the target of a 2012 NYTIMES.com (http://nyti.ms/V1tM8O) feature that focused on out of state lawyers who actively recruit disabled New Yorkers to participate in what the TIMES called “a form of ambulance chasing, with no one actually having been injured.”
The TIMES reported that Weitz has made a cottage industry of suing New York City business owners with the help of disabled New Yorkers to whom he pays $500 per suit, while collecting thousands for himself in legal fees and out-of-court settlements.
Between 2009 and 2012, the TIMES reported, Weitz had sued filed over 200 claims against New York City business owners in federal court in Manhattan.
Horrible
“the spa’s pedicure station discriminated against the double-leg amputee Hirsch”
That’s great!
He wanted the pedicure done on what?
Common, people should have some brains!
A real kiddush Hashem. So selfless that he is only looking out for yenim.
So whats so wrong about this. All the power to him. He working instead of code enforcers & getting paid.
Chilull Hashem!
tongue in cheek “voss tit men nisht far parnoosa”
on a more serious note
as a disabled person their arent many things hes able to do to earn a living im sure no one is envious of his over all life situation
such as their 2011 claims against Midtown’s Lace strip club and Soho’s Red & White Spa over which they argued that the spa’s pedicure station discriminated against the double-leg amputee Hirsch,
What was he doing in those places?
A walking Chillul Hashem!
Definitely a two bit con man.
What a disgrace.
I do not see what he is doing as wrong. Even if it is lo lshmah. They have a responsibility to be compliant with the Disabilities Act. He is just profiting of their unlawful behavior.
Let’s have some smart judges see the trend here and throw the cases out.
Crazy
The lawyer and his practices should be investigated!
too bad certain other parts of this jerk’s anatomy (that are presumably needed to file a lawsuit) are not also dysfunctional….he creates a chilul hashem that fans the flames of anti-Semitism and places all of us at risk. I have no sympathy for someone like this who engages in the most blatant scams
This is why the world hates us and we question why?
The sad part is this gentleman Daven in my shul, he gets accepted with open arms, gets aliyas like everyone else (I guess money buys anything). I don’t understand why they don’t ask him to go some place else (like maybe the strip club that he sued to get into)
Funny how people bring a magnifying glass when it comes to buying an Esrog, but ignore the explicit mitzvAh to teach their son a trade do he can make an honest living. This is what you get.
For all of you guys info. I spoke to zoltan in the morning he tells me the hole story is a big lye since the daily news ran the story 2 years ago he has not sued anyone. He has no idea where they came up with this story.
I disagree with the statement “he doesn’t have a leg to stand on”!
While he’s a jerk, this is the same thing that lawyers do on a wholesale level. They find violations, start claims against others and then look for a client or clients.
He sued Victoria Secret…What is he doing there to begin with..?
There is nothing wrong with what Mr. Hirsch is doing. How is this different than the lawsuits or NYC discrimination claims filed against Williamsburg stores for having dress codes? Who was actually hurt by those dress codes? None of the people involved in the suits ever intended on shopping at those stores. Yet, those charges went ahead and the store owners had to appear in court and agree to certain terms. It is irrelevant if Mr. Hirsch was or wasn’t hurt by these establishments.
If he is making large amounts of money from this, he is probably a con man. If he is willing to settle out of court for improvements in service, then he is not. In either cases, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a great thing we can all be proud of.
Did spell right or not. All I can say all you guys crying chillul hashem you Probably don’t even know who hashem is nor what hashem is. & you Probably are mechallel hashem’s name a few times every day in you’re life. Forget about havei don kol odem l’kaf zechus. I want to see any of you guys have you’re legs cut off & try to lead a normal life. you are Probably the people he asked for help with money. & you spit in his face or just turned away trying to help you’re fellow jew all you can do is type a few hated comments & you feel better what great jews you are. My rebbi told me those who judge other people are mostly to the core themselves