A Chicago man has filed a lawsuit against a local MRI provider, alleging discrimination based on his disability. Ramon Canellada filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on September 4, 2024, accusing Preferred Open MRI, Ltd. of denying him necessary healthcare services because he uses a wheelchair.
Ramon Canellada, who suffers from an ependymoma tumor in his spinal cord causing complete paralysis from the waist down, requires regular MRIs to monitor his condition. On May 23, 2024, despite having confirmed that his insurance was accepted and scheduling three appointments at Preferred Open MRI's 63rd Street location in advance, Canellada was refused service upon arrival because he used a wheelchair. The staff claimed they were not trained to assist him and cited concerns about the big magnet in the MRI machine interfering with his wheelchair.
In his complaint, Canellada argues that this refusal violates multiple laws designed to protect individuals with disabilities: Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Illinois Civil Rights Remedies Restoration Act. He asserts that these laws mandate equal access to healthcare services for people with disabilities and prohibit discrimination based on disability status.
Canellada's experience at Preferred Open MRI left him feeling excluded and discriminated against. "This experience caused Mr. Canellada to experience anxiety, emotional distress, frustration, and embarrassment," states the complaint. The denial forced him to seek alternative MRI services farther from his home, resulting in increased transportation costs and extended discomfort due to longer imaging sessions.
The plaintiff seeks declaratory relief from the court affirming that Preferred Open MRI's actions were illegal under federal and state law. Additionally, he requests injunctive relief requiring the defendant to adopt policies ensuring accessibility for wheelchair users, train staff on legal obligations regarding disability accommodations, operate facilities inclusively for all patients regardless of mobility impairments, and purchase necessary assistive devices such as non-metallic imaging-safe wheelchairs.
Represented by attorneys Charles R. Petrof from Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago and Rachel M. Weisberg from Disability Rights Advocates, Canellada is also seeking compensatory damages for emotional pain and suffering as well as attorney’s fees. The case has been assigned Case ID No. 1:24-cv-08015.