The EEOC228 and/or the courts229 have found the following impairments to be disabilities under prongs 1 and/or 2 of the ADA, as amended, for purposes of ruling on a motion to dismiss or summary judgment motion.
This list is not exhaustive; it is intended to show the breadth of the ADA’s definition of disability.
Alcoholism - Sechler v. Modular Space Corp., No. 4:10-CV-5177, 2012 WL 1355586 (S.D. Tex. April 18, 2012).
Ankle Injury - Fleck v. WILMAC Corp., No. 10-05562, 2011 WL 1899198 (E.D. Pa. May 19, 2011).
Anxiety Disorder - Gesegnet v. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., No. 3:09-CV-828-H, 2011 WL 2119248 (W.D. Ky. May 26, 2011).
Autism - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Autoimmune Disorder - Seim v. Three Eagles Communication, Inc., No. 09-CV-3071-DEO, 2011 WL 2149061 (N.D. Iowa June 1, 2011).
Back Injury - Cohen v. CHLN, Inc., No. 10-00514, 2011 WL 2713737 (E.D. Pa. July 13, 2011).
Bipolar Disorder - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Gesegnet v. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., No. 3:09-CV-828-H, 2011 WL 2119248 (W.D. Ky. May 26, 2011).
Blindness - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).*64
Brain Tumor - Meinelt v. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc., 787 F. Supp. 2d 643 (S.D. Tex. 2011).
Cancer - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Questions & Answers about Cancer in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act, EEOC, http:// www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/cancer.cfm (last visited Oct. 12, 2013) (“As a result of changes made by the ADAAA, people who currently have cancer, or have cancer that is in remission, should easily be found to have a disability . . .”); Norton v. Assisted Living Concepts, Inc., 786 F. Supp. 2d. 1173 (E.D. Tex. 2011); Hoffman v. Carefirst of Fort Wayne, Inc., 737 F. Supp. 2d 976 (N.D. Ind. 2010); Chalfont v. U.S. Electrodes, No. 10-2929, 2010 WL 5341846 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 28, 2010).
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome - Gibbs v. ADS Alliance Data System, Inc., No. 10-2421-JWL, 2011 WL 3205779 (D. Kan. July 28, 2011).
Cerebral Palsy - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Deafness - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Depression - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Naber v. Dover Healthcare Associates, Inc., 765 F. Supp. 2d 622 (D. Del. 2011); Kinney v. Century Services Corp. II, No. 1:10-cv-00787-JMS-DML, 2011 WL 3476569 (S.D. Ind. Aug. 9, 2011).
Diabetes - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Questions & Answers about Diabetes in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act, EEOC, http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/diabetes.cfm (last visited Oct. 12, 2013) (“As a result of changes made by the ADAAA, individuals who have diabetes should easily be found to have a disability.”); Rohr v. Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement & Power District, 555 F.3d 850 (9th Cir. 2009).
Eating Disorder - Franchi v. New Hampton School, 656 F. Supp. 2d 252 (D.N.H. 2009).230
Epilepsy - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Questions & *65 Answers about Epilepsy in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act, EEOC, http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/epilepsy.cfm (last visited Oct. 12, 2013) (“As a result of changes made by the ADAAA, individuals who have epilepsy should easily be found to have a disability.”).
Fibromyalgia - Kravits v. Shinseki, No. 10-861, 2012 WL 604169 (W.D. Pa. Feb. 24, 2012).231
Friedreich’s Ataxia (a degenerative neurological condition) - Walter v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 4:09-CV-15 JD, 2011 WL 4537931 (N.D. Ind. Sept. 28, 2011).
Gastrointestinal Problems - Myles v. University of Pennsylvania Health System, No. 10-4118, 2011 WL 6150638 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 12, 2011).
Grave’s Disease - Seim v. Three Eagles Communication, Inc., No. 09-CV-3071-DEO, 2011 WL 2149061 (N.D. Iowa June 1, 2011).
Heart Disease - Chalfont v. U.S. Electrodes, No. 10-2929, 2010 WL 5341846 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 28, 2010).
HIV Infection - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Horgan v. Simmons, 704 F. Supp. 2d 814 (N.D. Ill. 2010).
Insomnia - Howard v. Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, No. 11-1938, 2013 WL 102662 (E.D. Pa. 2013); Seim v. Three Eagles Communication, Inc., No. 09-CV-3071-DEO, 2011 WL 2149061 (N.D. Iowa June 1, 2011).
Intellectual Disability (formerly termed “mental retardation”) - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Questions & Answers about Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act, EEOC, http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/intellectual_disabilities.cfm (last visited Oct. 12, 2013) (“As a result of changes made by the ADAAA, *66 individuals who have an intellectual disability should easily be found to have a disability.”).
Missing Limbs (partially or completely) - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Monocular Vision - Markham v. Boeing Co., No. 10-1363-MLB, 2011 WL 6217117 (D. Kan. Dec. 14, 2011); Gil v. Vortex, L.L.C., 697 F. Supp. 2d 234 (D. Mass. 2010).
Mobility Impairments Requiring Use of Wheelchair - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Multiple Sclerosis - Feldman v. Law Enforcement Associates Corp., 779 F. Supp. 2d 472 (E.D.N.C. 2011); Carbaugh v. Unisoft International, Inc., No. H-10-0670, 2011 WL 5553724 (S.D. Tex. Nov. 15, 2011).
Muscular Dystrophy - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Muskuloskeletal Disorders - Barlow v. Walgreen Co., No. 8:11-cv-71-T-30EAJ, 2012 WL 868807 (M.D. Fla. Mar. 14, 2012).
Narcolepsy - Seim v. Three Eagles Communication, Inc., No. 09-CV-3071-DEO, 2011 WL 2149061 (N.D. Iowa June 1, 2011).
Obesity - Lowe v. American Eurocopter, L.L.C., No. 1:10CV24-A-D, 2010 WL 5232523 (N.D. Miss. Dec. 16, 2010).
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Pain in Hands, Joints, and Hip - Gaus v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., No. 09-1698, 2011 WL 4527359 (W.D. Pa. Sept. 28, 2011).
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011); Kravits v. Shinseki, No. 10-861, 2012 WL 604169 (W.D. Pa. Feb. 24, 2012).*67 232
Psoriatic Arthritis - Carmona v. Southwest Airlines Co., 604 F.3d 848, 855 (5th Cir. 2010).233
Schizophrenia - 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(j)(3)(iii) (2011).
Sleep Apnea - Johnson v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, No. CIV-11-963-C, 2012 WL 95387 (W.D. Okla. Jan. 12, 2012); Kravits v. Shinseki, No. 10-861, 2012 WL 604169 (W.D. Pa. Feb. 24, 2012).234
Stuttering - Medvic v. Compass Sign Co., No. 10-5222, 2011 WL 3513499 (E.D. Penn. Aug. 10, 2011).
Transient Ischemic Attack (mini-strokes) - Feldman v. Law Enforcement Associates, 779 F. Supp. 2d 472 (E.D.N.C. 2011).
All text for this page is taken from Pleading Disability After the ADAAA, 31 Hofstra Lab. & Emp. L.J. 1. (co-authored by Kevin Barry, Brian East, & Marcy Karin).