Disability rights aspects of ambient noise for people with auditory disorders under the Americans with Disabilities Act

People with auditory disorders have sensory impairments that meet the legal standard of having disabilities. Individuals with hearing loss cannot understand speech in noisy places, with or without hearing aids, and noise worsens symptoms for those with tinnitus and hyperacusis. People with auditory disorders need quiet conditions. High ambient noise levels pose an access barrier for them, turning their disorders into disabilities and denying them full enjoyment of restaurants, stores, and other places. The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees people with disabilities full enjoyment of places of public accommodation. Legislation and regulations are needed to establish ambient noise standards that then must be enforced. Enforcement by crowd-sourced noise measurements using smart phone sound level meter apps is feasible. Technologies and environmental modifications to control noise are well known, readily available, and relatively inexpensive. The simplest modification is turning down the volume of amplified sound, which costs nothing. Lower ambient noise levels facilitate communication for everyone and prevent hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis in those without auditory disorders.