Case Explained: LAGUANA V. UNITED AIRLINES, INC.

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Filed: 2026-07-08

Docket: 1:22-cv-00027

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of United Airlines, dismissing Joseph Laguana’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claim regarding the failure to provide reasonable accommodations and engage in an interactive process. The court applied a de novo standard of review to determine whether there was a genuine dispute of material fact or if the employer was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Under the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12112(b)(5)(A), and implementing regulations, an employer must engage in an interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations once requested; however, the court held that United Airlines satisfied this obligation because Laguana requested only extended medical leave, which the airline granted. Because Laguana never requested any other specific accommodations beyond the extended leave he received, the employer had no further duty to engage in the interactive process or provide additional accommodations. Consequently, Laguana’s claim failed as a matter of law, and the judgment for United Airlines remains in effect.

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