ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: A California corporation
Plaintiff's Firm: MANNING LAW, APC
Case Summary
Sheila Biglang-Awa Castro filed a federal complaint against a California corporation in the United States District Court, Central District of California, on June 9, 2020. The lawsuit alleges that the defendant's website is not fully accessible to and independently usable by blind and visually-impaired individuals, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act.
The complaint details several critical accessibility barriers on the website, including graphics, links, and buttons that lack labels or alternative text (Alt-text), numerous unlabeled or mislabeled interactive elements, and insufficient navigational headings. Furthermore, it asserts that product links and descriptions are inaccessible to screen-reading technology, and the entire checkout system presents an insurmountable barrier, making it impossible for the plaintiff to complete transactions. The website also features cursor traps, which impede keyboard navigation for users of assistive technologies.
This litigation highlights the significant legal exposure for businesses operating websites that fail to adhere to digital accessibility standards under federal and state law. Such non-compliance can lead to demands for injunctive relief to remediate inaccessible features, statutory damages, and attorney's fees, serving as a cautionary example for other online service providers.
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Case Q&A
What specific WCAG violations is this online service provider accused of?
The website is accused of having unlabeled or mislabeled graphics, links, and buttons, lacking alternative text (Alt-text), possessing insufficient navigational headings, inaccessible product links and descriptions, and an inaccessible checkout system, alongside cursor traps.
Who filed this lawsuit, and which law firm?
This lawsuit was filed by Sheila Biglang-Awa Castro, represented by Manning Law, APC.
What legal risk does this create?
This case underscores the risk for businesses with websites that are not accessible to visually-impaired users, potentially leading to lawsuits under the ADA Title III and state civil rights acts, demanding injunctive relief, and statutory damages for discriminatory practices.