ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: An Online Car Rental Service
Plaintiff's Firm: CENTER FOR DISABILITY ACCESS
Case Summary
Plaintiff Andres Gomez has filed an ADA website accessibility lawsuit in the United States District Court, Central District of California, on July 31, 2020, against an online car rental service. Represented by the Center for Disability Access, the visually-impaired plaintiff alleges that the defendant's website denies him full and equal access to its services, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act Title III and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act.
The complaint details several critical accessibility barriers encountered by the plaintiff using screen-reader software (SRS). These include the absence of a function to adjust the website format for SRS readability or font size, numerous images lacking text equivalents, and empty links and buttons causing inefficient navigation. Additionally, form controls were found without properly associated text labels, empty headings provided no information, and the webpage exhibited impermissibly low contrast, hindering differentiation of background and foreground elements for visually impaired users.
This litigation underscores the significant legal risks faced by online businesses, particularly those operating public accommodations, that fail to adhere to established web accessibility standards like WCAG 2.0 AA. Such failures can lead to federal lawsuits seeking injunctive relief, substantial statutory damages under state laws like the Unruh Civil Rights Act, and liability for attorney fees and costs, compelling all businesses to ensure their digital platforms are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
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Case Q&A
What specific WCAG violations is this online car rental service accused of?
The online car rental service is accused of lacking a website format adjustment function for screen readers, having images without text equivalents, containing empty links and buttons, form controls without associated text labels, empty headings, and impermissibly low contrast for visual elements.
Who filed this lawsuit, and which law firm?
This lawsuit was filed by Andres Gomez, represented by the law firm Center for Disability Access.
What legal risk does this create?
This case highlights the legal risk for businesses providing online services, as non-compliance with ADA Title III and state accessibility laws can lead to lawsuits seeking injunctive relief, statutory damages, and recovery of attorney's fees for accessibility barriers on their websites.