ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: Online Beauty Product Retailer
Plaintiff's Firm: WILSHIRE LAW FIRM, PLC
Case Summary
Plaintiff Portia Mason, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, has filed an ADA Title III website accessibility lawsuit against an online beauty product retailer. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on June 25, 2021. The plaintiff, who is legally blind, alleges that the defendant's e-commerce website is inaccessible to individuals using screen-reading software.
The lawsuit specifically identifies several Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) violations. These include a lack of alternative text ("alt text") embedded within graphics, empty links that contain no descriptive text, redundant links leading to the same URL address, and linked images missing alt-text. These barriers prevent screen-reading software from effectively conveying content to visually impaired users, making the website unusable for the plaintiff and proposed class members.
This legal action highlights the critical importance for online beauty product retailers and similar e-commerce platforms to ensure their digital properties comply with ADA Title III and WCAG standards. Non-compliance can lead to significant legal exposure, including statutory minimum damages of $4,000 per offense per person, and the potential for class action litigation, as well as requests for injunctive relief to remediate accessibility barriers.
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Case Q&A
What specific WCAG violations is this online beauty product retailer accused of?
The online beauty product retailer is accused of lacking alternative text (alt text) within graphics, having empty links without descriptive text, featuring redundant links, and having linked images missing alt text, all of which hinder screen-reader functionality.
Who filed this lawsuit, and which law firm?
Portia Mason, individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, filed this lawsuit, represented by WILSHIRE LAW FIRM, PLC.
What legal risk does this create?
This creates legal risk for online beauty product retailers and other e-commerce platforms that fail to provide accessible websites for disabled users, potentially leading to lawsuits, statutory damages, and demands for website remediation under ADA Title III.