ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: an ice cream retailer
Plaintiff's Firm: WILSHIRE LAW FIRM
Case Summary
Plaintiff Thuy Thanh Alonzo, individually and on behalf of a proposed class, has filed a class action lawsuit against an ice cream retailer in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on July 30, 2021. The complaint alleges that the retailer's website is inaccessible to blind and visually-impaired individuals, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act.
The lawsuit specifies numerous accessibility barriers, including the lack of alternative text (alt-text) for images and graphics, preventing screen-reading software from vocalizing visual content. Other cited violations encompass the absence of descriptive page titles, forms that do not offer the same functionality as for sighted users, keyboard operability issues where the focus indicator is not discernible, and inaccessible Portable Document Format (PDFs). Additionally, the complaint mentions empty links without descriptive text and redundant links, which collectively hinder navigation and access for visually-impaired users.
This action highlights the substantial legal exposure for businesses operating online platforms, especially those with integrated physical locations, if their digital properties are not fully accessible to disabled users. The complaint seeks a permanent injunction requiring remediation of the website to comply with WCAG 2.1 guidelines, statutory minimum damages, and attorneys' fees, signaling a clear risk for any company whose website is not designed to be independently usable by all individuals.
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Case Q&A
What specific WCAG violations is this ice cream retailer accused of?
The lawsuit alleges a lack of alternative text for non-text elements and linked images, missing descriptive page titles, issues with keyboard navigation, inaccessible forms, and inaccessible Portable Document Format (PDFs.
Who filed this lawsuit, and which law firm?
Plaintiff Thuy Thanh Alonzo filed this lawsuit, represented by Wilshire Law Firm.
What legal risk does this create?
This lawsuit underscores the significant legal risks faced by online businesses, particularly those integrated with physical locations, if their websites fail to meet ADA Title III and WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards. Non-compliance can lead to class action lawsuits, demands for injunctive relief to remediate the website, and statutory damages under state civil rights acts.