ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: Online Home Goods Retailer
Plaintiff's Firm: WILSHIRE LAW FIRM, PLC
Case Summary
Portia Mason, represented by WILSHIRE LAW FIRM, PLC, filed an ADA Title III website accessibility lawsuit against an online home goods retailer in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on September 30, 2021. The plaintiff, who is legally blind, alleges that the defendant's e-commerce website is inaccessible to screen-reading software.
The complaint specifically details several WCAG violations. These include a lack of alternative text ("alt text") embedded within graphics, empty links that contain no text, redundant or adjacent links leading to the same URL address which cause navigation and repetition issues for keyboard and screen-reading users, and linked images missing alt-text, which prevents screen-readers from providing descriptive content.
This lawsuit highlights the significant legal risk for online businesses, particularly those with a connection to a brick-and-mortar store, if their websites fail to meet accessibility standards. Such entities face potential ADA Title III and Unruh Civil Rights Act violations, leading to default judgments and court-ordered compliance measures if they do not ensure their digital platforms are usable by individuals with disabilities.
Unlock Full Intelligence Report
Obtain the technical WCAG violation analysis, target metadata, and legal stakes for Case #.
Case Q&A
What specific WCAG violations is this online home goods retailer accused of?
The website is accused of having a lack of alternative text embedded within graphics, empty links that contain no text, redundant or adjacent links leading to the same URL address, and linked images missing alt-text.
Who filed this lawsuit, and which law firm?
Portia Mason filed this lawsuit, represented by WILSHIRE LAW FIRM, PLC.
What legal risk does this create?
This case demonstrates the legal exposure for businesses with e-commerce websites that are not accessible to disabled users, especially those connected to physical locations. Failure to comply with ADA Title III and respond to such lawsuits can lead to default judgments and injunctions requiring costly website remediation.