ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: A Restaurant Chain

ANDRES GOMEZ has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida on January 4, 2021, against an online restaurant chain, alleging its website is not accessible to blind and visually impaired consumers. The plaintiff, represented by The Leal Law Firm, P.A., seeks a permanent injunction to mandate changes in the defendant's corporate policies and web technologies to ensure ongoing accessibility under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The complaint specifically details several WCAG violations, including the absence of text equivalents for non-text elements, content meaning and structure not conveyed beyond visual presentation, and incorrect reading sequences where content order affects meaning. Furthermore, web pages lack titles describing their topic or purpose, images are not explained for screen reader users, and there is no accessibility statement outlining a policy to assist disabled users. These issues allegedly prevent blind individuals from fully accessing crucial information like food item descriptions, restaurant locations, and contact details.

This action highlights the significant legal risks faced by businesses operating websites that fail to meet digital accessibility standards under ADA Title III. Other online restaurant services or any public accommodation providing goods and services via a website should ensure their digital platforms are fully compatible with screen reader software and adhere to WCAG 2.0 AA guidelines to avoid similar litigation and ensure equal access for all users.