A visually-impaired woman has taken legal action against a major pharmaceutical company, accusing it of failing to make its website accessible to blind and visually-impaired users. Constance Henry filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on January 2, 2025, targeting Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Inc.
Constance Henry, who is legally blind and requires screen-reading software to navigate online content, claims that Dr. Reddy's Laboratories' website, Menolabs.com, presents significant barriers for visually-impaired individuals. The lawsuit highlights how these barriers prevent users like Henry from accessing goods and services available to sighted customers. "The access barriers make it impossible for blind and visually-impaired users to even complete a transaction on the website," states the complaint. Henry argues that this exclusion violates her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which mandates equal access to public accommodations.
The plaintiff emphasizes that while technology exists to make websites accessible—such as alternative text for images and keyboard navigability—Dr. Reddy's Laboratories has failed to implement these solutions on Menolabs.com. This oversight forces blind customers to rely on sighted companions or traditional brick-and-mortar stores for purchases they could otherwise make independently online. The lawsuit points out that this lack of accessibility not only contravenes federal law but also disregards guidelines established by organizations like the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for web accessibility.
Henry seeks a permanent injunction requiring Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to modify its website policies and practices so that Menolabs.com becomes fully accessible to blind consumers. Additionally, she demands compensatory damages for what she describes as unlawful discrimination experienced by herself and others similarly affected.
Representing Henry is attorney David Reyes from Asher Cohen Law PLLC, based in Brooklyn, New York. The case is being heard in front of judges at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under Case No.: 1:25-cv-17.