A visually-impaired individual has filed a class action lawsuit against a prominent electric motor company, alleging its website is inaccessible to blind users. On February 5, 2025, Howard Wilson lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Acme Electric Motor, Inc. The lawsuit claims that the company's website fails to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), thereby denying equal access to its goods and services for those who are visually impaired.
Howard Wilson, a resident of Cook County, Illinois, is legally blind and requires screen-reading software to navigate websites. He alleges that Acme Electric Motor's website is not designed to be accessible for individuals like him who rely on such technology. The complaint highlights that approximately 8.1 million people in the U.S. are visually impaired, with around 2 million being completely blind. Wilson argues that by not providing an accessible website, Acme Electric Motor is violating ADA mandates aimed at eliminating discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
The plaintiff's experience underscores these claims: on June 14, 2024, Wilson attempted to purchase a vacuum cleaner from Acme's website but was thwarted by various accessibility barriers such as missing alt-text and broken links. These obstacles prevented him from completing his purchase independently using screen-reading software like NVDA or JAWS. The lawsuit points out that compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 would make the site accessible to visually impaired users.
Wilson seeks a permanent injunction compelling Acme Electric Motor to modify its corporate policies and practices to ensure ongoing compliance with accessibility standards. He requests that the court mandate regular accessibility testing and training for employees responsible for maintaining the website. Additionally, he calls for declaratory relief acknowledging that Acme's current practices discriminate against blind consumers under federal law.
The case emphasizes the broader implications of digital accessibility in today's internet-driven world, where online platforms serve as crucial portals for commerce and information exchange. By filing this lawsuit as a class action, Wilson aims to represent all similarly affected individuals across the nation who have been denied equal access due to these alleged shortcomings.
Representing Howard Wilson is attorney Yaakov Saks from Stein Saks PLLC based in Hackensack, New Jersey. The case has been assigned Case No.: 1:25-cv-1270 in front of judges at the Northern District of Illinois court.