The complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, alleges that Riverside Kitchen & Bath's website fails to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards — the benchmark courts have increasingly adopted as the measure of ADA compliance for digital properties.
Key Allegations
According to the complaint, the website contains multiple barriers for users with visual impairments, including missing alt text on product images, unlabeled form fields, and inaccessible dropdown navigation menus. The plaintiff, who is blind and relies on JAWS screen reader software, states that these barriers prevented them from completing a purchase independently.
The suit seeks injunctive relief requiring the company to bring its website into WCAG 2.1 AA compliance within 90 days, as well as compensatory damages and attorneys' fees.
Industry Context
ADA website lawsuits have surged in recent years, with over 4,600 cases filed in 2023 alone according to UsableNet's annual report. The Southern District of New York remains the most active jurisdiction, accounting for roughly 40% of all federal ADA website filings.
Retailers in the home improvement sector have seen increased targeting, with multiple cases filed against companies whose websites rely heavily on image-based catalogs without accessible alternatives.
What Businesses Should Know
Legal experts recommend that businesses conduct regular accessibility audits of their websites and maintain documentation demonstrating a good-faith effort toward WCAG compliance. Courts have generally been more receptive to defendant arguments when businesses can show ongoing remediation efforts.