Plaintiff
- Name: Abelardo Martinez, Jr.
- Filing date: April 14, 2020
- State of filing: California
Defendant
- Name: Grouse Industries, Inc.
- Website: www.firefold.com
- Industry: Consumer Goods
- Summary: Grouse Industries, Inc. manufactures and sells computers, audio/video, electronics, and related accessories such as cables, adapters, and racks under the Firefold brand name.
Case Summary
On April 14, 2020, Abelardo Martinez, Jr. filed a Complaint in California State court against Grouse Industries, Inc.. Plaintiff Abelardo Martinez, Jr. alleges that www.firefold.com is not accessible per the WCAG 2.0 accessibility standard(s).
Case Details
Plaintiff alleges issues in its Complaint including the following:
- Missing alternative text which presents a problem because an image without alternative text results in an empty link. Alternative Text is invisible code embedded beneath a graphical image on a website. Web accessibility requires that Alternative Text be coded with each picture so that a screen reader can
speak the Alternative Text where a sighted user sees pictures. Alternative Text does not change the visual presentation, but instead generates a text box that will pop-up when the mouse moves over the picture. The lack of Alternative Text on these graphics prevents screen readers from accurately
vocalizing a description of the graphics; - Empty buttons, which means that a button is empty or has
no value text. When navigating to a button, descriptive text must be presented to screen reader users to indicate the function of the button; - Empty headings, which present a problem because a heading
contains no content. Keyboard and screen reader users often navigate by heading elements. An empty heading will present no information and may introduce confusion; and - Multiple form labels, which presents a problem because a form control has more than one label associated with it. A form control should have at most one associated label element. If more than one label element is associated to the control, assistive technology may not read the appropriate label.
Plaintiff asserts the following cause(s) of action in its Complaint:
Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Civil Code § 51 et seq.
Plaintiff seeks the following relief by way of its Complaint:
- For a judgment that Defendant violated Plaintiff’s rights under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Civil Code § 51 et seq.;
- For a preliminary and permanent injunction requiring Defendant to take the steps necessary to make the Website, https://www.firefold.com/, readily accessible to and usable by
visually-impaired individuals; but Plaintiff hereby expressly limits the injunctive relief to require that Defendant expend no more $20,000 as the cost of injunctive relief; - An award of statutory minimum damages of $4,000 per violation pursuant to section 52(a) of the California Civil Code; however, Plaintiff expressly limits the total amount of recovery,
including statutory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and cost of injunctive relief not to exceed $74,999; - For attorneys’ fees and expenses pursuant to all applicable laws including, without limitation, California Civil Code § 52(a); however, Plaintiff expressly limits the total amount of recovery, including statutory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and cost of injunctive relief not to exceed $74,999;
- For pre-judgment interest to the extent permitted by law;
- For costs of suit; and
- For such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.