Plaintiff
- Name: Brittney Mejico
- Filing date: January 26, 2021
- State of filing: California
Defendant
- Name: Kraft Heinz Foods Company
- Website: www.koolaid.com
- Industry: Beverages
- Summary: Kraft Heinz Company is the third-largest food and beverage company in North America, selling numerous product lines including, at issue here, Kool-Aid powdered drink mixes.
Case Summary
On January 26, 2021, Brittney Mejico filed a Complaint in California State court against Kraft Heinz Foods Company. Plaintiff Brittney Mejico alleges that www.koolaid.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.
- Linked image missing alternative text which presents a problem because an image without alternative text results in an empty link. Images that are the only thing within a link must have descriptive alternative text. If an image is within a link that contains no text and that image does not provide alternative text, a screen reader has no content to present to the user regarding the function of the link;
- Language missing or invalid which presents a problem because the language of the document is not identified or a lan attribute value is invalid. Identifying the language of the page or page elements allows screen readers to read the content in the appropriate language. It also facilitates automatic translation of content;
- Empty links that contain no text causing the function or purpose of the link to not be presented to the user. This can introduce confusion for keyboard and screen reader users; and
- Redundant Links where adjacent links go to the same URL address which results in additional navigation and repetition for keyboard and screen reader users.
Plaintiff asserts the following cause(s) of action in its Complaint:
Violations of the 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 Websites readily accessible to and usable by visually-impaired individuals, but Plaintiff hereby expressly limit the injunctive relief to require the Defendant expend no more than $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 limit 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 t 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.