Plaintiff
- Name: Debra Zanca
- Filing date: August 27, 2020
- State of filing: New York
Defendant
- Name: TC Bauer Company
- Website: www.esutras.com
- Industry: Food Products
- Summary: Under the eSutras brand name, TC Bauer Company manufactures and sells packaged organic food and beverages.
Case Summary
On August 27, 2020, Debra Zanca filed a Complaint in New York Federal court against TC Bauer Company. Plaintiff Debra Zanca alleges that www.esutras.com is not accessible per the WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1 accessibility standard(s).
Case Details
Plaintiff alleges issues in its Complaint including the following:
- Lack of Alternative Text (“alt-text”), or a text equivalent. Alt-text is an invisible code embedded beneath a graphical image on a website. Web accessibility requires that alt-text be coded with each picture so that screen-reading software can speak
the alt-text where a sighted user sees pictures, which includes captcha prompts. Alttext does not change the visual presentation, but instead a text box shows when the cursor moves over the picture. The lack of alt-text on these graphics prevents screen readers from accurately vocalizing a description of the graphics. - 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 screenreader users;
- Redundant Links where adjacent links go to the same URL address which results in additional navigation and repetition for keyboard and screen-reader users; and
- Linked Images Missing Alt-text, which causes problems if an image within a link contains no text and that image does not provide alt-text. A screen reader then has no content to present the user as to the function of the link, including information contained in PDFs.
- Search submit button is not labeled properly. The alternate text states "button" as its related description. This flaw creates issues for the interpretation performed by the screen reader and therefore bars the user from understanding the information the website is to report back to the user, barring the user from any understanding as to what to do with the "Button".
- When using a keyboard for navigation, the sub-menus, found from the menu options of the Main menu are not properly interpreted by screen readers and are ineffective in either communicating what they contain or provide any information to the user so that they are aware of what is occurring on the website.
- The company logo acts as a link designed to take the user from wherever they may be within the Defendant's website to the homepage of that site. For this website, the link is not properly labeled and where the link ("logo") will operate properly (taking the user back to the home page), the missing label prevents the user (visually impaired) to interpret the logo/link and in the case of using a screen reader, the screen reader software cannot properly interpret the logo/link
effectively hiding the purpose of that link from the user. - Rotating banners found on the website contains promotional
information integrated as part of the image. Neither the image
description nor the alternate text properly describes the images, but more importantly fails to describe the promotions in any form and thus, fails to provide the user sufficient information for deciding if they wish to take advantage of the opportunity presented. - The website permits the user to buy quantities of its product greater than one. The "cart" feature allows for the user to increase the quantity count by pressing a (+) or (-) feature on the screen. The website lacks sufficient description describing the quantity feature of the cart and only presents "button" as the description. The lack of detail is confusing.
Plaintiff asserts the following cause(s) of action in its Complaint:
- VIOLATIONS OF THE ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12181 et seq.
- VIOLATIONS OF THE NYSHRL
- VIOLATION OF THE NEW YORK STATE CIVIL RIGHTS LAW
- VIOLATIONS OF THE NYCHRL
- DECLARATORY RELIEF
Plaintiff seeks the following relief by way of its Complaint:
- A preliminary and permanent injunction to prohibit Defendant from violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12182, et seq., N.Y. Exec. Law § 296, et seq., N.Y.C. Administrative Code § 8-107, et seq., and the laws of New York;
- A preliminary and permanent injunction requiring Defendant to take all the steps necessary to make its Website into full compliance with the requirements set forth in the ADA, and its implementing regulations, so that the Website is readily accessible to and usable by blind individuals;
- A declaration that Defendant owns, maintains and/or operates its Website in a manner that discriminates against the blind and which fails to provide access for persons with disabilities as required by Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12182, et seq., N.Y. Exec. Law § 296, et seq., N.Y.C. Administrative Code § 8-107, et seq., and the laws of New York
- An order certifying the Class and Sub-Classes under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(a) & (b)(2) and/or (b)(3), appointing Plaintiff as Class Representative, and her attorneys as Class Counsel;
- Compensatory damages in an amount to be determined by proof, including all applicable statutory and punitive damages and fines, to Plaintiff and the proposed class and subclasses for violations of their civil rights under New York State Human Rights Law and City Law;
- Pre- and post-judgment interest;
- An award of costs and expenses of this action together with
reasonable attorneys’ and expert fees; and - Such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper.