Laurence Wills v. ROLL-N-ROASTER CORP.

Case Summary

According to the complaint, Laurence Wills, a visually impaired individual, is suing Roll-N-Roaster Corp. for failing to make its website accessible, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). Wills alleges that he encountered numerous barriers while attempting to use the website to place an online order for food, including missing alt-text and broken links, which prevented him from accessing the services offered. He seeks a permanent injunction to require the defendant to make the website accessible and to remove the barriers that deny equal access to visually impaired individuals. Wills claims that the inaccessibility of the website has caused him frustration and injury, and he intends to continue attempting to access the website in the future if it is made compliant.

Causes of Action

• VIOLATIONS OF THE ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12182 et seq.
• VIOLATIONS OF THE NYCHRL
• DECLARATORY RELIEF

Key Allegations

• Defendant’s website is not accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals.
• Plaintiff was denied the ability to place an online order due to access barriers on the website.
• Defendant failed to comply with WCAG 2.1 guidelines.

Requested Relief

• A permanent injunction requiring Defendant to make its Website fully compliant with the ADA and NYCHRL.
• Compensatory damages for violations of civil rights under New York City Human Rights Law.
• An award of costs and expenses of this action together with reasonable attorneys’ and expert fees.

Proposed Class

All legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to access Defendant’s Website and as a result have been denied access to the equal enjoyment of goods and services, during the relevant statutory period.

Jurisdiction & Venue

This Court has subject-matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 42 U.S.C. § 12182, and supplemental jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1367 over Plaintiff’s NYCHRL claims.