Jesus Torres, a visually-impaired individual, has filed a lawsuit against Juice Shop LLC, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act. The complaint was lodged on December 30, 2024, in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco. Torres claims that Juice Shop LLC has failed to make its website accessible to blind and visually-impaired individuals, thus denying them equal access to the goods and services offered by the company.
The lawsuit centers around the accessibility of Juice Shop LLC's website, which Torres argues is not designed or maintained in a way that allows blind or visually-impaired users to navigate it independently using screen-reading software (SRS). This software is essential for individuals like Torres who cannot use a computer without assistance. The complaint details how Torres encountered multiple barriers when attempting to use the website, such as unlabeled graphics and buttons, insufficient navigational headings, and inaccessible product descriptions and ordering systems. These issues prevented him from accessing information about products and services and placing orders for pick-up at physical locations.
Torres accuses Juice Shop LLC of violating both federal and state laws by failing to provide an accessible website. Under the ADA, places of public accommodation must ensure their facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Similarly, California's Unruh Civil Rights Act mandates equal access to business establishments for people with disabilities. The plaintiff asserts that Juice Shop LLC's actions constitute intentional discrimination against visually-impaired individuals by maintaining an inaccessible website.
In his complaint, Torres seeks several forms of relief from the court. He requests a declaratory judgment stating that Juice Shop LLC operates its website in a discriminatory manner against blind individuals. Additionally, he seeks preliminary and permanent injunctive relief requiring the company to modify its policies and procedures related to website accessibility within a budget not exceeding $50,000. Furthermore, Torres demands statutory damages of at least $4,000 per violation under California law, along with reasonable attorneys' fees and litigation costs.
Representing Jesus Torres is attorney Joseph R. Manning Jr., Esq., from Manning Law APC. The case is being handled in the Superior Court of California for San Francisco County under Case No.: CGC-24-621064.