In a compelling legal battle, a visually-impaired individual has taken action against a company for allegedly failing to make its website accessible to blind users. Jesus Torres filed the complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on May 8, 2025, accusing Blue Polk, LLC of violating the Unruh Civil Rights Act by not providing equal access to its website for visually-impaired individuals.
The lawsuit stems from allegations that Blue Polk, LLC's website is not compatible with screen-reading software (SRS), which is essential for blind users to navigate online content. Jesus Torres claims that during his visits to the company's website, he encountered multiple barriers that prevented him from accessing information and services offered both online and at the company's physical locations. These barriers included unlabeled graphics and buttons, inaccessible slideshows, and an order system that could not be navigated using SRS. "Plaintiff was unable to place an order for pick up because of an inaccessible order system," the complaint states.
Torres argues that these accessibility issues violate California's Unruh Civil Rights Act (UCRA), which mandates equal access for people with disabilities to all business establishments. The plaintiff asserts that Blue Polk's failure to provide an accessible website constitutes intentional discrimination against visually-impaired individuals. According to the complaint, this inaccessibility denies them full and equal access to goods and services available to sighted customers.
The lawsuit seeks several forms of relief from the court. Torres requests a declaratory judgment stating that Blue Polk's website discriminates against blind individuals by failing to provide necessary access. He also seeks preliminary and permanent injunctive relief requiring modifications to ensure the website becomes fully accessible. Additionally, Torres is asking for statutory damages amounting to $4,000 per violation and reasonable attorneys' fees.
Representing Jesus Torres in this case is Joseph R. Manning Jr., Esq., from Manning Law APC. The case has been filed under Case No.: CGC-25-625195 in front of the Superior Court of California in San Francisco County.