Plaintiff
- Name: Christopher Jackson, Christopher Walters
- Filing Date: January 27, 2026
- Court: United States District Court Northern District of Illinois
- State: Illinois
- Attorney Firm: Nye, Stirling, Hale, Miller, Sweet LLP
Defendant
- Name: Performance Apparel LLC
- Website: www.hotchillys.com
- Industry: Apparel
- Standards Cited: ADA Title III, WCAG 2.1
- Summary: Designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes winter apparel for men, women, and children under the brand name Hot Chillys.
Case Summary
According to the complaint, plaintiffs Christopher Jackson and Christopher Walters, both legally blind, are suing Performance Apparel LLC for failing to make its digital platform accessible. They allege that the website, https://www.hotchillys.com/, contains numerous barriers that prevent them from accessing information about products and services. The plaintiffs claim violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and New York State Human Rights Law, seeking a permanent injunction to require the defendant to improve accessibility and provide compensatory damages. They assert that the lack of accessibility denies them equal enjoyment of the goods and services offered online.
Causes of Action
- Title III of the ADA
- Violation of New York State Human Rights Law, Exec. Law, Article 15 § 290, et seq.
Key Allegations
- Defendant's digital properties are not accessible to legally blind individuals.
- Plaintiffs encountered barriers that denied them full access to the website.
- Defendant failed to implement adequate corporate policies for accessibility.
Requested Relief
- Permanent injunction requiring accessibility improvements to the digital platform.
- Retain a qualified consultant for web accessibility training and audits.
- Compensatory damages and reasonable attorneys' fees.
Proposed Class
Individuals with visual disabilities who are denied full and equal access to the digital platform of Performance Apparel LLC.
Jurisdiction & Venue
Jurisdiction is invoked under 28 U.S.C. § 1331, 28 U.S.C.A. § 1367 and 42 U.S.C. § 12188; venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b)(2).
