Darren Cesario v. Atelier Luxury Group, LLC

Case Summary

According to the complaint, Darren Cesario, a legally blind individual, is suing Atelier Luxury Group, LLC, doing business as AMIRI, for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act due to the inaccessibility of its e-commerce website, www.amiri.com. The plaintiff alleges that the website contains numerous accessibility barriers that prevent blind users from independently browsing and purchasing products. Cesario claims that these barriers include missing alternative text, unlabeled form fields, and improper coding that hinders the use of screen-reading software. He seeks a declaration that the website violates the ADA, along with injunctive relief to ensure compliance with accessibility standards, compensatory damages, and attorneys' fees.

Causes of Action

• Violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Violation of the New York State Human Rights Law
• Violation of the New York Civil Rights Law
• Violation of the New York City Human Rights Law
• Declaratory Relief

Key Allegations

• Defendant's website is inaccessible to blind and visually impaired individuals
• Systemic accessibility barriers prevent independent browsing and purchasing
• Defendant failed to comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards

Requested Relief

• A declaration that Defendant's Website violates Title III of the ADA
• A permanent injunction requiring Defendant to bring its Website into compliance with the ADA and WCAG 2.1 Level AA
• Compensatory damages suffered by Plaintiff and members of the proposed class
• Statutory damages and civil penalties
• Punitive damages
• Reasonable attorneys' fees, litigation costs, and expenses
• Pre-judgment and post-judgment interest

Proposed Class

all legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to access www.amiri.com and were denied equal access to its products, services, and support due to persistent digital accessibility barriers during the relevant statutory period

Jurisdiction & Venue

This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and supplemental jurisdiction over Plaintiff's state and city law claims pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367(a). Venue is proper in the Southern District of New York pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b).