Dustin Youngren v. Shinesty, Inc.

Case Summary

According to the complaint, Dustin Youngren, a visually impaired individual, is suing Shinesty, Inc. for failing to make its website, https://www.shinesty.com/, accessible to blind and visually impaired users. Youngren alleges that the website contains significant barriers that prevent him and others from independently navigating and completing purchases. The complaint cites violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and seeks a permanent injunction to require the defendant to make necessary changes to the website to ensure accessibility. Youngren claims that he was unable to complete a purchase of men’s underwear due to these barriers, which include inadequate alt-text, navigation issues, and reliance on mouse-only interactions. He seeks compensatory damages for the discrimination faced and aims to represent a class of similarly affected individuals.

Causes of Action

• Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Declaratory Relief

Key Allegations

• Website is inaccessible to visually impaired individuals
• Failure to provide necessary accommodations for screen-reader users
• Denial of equal access to goods and services offered on the Website

Requested Relief

• Preliminary and permanent injunction to prohibit violations of the ADA
• Injunction requiring compliance with ADA standards for accessibility
• Declaration of discrimination against visually impaired individuals
• Class action certification
• Award of costs and expenses

Proposed Class

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

Jurisdiction & Venue

Subject-matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 42 U.S.C. § 12182; venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. §1391(b)(1) and (2).