Plaintiff
- Name: Howard Wilson
- Filing Date: August 7, 2026
- Court: United States District Court Northern District of Illinois
- State: Illinois
- Attorney Firm: Stein Saks, PLLC
Defendant
- Name: Boardroom Socks, Inc.
- Website: www.boardroomsocks.com
- Industry: Retailing
- Standards Cited: WCAG 2.1
- Summary: Retail platform specializing in men's dress socks, including single pairs and bundled gift boxes, highlighting product categories based on material, length, and design.
Case Summary
According to the complaint, Plaintiff Howard Wilson, a visually-impaired individual, is suing Boardroom Socks, Inc. for failing to make its website, www.boardroomsocks.com, accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The complaint alleges that the website contains numerous barriers that prevent blind users from fully accessing its goods and services, including missing alt-text and broken links. Wilson seeks a permanent injunction requiring the defendant to comply with accessibility standards and to implement changes to ensure equal access for visually-impaired consumers. The lawsuit aims to represent all legally blind individuals who have faced similar access issues with the defendant's website.
Causes of Action
- Violations of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12182 et seq.
- Declaratory Relief
Key Allegations
- Defendant's website is not equally accessible to blind and visually impaired consumers.
- Plaintiff encountered barriers that denied full access to the website.
- Defendant failed to construct and maintain a website that is sufficiently intuitive for visually impaired individuals.
Requested Relief
- A preliminary and permanent injunction to prohibit Defendant from violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- A preliminary and permanent injunction requiring Defendant to make its website fully compliant with the ADA.
- A declaration that Defendant's website discriminates against the blind.
- An order certifying the Class and appointing Plaintiff as Class Representative.
- Payment of nominal damages.
- Pre- and post-judgment interest.
- An award of costs and expenses of this action together with reasonable attorneys’ and expert fees.
Proposed Class
All legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to access Defendant’s Website and as a result have been denied access to the equal enjoyment of goods and services, during the relevant statutory period.
Jurisdiction & Venue
This Court has 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).
