Howard Wilson v. Columbus Running Company, LLC

Case Summary

According to the complaint, Plaintiff HOWARD WILSON, a visually-impaired individual, is suing COLUMBUS RUNNING COMPANY, LLC for failing to make its website, www.columbusrunning.com, accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The plaintiff alleges that he encountered multiple barriers while attempting to purchase a running shoe, specifically the Brooks Men's Hyperion Max 3, which prevented him from accessing the website's goods and services. The complaint cites various access barriers, including missing alt-text and broken links, which hinder the use of screen-reading software. The plaintiff seeks a permanent injunction to require the defendant to make its website accessible and to change corporate policies to ensure ongoing compliance with accessibility standards.

Causes of Action

• Violations of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12182 et seq.
• Declaratory Relief

Key Allegations

• Defendant's website is not accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals.
• Plaintiff encountered barriers that denied full access to the website.
• Defendant failed to comply with WCAG 2.1 guidelines.

Requested Relief

• Permanent injunction requiring Defendant to make its website accessible.
• Declaration that Defendant's website discriminates against blind individuals.
• Certification of the Class under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23.

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).