Jaron Stephenson v. National Beverage Corp., d/b/a Lacroix Water

Case Summary

According to the complaint, Plaintiff Jaron Stephenson, a legally blind individual, is suing National Beverage Corp., the manufacturer of LaCroix sparkling water, for failing to make its website, www.lacroixwater.com, accessible to blind users. The plaintiff alleges that he encountered numerous accessibility barriers, including unlabeled buttons and broken navigation, which prevented him from accessing vital product information necessary for managing his health conditions. The complaint cites violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and seeks injunctive relief to compel the defendant to make its website compliant with accessibility standards, as well as compensatory damages for the discrimination faced by blind consumers.

Causes of Action

• Violations of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12182 et seq.
• Violations of the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL)
• New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL)
• Violation of New York State Civil Rights (NYCRL)
• Declaratory Relief

Key Allegations

• Defendant's website is inaccessible to blind and visually impaired individuals.
• Plaintiff encountered pervasive accessibility barriers preventing access to essential product information.
• Defendant failed to comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

Requested Relief

• Injunctive relief to make the website accessible to blind individuals.
• Compensatory damages for violations of civil rights under applicable laws.

Proposed Class

All legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to access Defendant’s Website www.lacroixwater.com 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 pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331, as Plaintiff asserts claims arising under federal law, including Title III of the ADA.