Plaintiff
- Name: Jose Nonato
- Filing Date: March 31, 2026
- Court: United States District Court Northern District of Illinois
- State: Illinois
- Attorney Firm: Equal Access Law Group, PLLC
Defendant
- Name: Monbento Inc.
- Website: us.monbento.com
- Industry: Consumer Goods
- Standards Cited: WCAG 2.2
- Summary: Provides consumers access to an array of goods and services, including reusable bento boxes, lunch containers, insulated bottles, travel mugs, cutlery sets, snack containers, and meal accessories.
Case Summary
According to the complaint, Jose Nonato, a visually impaired individual, is suing Monbento Inc. for failing to make its website, https://us.monbento.com, accessible to blind users, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nonato alleges that the website contains significant access barriers that prevent him and others from independently navigating and completing purchases. He encountered issues such as lack of alternative text for images, inaccessible drop-down menus, and reliance on mouse navigation, which excludes visually impaired users. Nonato seeks a permanent injunction to require Monbento to make its website accessible and compensatory damages for the discrimination faced. The case is filed as a class action on behalf of all legally blind individuals in the U.S. who have faced similar barriers.
Causes of Action
- Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Key Allegations
- Website is inaccessible to visually impaired individuals
- Access barriers prevent independent navigation and transactions
- Defendant failed to provide necessary accommodations for screen-reader users
Requested Relief
- Preliminary and permanent injunction to prohibit Defendant from violating the ADA
- Injunction requiring Defendant to make the Website compliant with the ADA
- Declaration that Defendant discriminates against the visually impaired
- Order certifying this case as a class action
- Pre- and post-judgment interest
- 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 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
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).
