BLACHOWICZ v. E. GLUCK CORP.

    Plaintiff

    • Name: Karen Blachowicz
    • Filing date: October 24, 2019
    • State of filing: New York

    Defendant

    • Name: E. Gluck Corp.
    • Website: www.armitron.com
    • Industry: Consumer Goods
    • Summary: E. Gluck Corporation is an American watch manufacturer. One of its flagship brands is Armitron.

    Case Summary

    On October 24, 2019, Karen Blachowicz filed a Complaint in New York Federal court against E. Gluck Corp.. Plaintiff Karen Blachowicz alleges that www.armitron.com is not accessible.

    Case Details

    Plaintiff alleges issues in its Complaint including the following:

    • Defendant’s Website is so constructed that visually impaired and low vision users will have difficulty purchasing any products; specifically, the Website’s submenus reveal additional products as well as categories and filter options such as color material, but the navigation elements only reveal the submenus when a mouse hovers over them
    • Icons in the right part of Defendant’s Website do not have accessible names
    • The available colors for a watch on Defendant’s Website are not accessible

    Plaintiff asserts the following cause(s) of action in its Complaint:

    • Title III of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12181 et seq.
    • Violation of New York State Human Rights Law, Exec. Law, Article 15 § 290, et seq.
    • Violation of New York State Civil Rights Law, NY CLS Civ R, Article 4 (CLS Civ R § 40, et seq.)

    Plaintiff seeks the following relief by way of its Complaint:

    • A Declaratory Judgment that at the commencement of this action Defendant was in violation of the specific requirements of Title III of the ADA described above, and the relevant implementing regulations of the ADA, in that Defendant took no action that was reasonably calculated to ensure that its Website is fully accessible to, and independently usable by, individuals with visual disabilities
    • A permanent injunction pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 12188(a)(2), 28 CFR § 36.504(a), N.Y. Exec. Law § 296, et seq., and the laws of New York, which directs Defendant to take all steps necessary to bring its Website into full compliance with the requirements set forth in the ADA, and its implementing regulations, so that its Website is fully accessible to, and independently usable by, blind individuals, and which further directs that the Court shall retain jurisdiction for a period to be determined to ensure that Defendant has adopted and is following an institutional policy that will in fact cause it to remain fully in compliance with the law—the specific injunctive relief requested by Plaintiff is described more fully in paragraph 11 above.
    • Payment of actual, statutory, and punitive damages, as the Court deems proper
    • Payment of costs of suit
    • Payment of reasonable attorneys’ fees, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 12205 and 28 CFR § 36.505, including costs of monitoring Defendant’s compliance with the judgment (see Access Now, Inc. v. Lax World, LLC, No. 1:17-cv-10976-DJC (D. Mass. Apr. 17, 2018) (ECF 11) (“Plaintiffs, as the prevailing party, may file a fee petition before the Court surrenders jurisdiction. Pursuant to Pennsylvania v. Delaware Valley Citizens’ Council for Clean Air, 478 U.S. 546, 559 (1986), supplemented, 483 U.S. 711 (1987), and Garrity v. Sununu, 752 F.2d 727, 738-39 (1st Cir. 1984), the fee petition may include costs to monitor Defendant’s compliance with the permanent injunction.”); see also Gniewkowski v. Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc., Case No. 2:16-cv-01898-AJS (W.D. Pa. Jan. 11, 2018) (ECF 191) (same)
    • The provision of whatever other relief the Court deems just, equitable and appropriate
    • An Order retaining jurisdiction over this case until Defendant has complied with the Court’s Orders

    Comments