Plaintiff
- Name: Lucas Rice, Richard DeGaetano
- Filing Date: May 8, 2026
- Court: United States District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin
- State: Wisconsin
- Attorney Firm: Nye, Stirling, Hale, Miller, Sweet LLP
Defendant
- Name: Branch Furniture, Inc.
- Website: www.branchfurniture.com
- Industry: Consumer Goods
- Standards Cited: ADA and WCAG 2.1 compliance standards
- Summary: Designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes home and workspace furniture and related products.
Case Summary
According to the complaint, plaintiffs Lucas Rice and Richard DeGaetano, both legally blind, are suing Branch Furniture, Inc. for failing to make its digital platform accessible, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and New York State Human Rights Law. They allege that they encountered significant barriers while attempting to access the website to purchase products, including inaccessible promotional dialogs and quizzes. The plaintiffs seek a permanent injunction requiring the defendant to improve accessibility, along with compensatory damages and attorneys' fees.
Causes of Action
- Title III of the ADA
- Violation of New York State Human Rights Law, Exec. Law, Article 15 § 290, et seq.
Key Allegations
- Defendant's digital properties are not accessible to legally blind individuals.
- Plaintiffs encountered barriers that denied them full and equal access to Defendant's online goods, content, and services.
- Accessibility barriers include inaccessible promotional dialogs, quizzes, and homepage content.
Requested Relief
- A Declaratory Judgment that Defendant was in violation of the ADA and New York laws.
- A permanent injunction requiring Defendant to make its Digital Platform accessible.
- Payment of costs of suit and reasonable attorneys’ fees.
- Payment of compensatory and nominal damages.
Jurisdiction & Venue
Jurisdiction is invoked pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331, 28 U.S.C.A. § 1367 and 42 U.S.C. § 12188. Venue is proper under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b)(2).
