Plaintiff
- Name: Shelia Biglang-Awa
- Filing date: June 25, 2019
- State of filing: California
Defendant
- Name: Yves Saint Lauren America, Inc.
- Website: www.ysl.com
- Industry: Apparel
- Summary: Yves Saint Lauren America, Inc. sells designer apparel, shoes, accessories, and leather goods at retail stores and via its website.
Case Summary
On June 25, 2019, Shelia Biglang-Awa filed a Complaint in California State court against Yves Saint Lauren America, Inc.. Plaintiff Shelia Biglang-Awa alleges that www.ysl.com is not accessible per the WCAG 2.0 accessibility standard(s).
Case Details
Plaintiff alleges issues in its Complaint including the following:
- The home page has graphics, links, and buttons that are not labeled or are incorrectly labeled, or lack alternative text ("Alt-text");
- Multiple unlabeled or mislabeled buttons and links. Without descriptive alternate text, Screen reader users, have no clue about the purpose or function of the button or link;
- Multiple pages containing insufficient navigational headings requiring Plaintiff to expend substantial additional time to access information;
- Unable to browse the menu because menu links and descriptions were inaccessible to screen reading technology;
- Unable to make a purchase because of an inaccessible checkout system.
Plaintiff asserts the following cause(s) of action in its Complaint:
Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Civil Code § 51 et seq.
Plaintiff seeks the following relief by way of its Complaint:
- A Declaratory Judgment that at the commencement of this action Defendant owns, maintains, and/or operates its Website in a manner which discriminates against the blind, fails to provide access to blind or visually-impaired individuals, and that Defendant took no action that was reasonably calculated to ensure that its Website is fully accessible to, and independently usable by blind and visually-impaired individuals in violation of California's Unruh Act, California CivilCode Section 51, et seq;
- A preliminary and permanent injunction enjoining Defendant from further violations of the UCRA, Civil Code Section 51 et seq. with respect to the website.
- A preliminary and permanent injunction requiring Defendant to take the steps necessary to make the website readily accessible to and usable by blind and visually-impaired individuals but Plaintiff hereby expressly limits the injunctive relief to require that Defendant expend no more than $ 50,000 thereon;
- An award of statutory minimum statutory damages of not less than $4,000 per violation pursuant to Section 52(a) of the California Civil Code;
- An additional award of $4,000.00 as deterrence damages for each violation pursuant to Johnson v. Guedoir, 218 F. Supp. 3d 1096; 2016 U.S. Dist.LEXIS 150740 (USDC Cal, E.D. 2016);
- For attorneys' fees and expenses pursuant to all applicable laws including,without limitation, Civil Code Section 52(a);
- For pre-judgment interest to the extent permitted by law;
- For costs of suit; and,
- For such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper.
