Ysmarie Rivera v. Aelfric Eden

Case Summary

According to the complaint, Ysmarie Rivera, a legally blind individual, is suing Aelfric Eden for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act due to the inaccessibility of its website, www.aelfriceden.com. Rivera alleges that she encountered numerous barriers while attempting to access the site to purchase clothing, including missing alternative text and unlabeled buttons, which prevented her from independently completing transactions. The complaint seeks injunctive relief to require Aelfric Eden to make its website accessible and claims that the company has failed to comply with established accessibility standards. Rivera represents a class of legally blind individuals who have faced similar issues accessing the website.

Causes of Action

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

Key Allegations

• Defendant's website is inaccessible to blind users due to missing alternative text, unlabeled buttons, and improper heading structure.
• Plaintiff encountered multiple access barriers while attempting to use the website for purchasing clothing.
• Defendant generates substantial revenue through its ecommerce operations but fails to comply with accessibility standards.

Requested Relief

• A preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Defendant from violating Title III of the ADA.
• An order requiring Defendant to make www.aelfriceden.com fully accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals.
• An award of costs, litigation expenses, and reasonable attorneys’ fees.

Proposed Class

All legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to access www.aelfriceden.com and, as a result of Defendant’s failure to design, construct, maintain, and operate the website in an accessible manner, were denied equal access to the goods, services, and information offered thereon.

Jurisdiction & Venue

This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 because Plaintiff’s claims arise under the laws of the United States, including Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.