Puma class action alleges website denies full, equal access to blind, visually impaired

Puma website class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Sumaya Hussein filed a class action lawsuit against Puma North America Inc. 
• Why: Hussein claims Puma violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by allegedly failing to make its website fully accessible to and independently usable by individuals who are blind or visually impaired. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court. 

Puma North America failed to make its website fully accessible to and independently usable by individuals who are blind or visually impaired, as required by law, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Sumaya Hussein claims Puma’s website contains access barriers to screen-reading software used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired to browse the internet. 

Hussein argues the alleged access barriers on Puma’s website deny individuals who are blind or visually impaired from equal access to the enjoyment of goods and services offered on it, in an alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

“Defendant’s denial of full and equal access to its website, and therefore denial of its goods and services offered thereby, is a violation of Plaintiff’s rights under the (ADA),” the Puma class action states. 

Hussein wants to represent a nationwide class of all legally blind individuals who attempted to access Puma’s website and were subsequently denied full and equal access to the enjoyment of goods and services offered on it. 

Puma won’t remove access barriers to screen-reading software allegedly found on its website, says class action

Hussein claims Puma has refused to remove alleged access barriers from its website, including missing alt-text, hidden elements on web pages, incorrectly formatted lists and a host of broken links, among other things. 

“These access barriers effectively denied Plaintiff the ability to use and enjoy Defendant’s website the same way sighted individuals do,” the Puma class action states. 

Hussein argues that, if not granted an injunction, Puma will continue to injure her by allegedly failing to “provide its online content and services in a manner that is compatible with screen reader technology.” 

The plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting declaratory and injunctive relief along with an award of nominal damages for herself and all class members. 

A similar class action lawsuit was filed against Ace Hardware last month by a consumer arguing the company failed to make its website fully accessible to and independently usable by individuals who are blind or visually impaired. 

Have you been denied equal access to goods and services offered on Puma’s website? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Yaakov Saks of Stein Saks PLLC. 

The Puma website class action lawsuit is Hussein v. Puma North America Inc., Case No. 1:23-cv-16395, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

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