Netflix Settlement May Affect Redbox Closed Captioning Lawsuit

A class action settlement between Netflix Inc. and a deaf Massachusetts resident may have major ramifications in the progress of a class action lawsuit against Redbox for its lack of closed captioned content for its streaming movies.

Netflix settled with the National Association of the Deaf and lead plaintiff Lee Nettles in 2012, saying that it would have 100 percent of its streaming movies available with closed captioning for the hard of hearing by Sep. 30, 2014. However, the federal judge handling the case made at least one key decision regarding the extent of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The streaming movie company had argued that the protections available to the deaf in the statute did not include online shows. However, the judge ruled then, just as the Redbox closed captioning class action lawsuit complaint alleges, that the ADA was designed to protect those with disabilities regardless of the venue and that a website is an area where users can expect a reasonable accommodation when available.

An article written at the time of the Netflix class action settlement suggested that the decision would “have wide implications for the 48 million deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers in the United States. Other online streaming services … will now be forced to comply with the ADA and provide closed captioning.”

The Redbox closed captioning class action lawsuit does not just allege violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, however. Filed in U.S. District Court in California, the Redbox lawsuit also argues that the company deceptively misleads consumers about what content is available with closed captioning, leading users to try and access TV shows and movies that they cannot enjoy to the same extent that those without disabilities would be able to. The consumer rights lawyer handling the case is seeking damages and injunctive relief to stop the alleged misrepresentations.

The Redbox Closed Captioning Class Action Lawsuit is Francis Jancik v. Redbox Automated Retail LLC, et al., Case No. 13-cv-01387, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

If you are a California resident with a hearing disability who has tried to access streaming videos from Redbox, you may be eligible to pursue a similar legal remedy. Learn more by visiting the Redbox Movies Closed Captioning Class Action Lawsuit Investigation today. You can fill out the submission form there for a no-cost case eligibility review. Qualified parties will be eligible for a free consultation with a consumer rights lawyer who can outline their options for redress of their legal rights.