Verizon class action claims company denies blind, visually impaired equal access to website

Verizon website class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Derek Pollitt filed a class action lawsuit against Verizon Communications Inc.
• Why: Pollitt alleges that the Verizon website is not accessible to blind and visually-impaired individuals in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Where: The Verizon class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

The Verizon website is not independently usable by visually-impaired individuals in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to claims made in a class action lawsuit filed Sept. 9 in New York federal court.

Plaintiff Derek Pollitt is legally blind and requires screen-reading software to read internet content on his computer. Pollitt says approximately 8.1 million Americans were visually impaired as of a 2010 U.S. Census Bureau report.

“The blind have an even greater need than the sighted to have access to various websites in order to compare merchandise, benefits and prices, to get more information about the companies, their locations and hours of operation,” the Verizon class action lawsuit says.

Pollitt says he visited the Verizon website because he wanted to purchase a new phone and needed to visit a local electronics store. He found the Verizon website through a Google search and was able to select a product he wanted to purchase. However, due to “numerous accessibility difficulties” posed by the website, he was unable to complete the purchase, he says.

Verizon website does not use available accessibility technology, plaintiff says

Pollitt alleges the lack of an accessible Verizon website deters visually-impaired individuals from visiting physical stores and enjoying the services the company offers to the public. 

He notes other heavily trafficked websites utilize readily available technology to ensure accessibility for visually-impaired individuals. 

The Verizon website relies on an entirely visual interface instead of incorporating available technology such as alternative text, accessible forms, descriptive links, resizable text and limited usage of tables and JavaScript, Pollitt says.

Due to the Verizon website’s design, Pollitt and other visually-impaired individuals must be assisted by a sighted companion to access the website’s content, according to the Verizon class action lawsuit.

“By failing to make the website accessible to blind persons, [Verizon] is violating basic equal access requirements under both state and federal law,” the Verizon class action lawsuit asserts.

Pollitt filed the Verizon class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and a proposed nationwide class of legally blind individuals who attempted to access the Verizon website but were “denied access to the enjoyment of goods and services” offered by the company. He also seeks to represent a New York subclass.

Earlier this year, Verizon was hit with a class action lawsuit after a data breach allegedly affected more than 63,000 employees.

Have you ever had issues accessing the Verizon website with screen reading software? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

Pollitt is represented by Gabriel A. Levy of Gabriel A. Levy PC.

The Verizon website class action lawsuit is Derek Pollitt v. Verizon Communications Inc., Case No. 1:24-cv-06156, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

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