A lawsuit has been filed alleging that an online retailer’s website is not accessible to blind and visually impaired individuals, raising questions about equal access to digital services for people with disabilities. The complaint was submitted by Victor Lopez on March 16, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against Ginger Health Company.
According to the filing, Victor Lopez brings this civil rights action on behalf of himself and others similarly situated. He claims that Ginger Health Company—operator of the Wonderbelly online retail store—has failed to design, construct, maintain, and operate its interactive website in a way that is fully accessible to blind or visually impaired persons. The lawsuit states that Lopez is legally blind and relies on screen-reading software to access online content but encountered significant barriers when attempting to use www.wonderbelly.com.
The complaint references guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice confirming that public accommodations must make their websites equally accessible to individuals with disabilities under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It notes that approximately 8.1 million people in the United States are visually impaired according to a 2010 Census Bureau report, including about 400,000 in New York State alone.
Lopez alleges that during his attempts to purchase Fruit-Flavored Antacid from Wonderbelly’s website—most recently on February 25, 2026—he was unable to locate pricing information or add items to his cart due to broken links, missing alternative text for images, empty links without descriptive text, redundant links leading to the same destination, and other accessibility barriers. These issues prevented him from having a shopping experience equivalent to sighted users and denied him full enjoyment of products and services offered by Ginger Health Company.
The filing describes how screen-reading software such as Job Access With Speech (JAWS) allows blind users like Lopez to navigate websites if those sites are designed according to established guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). According to Lopez’s attorneys, most large businesses follow these guidelines but Ginger Health Company’s website does not comply.
The lawsuit outlines specific examples of inaccessible features on Wonderbelly’s site: lack of alternative text for images prevents screen readers from describing graphics; empty or broken links introduce confusion; repeated titles across different pages hinder navigation; and inaccessible PDF documents block access to important information. The complaint asserts that these barriers deterred Lopez from visiting or making purchases through the site and continue to contribute “to Plaintiff’s sense of isolation and segregation.”
Lopez seeks a permanent injunction requiring Ginger Health Company to retain a qualified web accessibility consultant; train employees involved in web development; conduct regular automated audits and usability testing by people who are blind or have low vision; post an accessibility policy online; provide customer assistance for disabled users; fix bugs related to accessibility; allow ongoing monitoring by plaintiff’s counsel; and solicit feedback from users regarding accessibility improvements.
In addition to injunctive relief under federal law (the ADA), Lopez brings claims under New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), and New York State General Business Law §349 concerning deceptive business practices. He seeks compensatory damages—including statutory damages—for each offense as well as punitive damages where applicable. The suit also requests certification as a class action for all legally blind individuals nationwide who have attempted but been denied equal enjoyment of goods or services via Wonderbelly’s website during the relevant period.
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys Michael A. LaBollita, Jeffrey M. Gottlieb, and Dana L. Gottlieb of Gottlieb & Associates PLLC in New York City. The case is identified as Case No. 1:26-cv-02214.
Source: 126cv02214_Victor_Lopez_v_Ginger_Complaint_Southern_District_of_New_York..pdf
