In a landmark legal move, a visually-impaired individual has taken action against a company for failing to make its website accessible to the blind. On November 2, 2025, James Evans filed a class-action complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Clean Cause, Inc., alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to their website’s inaccessibility.
James Evans, who is legally blind and requires screen-reading software to navigate online content, claims that Clean Cause’s website is not designed to be fully accessible to visually-impaired individuals. This lawsuit highlights significant barriers on Cleancause.com that prevent blind users from accessing goods and services offered by Clean Cause. According to Evans, these barriers include ambiguous link texts, lack of alternative text for images, and interactive elements that are not labeled properly. These issues make it impossible for visually-impaired users like Evans to complete transactions independently on the site.
Evans argues that despite available technology that can make websites accessible—such as alternative text and resizable text—Clean Cause has failed to implement these features. This oversight denies visually-impaired customers equal access to the company’s products and services, violating Title III of the ADA. The complaint emphasizes that the inability to access online platforms significantly impacts blind individuals’ ability to participate in the growing internet economy.
The plaintiff seeks a permanent injunction requiring Clean Cause to modify its website policies and practices so that it becomes accessible to all users. Additionally, Evans demands compensatory damages for himself and other class members who have faced discrimination due to these accessibility barriers. The lawsuit also calls for punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.
Representing Evans is Alison Chan from Equal Access Law Group, PLLC. The case ID is 1:25-cv-13409 and will be presided over by judges from the Northern District of Illinois.
Source: 125cv13409_James_Evans_v_Clean_Cause_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
