A visually-impaired individual has filed a class action lawsuit against a pepper company, claiming the company’s website is inaccessible to blind users. Andre Battle, who is legally blind, filed the complaint on November 24, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Puckerbutt Pepper Company, LLC. The lawsuit alleges that the company’s website fails to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), denying equal access to goods and services.
The complaint highlights that Battle requires screen-reading software to navigate websites and accuses Puckerbutt Pepper Company of not designing its website to be fully accessible. According to Battle, this oversight prevents blind and visually-impaired individuals from independently using the site to purchase products like hot sauces and other pepper-themed items. “Defendant’s denial of full and equal access to its website,” states the complaint, “is a violation of Plaintiff’s rights under the ADA.” The suit further details how technological advances have made it possible for websites to be accessible through assistive technologies but claims that Puckerbutt Pepper Company has failed to implement these changes.
Battle’s attempts to make purchases on Puckerbuttpeppercompany.com were reportedly thwarted by numerous accessibility barriers such as lack of alternative text for images, reliance on mouse navigation which blind users cannot perform, and unlabeled links. These issues are said to prevent blind users from completing transactions independently. The plaintiff argues that these barriers not only violate federal law but also exclude visually-impaired consumers from participating in online commerce—a growing necessity in today’s digital economy.
The lawsuit seeks several forms of relief including a permanent injunction requiring Puckerbutt Pepper Company to make its website accessible according to established guidelines like WCAG 2.2. It also requests compensatory damages for those affected by what it describes as unlawful discrimination. Additionally, Battle calls for punitive damages and attorney fees while emphasizing that without court intervention, he and others will continue facing discrimination when attempting to use the site.
Representing Andre Battle is attorney Uri Horowitz from Flushing, New York. The case is identified as Case No.: 1:25-cv-14331 and awaits judgment in front of an appointed judge yet unnamed.
Source: 125cv14331_Andre_Battle_v_Puckerbutt_Pepper_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
