A lawsuit claims that a major online retailer of beauty products has failed to make its website accessible to blind and visually impaired customers, allegedly violating federal disability law and excluding millions from equal participation in online commerce. The complaint was filed by Constance Henry on March 19, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Prime Prometics, Inc.
According to the filing, Henry is legally blind and requires screen-reading software to navigate websites. She alleges that Prime Prometics’ website (https://www.primeprometics.com/) contains significant barriers that prevent her and others with similar disabilities from independently browsing or making purchases. The complaint states, “Defendant is denying blind and visually impaired individuals throughout the United States equal access to the goods and services Defendant provides to their non-disabled customers through the Website.”
The suit outlines how visually impaired individuals rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers to access digital content. For these tools to work properly, websites must include features like alternative text for images, accessible forms, descriptive links, resizable text, and keyboard navigation options. Henry claims that while such technology is readily available and widely used by other retail websites, Prime Prometics has chosen “to rely on an exclusively visual interface that provides no meaningful accommodations for Screen-reader-users.” As a result, she argues that visually impaired customers are forced to depend on sighted companions or are excluded from using the site altogether.
Henry describes multiple specific accessibility issues encountered when attempting to purchase mascara from Prime Prometics’ website on February 27, 2026. She reports problems such as missing or poorly descriptive alternative text for product images; improperly implemented navigation landmarks; interactive elements inaccessible via keyboard; ambiguous link texts; dialog boxes that do not shift focus correctly; repeated links leading to confusion; automatic pop-up windows causing disorientation; lack of feedback after adding items to the cart; incorrect coding of button elements; and absence of status updates for search suggestions. According to the complaint, these issues prevented her from completing a transaction despite her intent to buy a product: “Plaintiff was unable to review the items she had selected, make changes to her cart, or proceed to checkout… These access barriers render the Website inaccessible to, and not independently usable by, blind and visually impaired individuals.”
The lawsuit cites statistics indicating there are approximately 8.1 million visually impaired people in the United States—including about 260,000 in Illinois—who may be affected by such barriers. It references guidelines published by organizations like the World Wide Web Consortium (WCAG 2.2) as well as standards under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as benchmarks for web accessibility.
Henry asserts that Prime Prometics’ actions constitute intentional discrimination under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits denying individuals with disabilities full enjoyment of goods or services offered by places of public accommodation—including commercial websites. The complaint also notes recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice affirming that ADA requirements apply equally online: “the Department has consistently taken the position that the ADA’s requirements apply to all… activities offered by public accommodations, including those offered on the web.”
The legal action seeks certification as a nationwide class action representing all legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted but been denied full use of Prime Prometics’ website during the relevant statutory period. Henry requests both preliminary and permanent injunctions requiring Prime Prometics to bring its website into compliance with ADA standards so it becomes fully accessible for visually impaired users. Additional relief sought includes compensatory damages for alleged unlawful discrimination suffered by class members, declaratory judgment regarding rights under federal law, pre- and post-judgment interest, costs and attorney fees.
Henry is represented by Alison Chan of Equal Access Law Group PLLC based in Flushing, New York. The case number is 1:26-cv-3083.
Source: 126cv03083_Constance_Henry_v_Prime_Prometics_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
