A lawsuit claims that a major online retailer’s website denies equal access to blind and visually impaired individuals, raising concerns about digital accessibility in today’s marketplace. The complaint was filed by James Evans on March 11, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Pro Compression, LLC.
According to the filing, Evans is legally blind and relies on screen-reading software to navigate websites. He alleges that Pro Compression’s website (https://procompression.com) contains significant barriers that prevent him and others with similar disabilities from independently accessing goods and services offered online. The suit states that these barriers violate Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability in places of public accommodation.
The complaint outlines how Evans attempted to purchase compression socks from the defendant’s website but was unable to complete the transaction due to several accessibility issues. These included poorly described alternative text for images, confusing page headings, interactive elements not accessible via keyboard navigation, repetitive or unclear link texts, lack of notification when items were added to the shopping cart, and missing information about cart contents. The document reports: “Plaintiff encountered multiple ambiguous ‘Shop Now’ links that did not clearly indicate the products associated with each link… when Evans selected a product size, the item was automatically added to the cart without any prior notification.”
Evans asserts that these problems are not isolated incidents but reflect a broader policy and practice by Pro Compression of denying visually impaired individuals access to its online goods and services. He contends that despite widely available technical standards—such as those set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2)—the company has failed to make its site accessible even though other retailers have implemented such measures.
The lawsuit also references recent guidance from the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division stating that ADA requirements apply to all goods and services offered by public accommodations on the web. According to Evans’ attorneys, “Defendant denies blind and visually impaired individuals throughout the United States equal access to the goods and services Defendant provides… through the Website.”
Evans brings this action as a proposed class action on behalf of himself and all similarly situated legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to use Pro Compression’s website during the relevant statutory period but were denied access. The complaint requests certification of this nationwide class under federal rules governing class actions.
In addition to seeking compensatory damages for alleged unlawful discrimination, Evans asks for both preliminary and permanent injunctions requiring Pro Compression to modify its website so it is fully accessible under ADA standards. Specifically, he requests an order compelling compliance with established accessibility guidelines so that blind and visually impaired consumers can independently browse products, make purchases, read reviews, learn about policies, purchase gift cards, and access other features available on procompression.com.
The complaint details claims under two causes of action: violation of Title III of the ADA and declaratory relief regarding whether or not Pro Compression’s current practices comply with applicable law. It also argues that judicial economy would be served by handling these claims as a class action rather than through numerous individual lawsuits across different jurisdictions.
Evans is represented by Michael Ohrenberger of Equal Access Law Group PLLC. The case is identified as Case No.: 1:26-cv-2728.
Source: 126cv02728_James_Evans_v_Pro_Compression_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
