A visually-impaired woman has taken legal action against a prominent online plant retailer, alleging that the company’s website is inaccessible to blind and visually-impaired individuals. Nicole Davis filed a class-action complaint on November 6, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Hirt’s, LLC. The lawsuit claims that Hirt’s website, Hirts.com, fails to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not being fully accessible to those who rely on screen-reading software.
Nicole Davis, who is legally blind and resides in Cook County, Illinois, initiated this civil rights lawsuit after encountering significant barriers while attempting to shop on Hirts.com. According to the complaint, these barriers include inadequate focus order, ambiguous link texts, and inaccessible contact information among others. Davis asserts that such issues prevent her and other visually-impaired individuals from enjoying equal access to the goods and services offered by Hirt’s. “Hirt’s denies the blind access to goods, services and information made available through Hirts.com,” states the complaint. Davis highlights that despite readily available technology that could make websites accessible to visually-impaired users—such as alternative text for images and keyboard navigability—Hirt’s has failed to implement these features.
The plaintiff seeks a permanent injunction requiring Hirt’s to modify its website policies and practices so that it becomes accessible under ADA guidelines. Additionally, she requests compensatory damages for herself and similarly affected class members who have faced discrimination due to these accessibility barriers. The case underscores the broader issue of digital accessibility in an increasingly online world where equal access remains a legal requirement under federal law.
Represented by attorney Michael Ohrenberger of Equal Access Law Group PLLC, Nicole Davis argues that her inability to independently complete transactions on Hirts.com amounts to unlawful discrimination under Title III of the ADA. The case ID is 1:25-cv-13619.
Source: 125cv13619_Nicole_Davis_v_Hirts_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
