Judge Consolidates ADA Complaints Citing COVID-19 Against Tech Companies

U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab in Pittsburgh Thursday ordered consolidated (in Pacer) nearly two dozen complaints from advocates for the blind against Onkyo, Sound United, Vizio and other consumer product companies. The complaints, filed by nine plaintiffs individually or in tandem with others, allege the companies fail to make their e-commerce sites accessible to the visually impaired, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Their alleged negligence is especially worrisome during the COVID-19 pandemic, say the complaints, because shelter-in-place orders make it more important for the blind to have access to online retailers. Sound United "takes all complaints very seriously," emailed a spokesperson Thursday. "We cannot comment further on pending litigation.” Onkyo and Vizio didn’t respond to queries.