Meeting ADA (Americans with disabilities act) website compliance standards will help you achieve full accessibility. The importance of web accessibility is huge. There are many businesses, however, that are unaware of these standards. They need to meet them to escape lawsuits, fines, and a bad reputation among users.
These lawsuits occur when your website is inaccessible to users with disabilities. Legal cases have increased rapidly in the last few years because more and more businesses are going online.
To avoid this, ensure your website is accessible. Start by fixing common issues such as poor contrast, missing alt text, and difficult-to-use forms. Regular updates will also help you stay compliant and improve user experience.
If you need assistance with ADA compliance and want to minimize the risks from website compliance lawsuits, check out Qualibooth, your premier web accessibility software solution.
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What is ADA Website Compliance?
Passed in 1990, the ADA is the current law in the United States, ensuring that people with disabilities are included in everyday life. It also features standards for websites online.
Being ADA-compliant means that your website meets the accessibility standards. These standards help you to give your users equal access to your content. Inclusivity is the thing all these rules and regulations aim for. Another benefit is that achieving full compliance helps you avoid legal issues.
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Being ADA-compliant also improves your SEO. When your web space is accessible, you rank higher in the search engines. This will help you gain more users and improve your visibility.
If you don’t know what to do or where to start, the Qualibooth platform can help you with everything related to the accessibility of your online space. With Qualibooth’s help, you’ll find solutions to all your accessibility issues in one place.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
You should keep in mind that if your website is not ADA-compliant, your company is at risk of facing serious legal issues. It is always better to take the necessary measures to avoid problems before they happen. Especially in this case, when legal issues can damage your business and your budget.
Here’s a list of potential lawsuits and fines:
- ADA Lawsuits: People with disabilities can sue your company if they experience issues while using your website. These lawsuits are becoming more common as online accessibility gains popularity.
- Class-action lawsuits – There are cases in which multiple people can join a class-action lawsuit against you if you have denied their rights to access your content or service by not making your service accessible to everyone.
- Fines from the Department of Justice (DOJ)V: The DOJ enforces the ADA and can impose fines on your business if it finds out that it fails to comply with accessibility requirements.
- Settlements: Many businesses settle lawsuits to avoid lengthy legal battles. Settlements help to avoid lawsuits, but are still very expensive. You can avoid them by regularly monitoring your accessibility with Qualibooth.
If you have accessibility issues in your online space, you will inevitably lose users, fail to reach a wider audience, and damage your business reputation. Especially if your business is still small or you are just getting started, a lawsuit can be fatal to your company.
How to Avoid a Website Compliance Lawsuit?
Now you understand why you should avoid website compliance lawsuits at all costs. The good news is that following the rules is really simple. When you understand what accessibility means and you take proactive steps towards it, your company will be safe, and your users will be happy.
Here are some steps that will help you avoid a website compliance lawsuit:
- Regularly conduct an accessibility audit: Create a habit of checking your website for accessibility issues. Monitoring your website with Qualibooth ensures full compliance.
- Follow WCAG guidelines: As a website owner or creator, you need to read and understand the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This helps you get a clearer view of what is important for accessibility and how to achieve it. ADA follows WCAG because it is considered the gold standard for online accessibility.
- Include Accessibility features: There are essential accessibility features that make a website accessible. These features will ensure that all of your users, regardless of their ability, can access and use your website without any issues or barriers.
- Educate your team: Educate your team on accessibility’s best practices. This way, you will ensure that everyone involved in creating and maintaining your website is aware of the importance of compliance.
- Get feedback: Encourage users with disabilities to provide feedback on your website to identify any issues or barriers they may encounter.
When you prioritize accessibility, you protect your business and also demonstrate a commitment to customer satisfaction. That will have a significant impact on your brand’s popularity and will attract more users over time.
Conclusion
Being ADA compliant is important, not just to avoid budget holes and legal accusations. Equal access is something that we should all aim for as humans. To deny someone access to your online content or service because he is disabled is as bad as it is to deny it physically in person for the same reason.
Accessibility laws and lawsuits are gaining popularity, with cases including the Depo Provera Lawsuit demonstrating the high cost of non‑compliance. Creating an accessible online space that everyone can use is becoming increasingly crucial. It is much easier to comply with ADA website compliance laws and foster inclusivity on your website than to face hefty fines and reputational damage for failing to do so.
