Web Accessibility Compliance: Issues to Avoid.

Web accessibility compliance has become a critical concern for businesses across the United States. As digital platforms continue to serve as primary customer touchpoints, ensuring your website meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards is no longer optional—it's a legal necessity.

ADA-related lawsuits targeting websites have surged in recent years, with thousands of businesses facing legal action for failing to provide accessible digital experiences. Understanding which compliance issues most frequently trigger these lawsuits can help you proactively address vulnerabilities and protect your business from costly legal battles.

This guide examines the specific web accessibility compliance problems that most often lead to ADA lawsuits, providing you with actionable insights to assess and improve your website's accessibility and legal risk profile.

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Understanding Web Accessibility Compliance Under the ADA

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires places of public accommodation to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. While the ADA was enacted before the internet became ubiquitous, courts have increasingly interpreted this requirement to include websites and mobile applications.

Web accessibility compliance typically means adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. These guidelines provide technical specifications for making web content accessible to people with various disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.

Businesses that fail to meet these standards risk legal action from individuals who encounter barriers when attempting to access their websites. The consequences can include mandatory compliance measures, attorney's fees, and potential damages.

Missing Alternative Text for Images

The absence of alternative text (alt text) for images represents one of the most common web accessibility compliance violations cited in ADA lawsuits.

Alt text provides a textual description of images that screen readers can interpret for users with visual impairments. Without this critical feature, blind and visually impaired users cannot understand the content or function of images on your website.

Common violations include:

• Images with no alt text attribute

• Decorative images not marked as such

• Complex images without adequate descriptions

• Alt text that fails to convey the image's purpose or content

To address this issue, ensure every meaningful image on your website includes descriptive alt text that conveys both the content and function of the image. Decorative images should include empty alt attributes (alt="") to signal to screen readers that they can be safely ignored.

Inadequate Keyboard Navigation

Many users with motor disabilities rely exclusively on keyboard navigation to interact with websites. When sites require mouse usage for essential functions, they create barriers for these users.

Keyboard accessibility problems frequently appear in ADA lawsuits, particularly when users cannot access critical website features without a mouse.

Typical keyboard navigation issues include:

• Dropdown menus that don't open with keyboard commands

• Forms that cannot be completed using only the keyboard

• Modal windows or pop-ups that trap keyboard focus

• Interactive elements that lack visible focus indicators

• Custom controls that don't respond to standard keyboard commands

Resolve these issues by ensuring all interactive elements can be accessed and activated using standard keyboard commands. Implement visible focus indicators so users can track their position as they navigate through your site.

Poor Color Contrast

Insufficient color contrast between text and background represents another frequent web accessibility compliance violation. Users with low vision or color blindness struggle to read content when contrast ratios fall below accessibility standards.

WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Many websites fail to meet these requirements, particularly in navigation menus, buttons, and form fields.

Common contrast problems include:

• Light gray text on white backgrounds

• Colored text on colored backgrounds without adequate contrast

• Buttons with insufficient contrast between text and button color

• Link text that doesn't stand out from surrounding content

Use contrast checking tools to verify that all text elements meet minimum contrast requirements. Pay special attention to interactive elements like buttons and links, as these are frequently cited in accessibility lawsuits.

Inaccessible Forms

Forms that lack proper accessibility features create significant barriers for users with disabilities and commonly trigger ADA lawsuits.

Form accessibility violations include:

• Missing or improperly associated form labels

• Lack of error identification and suggestions

• No indication of required fields

• CAPTCHA systems without accessible alternatives

• Form validation that relies solely on color coding

Ensure every form field includes a clearly associated label that remains visible when the field is focused. Provide clear error messages that identify problems and suggest solutions. Offer accessible alternatives to visual CAPTCHA systems, such as audio options or alternative verification methods.

Missing Video Captions and Audio Transcripts

Multimedia content without captions or transcripts excludes users who are deaf or hard of hearing, representing a clear web accessibility compliance violation.

Multimedia accessibility requirements include:

• Closed captions for all video content with dialogue or narration

• Audio descriptions for videos with important visual information

• Transcripts for audio-only content

• Synchronized captions that accurately reflect spoken content

Implement captions for all video content and provide transcripts for audio files. Ensure captions are accurate, synchronized with the audio, and include relevant sound effects or speaker identification when necessary.

Improper Heading Structure

Proper heading structure allows screen reader users to navigate content efficiently and understand the organization of information on a page. Websites with missing, incorrectly nested, or misused headings create confusion and difficulty for these users.

Heading structure problems include:

• Skipping heading levels (jumping from H1 to H3)

• Using headings for visual styling rather than structure

• Multiple H1 headings on a single page

• Headings that don't accurately describe the content that follows

Organize content with a logical heading hierarchy. Use only one H1 per page, nest headings properly without skipping levels, and ensure headings accurately describe the content they introduce.

Non-Accessible PDF Documents

Many businesses provide important information in PDF format without ensuring these documents are accessible. Inaccessible PDFs represent a significant source of ADA complaints.

PDF accessibility issues include:

• Scanned documents without optical character recognition (OCR)

• PDFs lacking proper document structure and tags

• Forms within PDFs that cannot be completed using assistive technology

• Missing alternative text for images within PDFs

Create PDFs using accessible authoring tools and ensure proper document tagging. Run OCR on scanned documents and provide alternative formats when necessary.

Steps to Achieve Web Accessibility Compliance

Addressing these common issues requires a systematic approach:

Conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit to identify all compliance gaps on your website. Professional audits combine automated testing tools with manual evaluation by accessibility experts.

Prioritize remediation efforts based on the severity of issues and their impact on users. Focus first on barriers that prevent users from accessing essential functions or information.

Implement accessibility testing as part of your ongoing development process. Regular testing prevents new compliance issues from emerging as you update or expand your website.

Provide staff training to ensure your team understands accessibility principles and can maintain compliance over time.

Establish monitoring systems to track accessibility metrics and identify problems before they result in legal complaints.

Protect Your Business from ADA Lawsuits

Web accessibility compliance protects both your customers and your business. By addressing these common issues proactively, you reduce legal risk while expanding access to your products and services.

If you've received notice of an ADA-related lawsuit or need guidance on achieving web accessibility compliance, contact this law firm immediately to discuss your situation.

If your company has not been sued for web accessibility compliance issues, don't wait for a lawsuit to address accessibility gaps.