Have You Gotten A Letter?

Have You Received A Letter of Complaint?
Over the last several years, there has been a spike in web accessibility lawsuits. Web accessibility refers to the accommodation and/or design of tools, websites and technologies in order for people with disabilities such as vision, hearing, cognitive and motor impairments to adequately use them.
In today’s society, many people with disabilities rely heavily on the Internet to connect with friends, purchase goods, complete research and for some individuals, to be independent. When website barriers interfere with the ability to access and use websites equally, that is when a letter of complaint or lawsuit can occur, resulting from the inequality and discrimination they experienced.

Legal Trends in Web Accessibility

If You’ve Received a Letter
If your organization has already received a letter of complaint, the good news is that there are several straightforward steps that can be taken to reduce the severity and impact of the process, helping not only your own organization, but all individuals who want to utilize your services. By providing an accessible website, your organization’s goodwill with customers will improve, increasing customer loyalty and appreciation, which in turn can potentially increase revenue. By waiting to address issues of non-compliance with web accessibility standards, not only do your customers suffer, but your organization suffers as well.
I Have Received A Letter! What Do I Do Next?

After the Letter – Next Steps
If you haven’t learned about web accessibility yet, there is no better time than now! In order for all individuals, including those with various disabilities, to successfully use current web tools and websites, the digital environments need to be properly designed and coded.
Unfortunately, many websites and tools are developed with a variety of accessibility barriers and obstacles, not only making for an unpleasant experience for an individual with disabilities, but also leading to a potential legal compliance situation, one that can quickly spiral out of control.
The Letter is a Trigger to Find Experts
A consulting firm, such as ADA FOR WEB, will assist your organization in implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1), which were developed to set a single shared standard for web content accessibility that meets the needs of organizations, businesses and governments internationally. Among other things, these guidelines ensure website designers and developers use appropriate coding. In addition, the standards verify content is properly organized and is logical to both machines and humans on computers and mobile devices. They will also verify the accessibility of text alternatives, which must be provided for visual content, and the accessibility of extra attributes for assistive devices, such as screen readers, for individuals with visual impairments.
Consultants Will Assess and Audit
The Best Course is to Take Preventative Measures
In delaying to take action, and if further legal action takes place, the timelines set by the Department of Justice (DOJ) can essentially be stressful, rushed and expensive. Despite the circumstances, a letter of complaint is not the worst case scenario. It is when a lawsuit crops up that your organization will be given short deadlines causing emergency technical work and potentially significant legal costs.
When Lawsuits Take Place
In the event that your organization is already facing a lawsuit, it is important to act quickly and efficiently to address it. Web Accessibility lawsuits arise as a result of website barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from easily accessing content. Examples of these barriers include inadequate navigation, use of fonts and color schemes that affect users with vision impairments, or links and buttons that are not keyboard accessible, affecting users who rely on similar types of assistive technology to navigate sites effectively.
Challenges Created by Lawsuits
Was there Prior Knowledge of Compliance Issues?
Accessibility is an Ongoing Pursuit
Continuous monitoring is crucial, due to the frequent fluctuations in web accessibility standards. A consulting firm can help you create and develop policies and procedures within your organization by teaming up with your web developers to confirm that continuous monitoring occurs. To put it simply, education is key to success. that the website does not fall out of compliance in the future, which is always a possibility.
We Can Help
If your organization has already received a letter of complaint, or a lawsuit has been filed, ADA for Web Solutions is here to help. Our leading experts, with over a decade of experience, can assist you with expediting the process of auditing and remediation services.
Contact ADA for Websites to learn more and to discuss your upcoming project!
Email: support@adaforweb.com

