Is your website a legal liability?
Businesses across California are being sued over websites that people with disabilities can’t use. Every website SpiderWebSB builds is designed and tested to WCAG 2.1 AA, the accessibility standard that courts and the U.S. Department of Justice point to.
Minimum damages per violation under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, plus the other side’s attorney’s fees.
Cal. Civil Code § 52 [1]Website accessibility lawsuits filed in federal court in 2025, up 27% from 2024. Most California cases are filed in state court and aren’t in that count.
Seyfarth Shaw, 2025 figures [4]What the FTC ordered one “accessibility widget” maker to pay in 2025 for claiming its plug-in could make websites compliant.
Federal Trade Commission [5]What the law says, in plain terms
The federal rule
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires businesses that serve the public to give people with disabilities equal access to their goods and services. The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that this includes a business’s website.[3]
Why California is different
California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act treats any ADA violation as a violation of state law, and it sets damages of at least $4,000 for each violation, plus attorney’s fees. That minimum is why so many website claims are brought in California.[1][2]
How claims usually start
Many begin with a demand letter from a law firm asking for a settlement, sent after someone has tested the website with a screen reader or a keyboard. Paying a settlement doesn’t end the problem: the website still has to be fixed. Small businesses are not exempt, and any site with a menu, prices, a booking form or a contact page can be tested in minutes.
What claims usually point to
These are among the most common barriers found on small business websites, and each one is measurable against WCAG.
Images without descriptions
Photos, logos and buttons with no alt text, so a screen reader can’t say what they are.
Text that’s hard to read
Light gray or pale text on a light background, below the contrast people with low vision need.
Menus that need a mouse
Menus, pop-ups and buttons that can’t be reached or used with a keyboard alone.
Forms without labels
Booking and contact forms whose fields and error messages a screen reader can’t announce.
Menus and prices as pictures
A menu or price list posted only as an image or a scanned PDF, which can’t be read aloud.
Videos without captions
Video with speech but no captions, which leaves out people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Accessible by design, and tested before launch
Accessibility is part of how every SpiderWebSB website is built, at no extra cost.
- Designed to WCAG 2.1 AA from the first line of code, not patched on afterward
- Text contrast of at least 4.5 to 1, readable type and tap targets of at least 44 pixels
- Full keyboard navigation with visible focus, a skip link, landmarks and headings in order
- Descriptive alt text on every meaningful image; decorative images hidden from screen readers
- Labeled forms, real tables for hours and prices, and support for reduced motion
- English and Spanish versions, both built and tested to the same standard
- Every page tested with automated accessibility software on phones and computers before launch
- An accessibility statement page with a way for visitors to report a problem
Why an accessibility widget isn’t the answer
Plug-in overlays promise instant compliance, but they sit on top of the site and leave the code underneath unchanged. In 2025 the Federal Trade Commission ordered one overlay company to pay $1 million for claiming its AI tool could make any website compliant. I don’t add overlays: accessibility is built into the site itself.[5]
What I won’t promise
No one can honestly guarantee that a website will never draw a claim. Automated testing catches many problems but not every one, and accessibility needs a fresh check whenever your content changes. What I promise is the work: a site built and tested to the standard claims are measured against.
ADA website questions
Does the ADA apply to my website?
What is WCAG 2.1 AA?
Can you check my current website?
Will an accessibility widget or plug-in protect me?
Can you guarantee my website won’t be sued?
Find out where your website stands
Text me your website address and I’ll run an accessibility scan and explain the results in plain terms. It’s free, with no obligation.
Sources
- California Civil Code § 52 (Unruh Civil Rights Act: damages of no less than $4,000 per offense, plus attorney’s fees) (opens in a new tab)
- California Civil Code § 51(f) (a violation of the ADA is also a violation of the Unruh Act) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Justice, Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA (2022) (opens in a new tab)
- Seyfarth Shaw, “Federal Court Website Accessibility Lawsuit Filings Bounce Back in 2025” (March 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Trade Commission, “FTC Approves Final Order Requiring accessiBe to Pay $1 Million” (April 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (opens in a new tab)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Figures were read from the sources above in November 2026 and can change. If you have received a demand letter or a lawsuit, speak with an attorney.