Website Accessibility Compliance by Industry

Website accessibility compliance means ensuring your website can be used by people with disabilities, including those who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, voice commands, or other assistive technologies. The main standards are WCAG 2.2 (technical requirements) and the ADA (legal requirements in the United States).

E-commerce, healthcare, financial services, restaurants, and real estate face the highest lawsuit risk. E-commerce is the most sued industry, accounting for over 70% of ADA web accessibility lawsuits. Healthcare and financial services follow due to the critical nature of their online services.

ADA website lawsuit settlements typically range from $5,000 to $150,000, with most settling between $10,000 and $50,000. Legal defense costs add $15,000 to $50,000 on top of the settlement. Remediation costs to fix the website add another $5,000 to $50,000 depending on complexity.

WCAG 2.2 Level AA is the standard referenced by courts, the DOJ, and most regulations worldwide. Level AA covers 50+ success criteria including text contrast, keyboard navigation, alt text, form labels, and error handling. Level A is the minimum, and Level AAA is aspirational but not typically required.

Start with an automated accessibility scan to identify machine-detectable issues like missing alt text, low contrast, unlabeled form fields, and keyboard traps. Automated tools catch about 30-40% of all accessibility issues. For full coverage, combine automated scanning with manual testing and assistive technology testing.