In today’s digital-first economy, your business’s front door is no longer just physical—it’s online. For small businesses across the United States, a website is the first, and often only, point of interaction with customers. But what happens when that website unintentionally locks out users with disabilities? In 2025, this is no longer just a theoretical concern. Lawsuits are mounting, customer expectations are rising, and regulators are taking notice. That’s why more small businesses than ever are turning to an ADA-focused website review as a first line of defense—and seeking consulting support for ADA compliance as a proactive step toward digital inclusion.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), though enacted in 1990, has rapidly evolved to include digital spaces. While this has helped advance web accessibility across large organizations, many small business owners still find themselves unprepared and uninformed. In a climate where legal risk is increasing by the day, an ADA website audit is no longer optional—it’s essential. Here’s why.
It’s a common misconception that digital accessibility lawsuits only target tech giants or national retailers. In reality, small and midsize businesses are increasingly in the crosshairs. In 2024 alone, over 4,500 federal lawsuits related to digital ADA non-compliance were filed in the United States, according to Accessibility.com, with thousands more quietly settled out of court.
Plaintiffs typically allege that websites or mobile apps are not usable by people with vision, hearing, or mobility impairments—violating their civil rights under the ADA. Small businesses in industries such as hospitality, food service, healthcare, and e-commerce are frequent targets, especially if their sites lack alt text for images, proper keyboard navigation, or screen-reader compatibility.
An ADA-focused website review helps uncover these issues before they become liabilities. For small business owners who lack dedicated IT teams or legal departments, catching these problems early can mean the difference between a simple fix and a costly lawsuit.
The rise in litigation is not random. Law firms specializing in disability rights have begun using automated tools to scan thousands of small business websites for accessibility violations. When barriers are identified—such as missing labels on form fields or inaccessible PDFs—demand letters often follow.
This “drive-by” legal tactic has been criticized by some, but courts have consistently upheld the right of individuals with disabilities to seek equitable access. Unfortunately, most small businesses are unaware that their websites may be triggering these automated scans until they’re hit with legal threats.
By commissioning an ADA audit, businesses can identify and remediate issues preemptively, reducing their visibility to plaintiffs and demonstrating good-faith efforts to comply with the law.
When a website fails to meet ADA standards, the fallout can be severe. Settlements can range from $5,000 to $50,000 or more, depending on the scope of the violation and the legal strategy of the plaintiff. Add in attorney fees, site redesign costs, and the reputational hit of being labeled non-compliant, and the total can climb quickly.
For small businesses with tight margins, this kind of unexpected cost can be devastating. In many cases, business owners choose to settle quietly rather than face prolonged litigation, even if they were unaware of the issue.
An ADA-focused website review, while not free, is a fraction of the cost of a lawsuit. More importantly, it sets the stage for long-term compliance and trust-building with all users—not just those protected under the ADA
One reason small businesses have historically delayed accessibility efforts is confusion around what compliance actually means. But in 2025, there’s no longer an excuse. The Department of Justice has endorsed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 as the gold standard for ADA web compliance.
These guidelines offer a clear, testable framework for accessibility. They cover everything from text alternatives and color contrast to navigational consistency and multimedia captions. An ADA audit maps a business’s website against these criteria, pinpointing where updates are needed.
Free checklists and tools exist, but they’re no substitute for expert-led reviews. A certified audit ensures that compliance is comprehensive, not cosmetic—and keeps businesses aligned with evolving federal and state requirements.
Federal compliance isn’t the only concern. States such as California, New York, and Illinois have layered their own civil rights laws on top of the ADA, giving plaintiffs additional avenues to file claims. In California, for example, the Unruh Civil Rights Act allows for statutory damages of $4,000 per violation—plus attorney fees.
Small business websites that serve customers across state lines are vulnerable to these enhanced penalties, even if they’re not physically based in those states. If your site is public, it’s within reach.
A comprehensive website review helps ensure you’re compliant not just with federal rules, but with state-level regulations that are often even more stringent.
While legal risk is a powerful motivator, there’s also a strong business case for accessibility. Studies have shown that over 25% of American adults live with some form of disability. That’s a huge segment of the market—one that’s often underserved online.
When users with disabilities encounter barriers, they rarely complain. They simply leave. But when a website is accessible, usable, and welcoming, it fosters loyalty and repeat visits. It also benefits users with situational impairments (such as bright sunlight or slow internet), older adults, and those using mobile devices.
An ADA-focused audit isn’t just about compliance—it’s about unlocking new audiences, improving SEO, and providing a smoother user experience for everyone. Small businesses that invest in accessibility often see returns in engagement, conversions, and customer satisfaction.
Many small businesses assume that if their website is built on a platform such as Shopify, Squarespace, or WordPress, accessibility is “baked in.” But that’s only partially true. While these platforms may provide accessibility-friendly templates, it’s up to the site owner to implement them correctly.
Custom themes, third-party plugins, and visual design choices can all introduce accessibility barriers—often without the owner realizing it. A well-meaning drag-and-drop design can result in confusing tab orders, unreadable text, or invisible buttons for screen readers.
Accessibility isn’t just about people—it’s also about performance. Search engines such as Google prioritize user-friendly sites, and many accessibility improvements directly impact search rankings. For instance, adding alt text to images, using semantic HTML, and improving page structure all enhance a site’s SEO.
In fact, Google’s algorithms increasingly reward sites that are fast, mobile-friendly, and navigable—hallmarks of accessibility design. When small businesses improve accessibility, they also improve discoverability.
In the current legal and digital climate, an ADA-focused website review is no longer a luxury for small businesses—it’s a necessity. Lawsuits are increasing, state regulations are tightening, and user expectations are evolving. More than ever, accessibility is the cost of doing business online.
Partnering with professionals can help ensure your website is compliant, user-friendly, and inclusive from the ground up. Litigation may be on the rise, but so too is awareness—and the tools to address accessibility gaps have never been more accessible themselves. In 2025, the question isn’t whether you can afford an ADA audit. It’s whether you can afford not to.
