The $5 Million Lesson: Why Accessibility Should Be Part of Your Risk Plan

Why It Matters

Ignoring web accessibility exposes companies to multi‑million‑dollar settlements, legal fees, and reputational damage, making proactive compliance a critical risk‑management priority for businesses of all sizes in both U.S. and EU markets.

Summary

Fashion Nova settled a class‑action web‑accessibility lawsuit for $5.15 million, the second‑largest such settlement after Target’s 2008 case. The dispute, which began with a single blind consumer’s complaint in 2020, escalated over five years and more than 200 filings, highlighting the growing volume of accessibility litigation – over 4,000 suits filed in the U.S. in 2024 and an estimated 250,000 demand letters annually. The article warns that both large and small firms face heightened risk, especially as the European Accessibility Act takes effect, and recommends proactive risk management through baseline audits, continuous monitoring, prioritization of high‑severity barriers, documentation, and integrating accessibility into daily workflows. AudioEye’s 2025 Digital Accessibility Index found an average of 297 issues per page across 15,000 sites, underscoring the operational challenge and the need for a blended automation‑human approach to prevent costly legal exposure.