TAMPA (WLFA) – The disabled plaintiffs call themselves activists working to improve society for the disabled, one lawsuit at a time.
Critics call it “legal extortion,” now targeting small business owners who feel they are “sitting ducks” for ADA lawsuits regarding their websites that are not accessible to some with disabilities.
Last year, there were 2,285 ADA website lawsuits filed in federal courts, an increase of a 181 percent from 2017, according to website accessibility company UsableNet.
“The attorneys are telling us, ‘You can’t fight this.’ There’s nothing you can do, just write them a check,” said Ben Tundis, owner of Island Comfort Footwear in the Westfield Countryside Mall in Clearwater.
Wednesday at 5 p.m., watch News Channel 8 Investigative Reporter Shannon Behnken’s full report on website accessibility and what you can do to make sure your business website isn’t “Caught in the Web.” Also, check back here at 5 p.m. for full story.
