Accessibility Statement

1. Our Commitment to Accessibility

Downard & Associates, PLLC is committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to people with disabilities. As a firm that represents individuals with disabilities in Social Security Disability matters, we recognize the importance of digital accessibility and are dedicated to providing an inclusive online experience.

We continually work to improve the accessibility of our website to ensure equal access to information and functionality for all visitors, regardless of ability or technology used.

2. Conformance Standards

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities and more user-friendly for everyone.

WCAG 2.1 Level AA covers four core principles:

• Perceivable: Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive
• Operable: Interface components must be operable
• Understandable: Information and operation must be understandable
• Robust: Content must be robust enough to work with current and future assistive technologies

3. Accessibility Features

Our website includes the following accessibility features:

• Keyboard navigation: All interactive elements are accessible via keyboard
• Skip-to-content link:A “Skip to main content” link is available at the top of every page
• Semantic HTML: Proper heading structure, landmarks, and semantic elements for screen reader navigation
• Alt text: Meaningful alternative text for informative images
• Color contrast: Text and interactive elements meet WCAG AA contrast requirements
• Resizable text: Text can be resized up to 200% without loss of functionality
• Form labels: All form fields have associated labels and error messaging
• Focus indicators: Visible focus states for keyboard navigation
• ARIA landmarks: Proper ARIA roles and labels for assistive technology
• No auto-playing media: Media does not auto-play with sound

4. Compatible Technology

Our website is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies and browsers:

• Screen readers: JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), TalkBack (Android)
• Browsers: Latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
• Operating systems: Windows 10+, macOS, iOS 14+, Android 8+
• Magnification software: Browser zoom, ZoomText, and similar tools
• Voice control: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Voice Control (Apple), Voice Access (Android)

5. Known Limitations

Despite our efforts, some content on our website may not yet meet our accessibility standards. We are actively working to address these limitations.

If you encounter accessibility issues that prevent you from using our website, please contact us. We will work to provide the information or service through an alternative accessible method.

Third-party content, such as embedded videos or external documents, may not always meet our accessibility standards. We work with third-party providers to encourage accessible content.

6. Feedback & Assistance

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you encounter accessibility barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us using the information below.

When reporting accessibility issues, please include:

• The web page URL where you encountered the issue
• A description of the problem
• The assistive technology you were using (if applicable)
• Your contact information so we can follow up

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 business days.

7. Alternative Communication Methods

If you need information from our website in an alternative format, or if you have difficulty using any feature, we offer the following alternatives:

• Phone: Call us at (615) 255-4307 during business hours
• Email: Send detailed inquiries to info@downardlaw.com
• In-person: Schedule an in-person consultation at our Nashville office
• TTY/TDD: Tennessee Relay Service can be accessed by dialing 711
• Mail: Send written correspondence to our office address

All initial consultations are provided at no charge regardless of communication method.