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Is Your Website at Risk for an ADA Lawsuit?

In 2024, over 4,000 ADA website accessibility lawsuits were filed in US federal courts — a 37% increase from the previous year. This trend shows no signs of slowing down.

ADA Website Lawsuit Statistics

ADA website lawsuits have grown dramatically since the first cases appeared in the mid-2010s. What started as lawsuits against major retailers has expanded to target businesses of all sizes and industries.

Key Statistics

4,000+ADA website lawsuits filed in US federal courts in 2024
37%Year-over-year increase in filing volume
67%Of lawsuits target businesses with under $25M annual revenue
745%Increase in Illinois ADA filings year-over-year
$5,000–$25,000Typical settlement range for single-plaintiff cases
$25,000–$75,000+Settlement range for multi-plaintiff or repeat cases
50+Lawsuits filed per year by the most active serial plaintiffs
92%Of homepages with detectable WCAG failures (per WebAIM Million report)

Who Gets Sued?

A common misconception is that only large corporations face ADA lawsuits. The reality is that small and medium-sized businesses are disproportionately targeted because they're less likely to have accessibility programs in place and more likely to settle quickly.

Most Targeted Industries

  1. 1. Retail & E-commerce (37%)
  2. 2. Food & Beverage (11%)
  3. 3. Entertainment (9%)
  4. 4. Healthcare (8%)
  5. 5. Travel & Hospitality (7%)
  6. 6. Financial Services (6%)

Most Common Violations Cited

  1. 1. Missing image alt text
  2. 2. Missing form input labels
  3. 3. Empty links and buttons
  4. 4. Missing document language
  5. 5. Low color contrast
  6. 6. Missing skip navigation

How ADA Website Lawsuits Work

Most ADA website lawsuits follow a pattern. A plaintiff (often represented by a law firm that specializes in ADA cases) encounters accessibility barriers on your website. They file a complaint alleging that your website violates Title III of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination in “places of public accommodation.”

The lawsuit typically demands that the website be made accessible, attorney's fees (which can exceed the settlement amount), and in some states, statutory damages. In California, for example, the Unruh Civil Rights Act provides minimum damages of $4,000 per violation per visit.

Most businesses settle rather than go to trial, because litigation costs exceed settlement costs and courts have consistently ruled in favor of plaintiffs. The typical settlement includes a monetary payment ($5,000–$25,000 for first-time offenders), an agreement to remediate the website within a specified timeframe, and ongoing monitoring.

How to Protect Your Business

1. Know Your Current Risk

Use a tool like AccessScore to identify your website's accessibility issues and understand your legal exposure before a plaintiff does.

2. Fix High-Priority Issues First

Missing alt text, unlabeled form fields, and missing page language are the most commonly cited violations. Fixing these first provides the biggest risk reduction.

3. Document Your Efforts

Courts look favorably on businesses that can demonstrate good-faith efforts to improve accessibility, even if the site isn't perfect.

4. Add an Accessibility Statement

A published accessibility statement shows intent to comply and provides a channel for users to report issues.

5. Consider a VPAT

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template documents your product's conformance with accessibility standards.

The Cost of Inaction

Cost of a Lawsuit

  • • Settlement: $5,000–$75,000+
  • • Attorney fees: $10,000–$50,000
  • • Remediation (rush): $5,000–$30,000
  • • Ongoing monitoring: $2,000–$10,000/yr
  • Total: $22,000–$165,000+

Cost of Prevention

  • • AccessScore Pro Report: $14.99
  • • Fix common issues: $0–$2,000 (DIY to freelancer)
  • • Accessibility statement: $0 (free templates)
  • • Annual re-check: $14.99
  • Total: $15–$2,030
Check Your ADA Risk — Free

Find out your legal exposure before someone else does.