Loading...
Research & Data
Comprehensive data on ADA and digital accessibility lawsuits filed in the United States. Track litigation trends by year, industry, state, and settlement costs.
Total Lawsuits (2018-2025)
25,576+
2025 Federal Lawsuits
5,000
+103.9% vs 2024
Average Settlement
$30,000
Most Targeted Industry
E-Commerce & Retail
25,576+
Total Lawsuits Filed (2018-2025)
Source: Federal court filings
5,000
2025 Lawsuits
$30,000
Average Settlement
Source: Out-of-court resolution
E-Commerce & Retail
Most Targeted Industry
Source: 34% of all lawsuits
Source: UsableNet, Seyfarth Shaw, PACER
Source: UsableNet Annual Reports
Range: $1K – $25K
$5K
$4K
Range: $5K – $150K
$30K
$18K
Range: $10K – $500K
$85K
$55K
Range: $50K – $6.0M
$400K
$225K
Range: $5K – $125K
$30K
$18K
Source: Public court records, legal industry reports
| # | State | Total Lawsuits | Per 100K Residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NY New York | 1,750 | 8.9 |
| 2 | FL Florida | 1,100 | 5.0 |
| 3 | CA California | 950 | 2.4 |
| 4 | IL Illinois | 475 | 3.8 |
| 5 | PA Pennsylvania | 280 | 2.2 |
| 6 | NJ New Jersey | 210 | 2.3 |
| 7 | TX Texas | 185 | 0.6 |
| 8 | MA Massachusetts | 155 | 2.2 |
| 9 | MN Minnesota | 120 | 2.1 |
| 10 | MO Missouri | 95 | 1.5 |
The DOJ's Title II rule requiring state and local government websites to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA takes effect for large entities in April 2026, solidifying WCAG 2.1 AA as the de facto standard courts reference in Title III cases
Significance: Establishes the first formal federal web accessibility standard, influencing Title III case law
FTC reached a $1 million settlement with a prominent accessibility overlay provider for misleading businesses about what their widget could actually do for compliance
Significance: Undermines the overlay-as-compliance defense and validates lawsuit claims against widget-reliant sites
Overturned Chevron deference, potentially affecting how courts interpret ADA digital requirements without explicit agency rulemaking
Significance: May require Congress to explicitly address website accessibility in legislation
Supreme Court declined to hear Domino's appeal, letting stand the 9th Circuit ruling that the ADA applies to websites
Significance: Established precedent that websites connected to physical locations must be accessible
Reversed lower court ruling, holding that Winn-Dixie's website was not a place of public accommodation under ADA Title III
Significance: Created circuit split on whether websites are covered by ADA
Ruled that the ADA applies to Domino's website and mobile app
Significance: Major precedent affirming web accessibility requirements under ADA
Share this research data or embed it on your website.
In 2025, over 5,000 federal ADA digital accessibility lawsuits were filed in the United States. This number has fluctuated between 2,200 and 5,000 annually since 2018, with 2025 seeing a dramatic surge. Additionally, thousands of demand letters are sent each year that never result in formal litigation.
E-Commerce and Retail businesses are the most targeted industry, accounting for approximately 69% of all digital accessibility lawsuits. Food and Beverage companies are the second most targeted at 21%, followed by Entertainment (2.5%), Travel and Hospitality (1.8%), and Banking and Finance (1.5%).
Settlement costs vary widely. Demand letter settlements typically range from $1,000 to $25,000. Out-of-court settlements average around $25,000 but can reach $100,000. Court judgments average $75,000 and class action settlements can exceed $6 million. Even defending a lawsuit with no damages typically costs $5,000 to $100,000 in legal fees.
While the ADA does not explicitly mention websites, multiple federal courts have ruled that websites of businesses open to the public are subject to ADA Title III requirements. The landmark Robles v. Domino's Pizza case in the 9th Circuit established that the ADA applies to websites and mobile apps. However, a circuit split exists, as the 11th Circuit ruled differently in Gil v. Winn-Dixie.
New York leads the nation by a wide margin with approximately 1,750 federal accessibility lawsuits filed annually, driven in part by proactive plaintiff attorneys and favorable state laws. Florida surged to second place with approximately 1,100 cases, followed by California with 950. New York also leads in per capita lawsuit rates at 8.9 per 100,000 residents.
The best protection against accessibility lawsuits is proactive WCAG 2.2 Level AA compliance. Businesses should conduct regular accessibility audits, implement automated and manual testing, train development teams on accessible coding practices, publish an accessibility statement, and establish a process for receiving and addressing accessibility feedback. An ongoing accessibility program is far less expensive than litigation.
Comprehensive tools, checklists, and guides to help you create inclusive digital experiences