In 2025, over 5,000 ADA digital accessibility lawsuits were filed. Most businesses that get served have the same first question: how much is this going to cost me?
The answer depends on what you do next. Here's a data-driven breakdown using 2025 case data, published settlement reports, and our analysis of CourtListener federal court filings.
The Demand Letter: $0 to $5,000
Most ADA accessibility claims don't start in court. They start with a demand letter — a formal letter from an attorney alleging accessibility violations and requesting a settlement to avoid litigation.
Typical demand letter amount: $3,000–$10,000, depending on the firm and jurisdiction.
Demand letters are especially prevalent in Pennsylvania and California, where many never result in publicly filed lawsuits. This means the total number of ADA accessibility claims significantly exceeds the 5,000+ lawsuits visible in court records. (Source: EcomBack)
If you settle at the demand letter stage, total cost is typically the settlement payment plus initial legal review — often under $5,000 for small businesses.
The Settlement: $5,000 to $50,000
The vast majority of ADA website lawsuits settle. Based on published data from Accessible.org, 216digital, and AudioEye:
| Business Size | Typical Settlement Range |
|---|---|
| Small business (under $5M revenue) | $3,000–$10,000 |
| Mid-size business ($5M–$25M) | $10,000–$25,000 |
| Large business (over $25M) | $15,000–$50,000+ |
The overall range is $5,000 to $20,000 for most individual cases. It is not uncommon for small businesses to settle for under $5,000, especially outside New York. (Source: Accessible.org)
Geographic factor: New York-based lawsuits typically cost more to settle than cases in California or Florida. This is consistent with New York's higher attorney fee expectations and the concentration of specialized plaintiff firms in the S.D.N.Y.
What's Included in a Settlement
Monetary payment is only part of a typical settlement agreement. Standard non-monetary terms include:
- Website remediation commitment — making the site WCAG 2.1 AA compliant, usually within 90–180 days
- Independent accessibility audit — a third-party audit to verify compliance
- Ongoing monitoring — periodic checks for 1–3 years
- Staff training — accessibility training for content creators and developers
- Accessibility statement — publishing a public accessibility policy
- Reporting requirements — periodic compliance reports to plaintiff's counsel
These non-monetary obligations can exceed the cost of the settlement itself. A regional nonprofit that was hit with three nearly identical lawsuits within six months paid over $60,000 total in settlements and remediation. (Source: 216digital)
The Defense Cost: $50,000 to $100,000+
If you choose to fight rather than settle, defense costs escalate rapidly:
| Cost Component | Range |
|---|---|
| Defendant's legal fees | $25,000–$75,000+ |
| Plaintiff's attorney fees (if you lose) | $5,000–$50,000 |
| Expert witnesses | $5,000–$20,000 |
| Discovery and depositions | $10,000–$30,000 |
| Total defense cost | $50,000–$100,000+ |
This does not include the settlement or judgment amount, remediation costs, or ongoing compliance obligations. (Source: Accessible.org, 216digital)
The economics are why most businesses settle. Fighting a $10,000 claim costs $50,000+ in legal fees — even if you win.
How Fast Do Cases Resolve?
From our CourtListener analysis of 2025 S.D.N.Y. filings, the timeline for most ADA website cases is remarkably short:
| Case | Filed | Terminated | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucker v. White Space Group NY LLC | Jan 3, 2025 | Apr 18, 2025 | 3.5 months |
| Trippett v. Rubys Midtown, LLC | Jan 16, 2025 | Mar 24, 2025 | 2.3 months |
| Zhang v. Nudie Jeans, Inc. | Jan 17, 2025 | May 9, 2025 | 3.8 months |
| Sumlin v. Heyday Wellness, LLC | Jan 24, 2025 | May 23, 2025 | 4.0 months |
| Murphy v. Luar LLC | Jan 30, 2025 | Jul 1, 2025 | 5.1 months |
Source: CourtListener RECAP Archive
Most cases terminate within 2 to 5 months via settlement or consent decree. Cases filed in January 2025 in the S.D.N.Y. were overwhelmingly resolved by mid-year.
The typical consent decree language: "This Consent Decree is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by Defendants of any of the allegations." The defendant agrees to remediate, pay fees, and the case closes.
Consent Decrees: What Courts Order
When cases result in consent decrees rather than simple settlements, the terms are more specific. In Hippe v. Favorite Daughter Holdings, LLC (E.D. Wisconsin, 2025), the court ordered:
- The defendant must "bring its website into full compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA within 180 days"
- $1.00 in nominal damages awarded to the plaintiff
- Attorney's fees paid separately
The nominal damages are misleading — the real cost is the court-ordered remediation and the ongoing compliance obligations. (Source: CourtListener)
Default Judgments: What Happens If You Ignore It
Our CourtListener search for "website" + "ada" + "default judgment" in 2025 returned cases where defendants simply didn't respond. Default judgments typically include:
- Injunctive relief — court-ordered remediation with specific deadlines
- Attorney's fees — awarded to the plaintiff
- Potential damages — at the court's discretion
Ignoring the lawsuit is the most expensive option. You lose by default, pay fees, and face court-ordered compliance under penalty of contempt.
Motions to Dismiss: Your Odds
Our CourtListener search for "website accessibility" + "motion to dismiss" + "granted" found a limited number of successful dismissals in 2025, primarily in New York federal courts where judges have begun scrutinizing serial filers' standing (see our article on who files these lawsuits).
The practical win rate for defendants who fight on the merits is low. ADA Title III doesn't require proving intentional discrimination — only that barriers exist. If your website has detectable WCAG violations, the plaintiff's case is straightforward.
Repeat Targeting: The Compounding Cost
Getting sued once increases your risk of being sued again. In 2025, 1,427 cases (45% of federal filings) targeted companies that had already been sued before. (Source: UsableNet)
Why? Plaintiff firms track settlements. A company that settled once and didn't fully remediate is an easy target for a new plaintiff. Different plaintiff — same website barriers — new lawsuit.
One documented example: a regional nonprofit was hit with three nearly identical lawsuits within six months, paying over $60,000 total.
The Full Cost Picture
Here's the realistic cost breakdown for a typical mid-size business:
| Scenario | Estimated Total Cost |
|---|---|
| Settle at demand letter stage | $3,000–$10,000 |
| Settle after complaint filed | $10,000–$25,000 + remediation ($5,000–$50,000) |
| Fight and lose | $50,000–$150,000+ |
| Ignore (default judgment) | $75,000+ plus contempt risk |
| Proactive compliance | $5,000–$30,000 (audit + remediation) |
The cheapest option is making your website accessible before you get sued. An accessibility audit costs $2,000–$10,000 depending on site complexity. Remediation costs $5,000–$50,000 depending on the scope. Combined, that's a fraction of even the cheapest lawsuit resolution.
For a step-by-step response plan if you've already received a demand letter, see our ADA demand letter guide.
The Big Settlements
While most cases settle for modest amounts, some reach six or seven figures:
- Target Corporation: $6 million settlement + $3.7 million in legal costs in a class action brought by the National Federation of the Blind. (Source: DRA Legal)
- California web accessibility class action (2025): $5.15 million settlement. (Source: AudioEye)
- FTC v. AccessiBe (2025): $1 million fine for deceptive compliance claims. (Source: FTC)
These are outliers, but they demonstrate the upper bound of exposure for large companies or class actions.
The Bottom Line
| Stage | Cost to Settle | Cost to Fight |
|---|---|---|
| Demand letter | $3,000–$10,000 | N/A |
| Filed complaint | $10,000–$25,000 | $50,000–$100,000+ |
| Post-discovery | $25,000–$50,000 | $75,000–$150,000+ |
The math overwhelmingly favors proactive compliance over reactive litigation. A $10,000 accessibility audit and $20,000 remediation project costs less than the cheapest lawsuit settlement — and prevents the next five lawsuits from being filed.
For WordPress and Shopify sites, tools like Woffy can get you to ADA compliance quickly by fixing your source code automatically — often for less than the cost of a single demand letter settlement. Run a free accessibility scan to see where your site stands before a plaintiff's attorney does.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a typical ADA website lawsuit settlement cost?
Most ADA website lawsuits settle for $5,000 to $20,000 for individual cases. Small businesses often settle for under $5,000 at the demand letter stage. Mid-size businesses typically pay $10,000 to $25,000. The total cost including attorney fees and remediation can range from $9,500 to $40,000.
Can I fight an ADA website lawsuit instead of settling?
You can, but defense costs typically range from $50,000 to $100,000+ in attorney fees alone. The defense win rate is low because ADA Title III only requires proving that accessibility barriers exist — not that the defendant intended to discriminate.
How long does an ADA website lawsuit take to resolve?
Most cases settle within 2 to 5 months. Our analysis of S.D.N.Y. cases filed in January 2025 showed all were resolved by mid-year, typically via settlement or consent decree.
Sources: Accessible.org, 216digital, AudioEye, EcomBack 2025 Mid-Year Report, UsableNet 2025 Report, CourtListener RECAP Archive