Received an ADA website demand letter or lawsuit? What to do first

The first 48 hours

1. Read it closely and note any deadline. Write down the date you received it, who sent it, which web addresses and problems it names, and what it asks for.
2. Do not ignore it. Silence does not make the claim go away, and deadlines in a letter or court papers matter.
3. Do not reply, pay or sign anything yet. Statements made early can affect your position. Let an attorney respond.
4. Call an attorney who handles ADA or accessibility matters. Some insurance policies cover this kind of claim; check yours and tell the insurer promptly if it might.
5. Preserve records. Keep the letter, the envelope or email headers, your site's current state, and any earlier accessibility work. Do not delete pages or old content.

In parallel: look at the site

Test the exact pages the letter names. A free scan shows which automated problems exist today, and a hand check catches keyboard and zoom issues scanners miss. Compare what you find with what the letter alleges. Letters are sometimes generic, and your attorney will want an accurate picture of what is and is not present.

Then fix what blocks people first: forms that cannot be completed by keyboard, unlabeled buttons, checkout steps that trap focus, images without descriptions. Our fix guides cover the common ones. Save dated scan results before and after each round of changes so the record shows steady, documented progress.

What the law generally provides

Under ADA Title III, a private person who sues can generally ask a court for an order requiring changes (injunctive relief) and, if they prevail, to recover attorney's fees. See 42 U.S.C. 12188 and 42 U.S.C. 12205. The statute does not give private plaintiffs money damages under Title III, but some state laws add monetary remedies, which is one reason state and local law matters. The Attorney General can seek civil penalties in actions the government brings. Your attorney can tell you how these apply where you operate.

What not to rely on

• An overlay or widget added overnight. It may not fix underlying problems and does not remove the need for real fixes. The FTC took action in 2025 against a vendor over claims that its AI tool could bring any site into line with WCAG. See accessibility overlays explained.
• A clean automated scan alone. Scanners find a subset of issues.
• Any claim that a tool or badge provides legal protection, which no tool can promise.

What a demand letter usually contains

A demand letter is a written claim sent before a lawsuit. Letters differ, but most include the same parts, and knowing them helps you read yours calmly.

• The sender and who they represent. A law firm, or an individual, usually naming a person who says they could not use your site.
• The pages or features named. Some letters list specific web addresses; others only say “your website.”
• The alleged problems. These may be described in general terms, such as “lack of alt text,” or tied to WCAG success criteria.
• The legal basis. Typically the ADA, and sometimes a state law that adds its own remedies.
• What they ask for. Usually changes to the site, an agreement to fix problems by a date, and payment of fees or a settlement amount.
• A deadline. Often short. Note it, and tell your attorney immediately.

Vague letters and detailed letters call for the same first steps. A detailed letter gives your attorney more to respond to. A vague one often means the sender has not tested your site closely, which is one more reason to test it yourself.

Questions to ask the attorney you hire

• How many accessibility cases have you handled, and how did they usually resolve?
• Does the claim fit the law where we operate, including any state law?
• What should we change on the site while this is open, and what should we avoid doing?
• How should we document our fixes?
• What does the work cost, and does our insurance cover it?
• What do we say, and not say, to the sender, our customers and our staff?

Is it a real claim or a scam?

People searching this topic often ask whether such letters are scams. Some accessibility claims are genuine, some are sent in large numbers from templates, and some messages that look like legal demands are fraud. Treat all of them carefully.

• Check the sender. Look up the law firm and the attorney with the state bar. Use contact details you find yourself, not the ones in the message.
• Do not click links or open attachments in a message you cannot verify.
• Never pay quickly because of a threat, and never pay by gift card, wire or cryptocurrency.
• Be wary of vendors who appear right after a letter and promise an instant fix.

Even a letter that turns out to be a template is useful information: it prompts you to test your own pages.

Preparing a record of your work

Whatever your attorney decides, a well-organized record helps them and you. Collect it while you work on fixes so you are not reconstructing it later.

A rough 30-day plan

This is a general outline, not a legal strategy. Your attorney may change the order or advise waiting on some steps.

State laws and why location matters

The federal ADA is one source of claims. Some states have their own civil rights laws that apply to businesses and, in some cases, allow monetary remedies that the federal law does not give private plaintiffs. California's Unruh Civil Rights Act is a commonly cited example. If you serve customers in more than one state, ask your attorney which laws may be relevant.

Insurance and your own policies

Check your business insurance and ask your agent whether accessibility claims are covered or excluded. Policies vary, and notice requirements can be strict. Do this early, before you reply to the letter or spend money on a settlement.

How to reduce the chance of the next letter

1. Test the pages customers use most, and keep testing on a schedule. The ADA website compliance checklist lays out a routine.
2. Fix issues that stop tasks first: keyboard use, forms, checkout.
3. Publish an accessibility statement that gives a real way to reach a person, and answer messages quickly.
4. Ask platform and app vendors about their accessibility.
5. Keep records of your work.

None of this removes all risk, and no one can promise that it will. It does mean real barriers get found and fixed, which is the point of the law.

If a lawsuit is filed

A lawsuit starts when a complaint is filed in court and served on you. In federal court a defendant generally has 21 days after service to respond, so get an attorney the day you are served. Do not ignore court papers: failing to respond can lead to a default judgment against you.

Many accessibility cases end with an agreement rather than a trial. If you reach one, ask your attorney what it commits you to, for how long and how compliance will be checked.

What settlements often include

Terms vary widely, and nothing here predicts your case. Agreements in this area commonly address a few topics, and it helps to know them before a conversation starts.

• Remediation: a commitment to bring named pages or the whole site to a stated standard, often WCAG 2.1 AA, by a date.
• Testing and reporting: who will test, how often and what must be shared.
• Policy and training: an accessibility statement and staff training.
• Payment: fees or a settlement amount.

Turning common allegations into fixes

Whatever the legal outcome, the underlying problems are technical and fixable. This table links the allegations that appear most often to the guides that explain the fix.

Talking to your team and customers

Decide with your attorney who speaks for the business. Keep internal messages factual, avoid guessing about fault, and focus staff on the practical task: fixing real barriers. If customers ask, a short, calm reply such as "we are reviewing our site and welcome feedback at this address" is accurate and keeps the door open. Avoid public statements about the claim until your attorney agrees.

Questions to ask a lawyer

1. Is this sender known, and what has happened to similar letters?
2. Is there a basis for the claim in my state and circuit?
3. Do I respond, and if so, what should the response say and not say?
4. Should I fix the site while the matter is open, and how do I document the work?
5. What are my insurance options, if any? Some business policies cover legal costs for claims like this, so check yours.

Keep copies of everything: the letter, the envelope or email, the dates you received them and any contact with the sender. If your site changes while the matter is open, keep dated records of what was changed and by whom.

Take care of the people involved, too. Receiving a legal letter is stressful, especially for a small business owner. Share it with someone you trust, write down your questions and take the steps in the order above. Most of the work is practical, and you do not have to do it all in a day.

After the immediate problem

Whatever happens with the letter, the useful work is the same: fix the barriers, publish an accessibility statement with a working contact route, and set up a regular recheck. The ADA website compliance checklist lays out that routine.