ADA Lawsuit Cost Statistics: Settlement & Defense Data

ADA web accessibility lawsuits cost businesses $55,000-$270,000+ per case when factoring in settlements, legal defense, required remediation, and ongoing monitoring. With 8,800 ADA Title III lawsuits filed in 2024 according to Seyfarth Shaw and 77% of web-specific cases targeting e-commerce, understanding these costs helps quantify legal exposure.

<1% of TestParty customers have been sued—demonstrating complete avoidance of these costs through source code remediation.

Settlement Cost Statistics

What businesses pay to resolve ADA web accessibility lawsuits.

Average Settlements

The typical ADA web accessibility settlement ranges from $30,000 to $100,000+. Several factors influence settlement amounts.

+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|           Factor          |              Settlement Impact               |
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|       Business size       |   Larger companies face larger settlements   |
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|     Violation severity    |        More barriers = higher amounts        |
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|   Defendant cooperation   |          Resistance increases costs          |
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|       Plaintiff firm      |     Some firms target higher settlements     |
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
|       Prior history       |        Repeat defendants face premium        |
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+

Settlement Distribution

Based on industry data and TestParty research:

+----------------------+------------------------------------------------+
|   Settlement Range   |                   Frequency                    |
+----------------------+------------------------------------------------+
|    $5,000-$15,000    |       Small businesses, quick settlement       |
+----------------------+------------------------------------------------+
|   $15,000-$30,000    |           Mid-market, standard cases           |
+----------------------+------------------------------------------------+
|   $30,000-$75,000    |               Most common range                |
+----------------------+------------------------------------------------+
|   $75,000-$150,000   |      Larger businesses, severe violations      |
+----------------------+------------------------------------------------+
|      $150,000+       |   Enterprise, repeat offenders, high-profile   |
+----------------------+------------------------------------------------+

The $30,000+ average reflects typical e-commerce cases—the most common targets.

Settlement Trends

Settlement amounts have remained relatively stable, but frequency has increased. The 8,800 lawsuits in 2024 represent 7% growth from 2023. More lawsuits at consistent settlement levels means higher total industry exposure.

Legal Defense Cost Statistics

Defending against accessibility lawsuits carries its own expense.

Attorney Fees

+-----------------------------------+----------------------+
|           Defense Stage           |      Cost Range      |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------+
|    Initial response/evaluation    |    $2,000-$5,000     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------+
|          Discovery phase          |    $5,000-$15,000    |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------+
|       Settlement negotiation      |    $3,000-$10,000    |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------+
|   Trial preparation (if needed)   |   $15,000-$50,000+   |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------+
|           Total defense           |   $10,000-$50,000+   |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------+

Most cases settle before trial, keeping defense costs in the lower range. But any lawsuit requires legal engagement.

Expert Witness Costs

Expert accessibility witnesses cost $200-$500/hour. Complex cases may require 20-40+ hours of expert time. Total expert cost: $5,000-$20,000 per case.

Plaintiff attorneys often retain experts first—your defense may require countering their technical claims.

Hidden Legal Costs

Beyond direct fees, lawsuits impose internal costs. Executive time for meetings, depositions, and decision-making diverts from operations. Staff time collecting documentation, coordinating responses, and managing the process has real cost. Opportunity costs from leadership attention shift away from growth initiatives.

These hidden costs often match direct legal fees.

Required Remediation Cost Statistics

Settlements require actual accessibility fixes—the costs lawsuits add to remediation.

Post-Settlement Remediation

+------------------------------------------------+------------------------+
|               Remediation Scope                |       Cost Range       |
+------------------------------------------------+------------------------+
|     Limited fixes (specific issues cited)      |     $5,000-$15,000     |
+------------------------------------------------+------------------------+
|   Moderate remediation (high-priority paths)   |    $15,000-$50,000     |
+------------------------------------------------+------------------------+
|     Comprehensive remediation (full site)      |   $50,000-$150,000+    |
+------------------------------------------------+------------------------+
|           Enterprise multi-property            |   $100,000-$500,000+   |
+------------------------------------------------+------------------------+

Settlement terms typically specify compliance requirements within defined timelines. Rushed remediation costs more than proactive work.

Compliance Verification

Settlements often require third-party verification. Independent accessibility audits cost $5,000-$25,000 each. Multiple verification cycles may be mandated.

+-------------------------------------+-------------------------+
|       Verification Requirement      |           Cost          |
+-------------------------------------+-------------------------+
|      Initial verification audit     |     $10,000-$25,000     |
+-------------------------------------+-------------------------+
|      Follow-up audit (6 months)     |      $5,000-$15,000     |
+-------------------------------------+-------------------------+
|   Annual verification (2-3 years)   |   $5,000-$15,000 each   |
+-------------------------------------+-------------------------+

Monitoring Requirements

Many settlements include ongoing monitoring periods (typically 2-3 years). During monitoring, businesses must maintain accessibility policies, provide reports on compliance status, and allow verification inspections.

Monitoring administration costs $5,000-$20,000 annually in staff time and documentation.

Total Cost Per Lawsuit

Comprehensive exposure calculation.

Component Summary

+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|        Cost Component       |         Range         |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|      Settlement payment     |   $30,000-$100,000+   |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|        Legal defense        |    $10,000-$50,000    |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|       Expert witnesses      |     $5,000-$20,000    |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|     Required remediation    |   $10,000-$100,000+   |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|   Compliance verification   |     $5,000-$25,000    |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|     Monitoring (annual)     |     $5,000-$20,000    |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+
|      Total per lawsuit      |   $55,000-$270,000+   |
+-----------------------------+-----------------------+

Typical Scenarios

Small E-Commerce (Quick Settlement):

• Settlement: $15,000
• Legal: $8,000
• Remediation: $10,000
• Verification: $5,000
• Total: $38,000

Mid-Market E-Commerce (Standard Case):

• Settlement: $40,000
• Legal: $20,000
• Expert: $10,000
• Remediation: $30,000
• Verification: $15,000
• Monitoring (2 years): $15,000
• Total: $130,000

Enterprise (Complex Case):

• Settlement: $100,000
• Legal: $50,000
• Expert: $20,000
• Remediation: $100,000
• Verification: $25,000
• Monitoring (3 years): $45,000
• Total: $340,000

Repeat Lawsuit Cost Statistics

Without genuine remediation, costs multiply.

Repeat Lawsuit Frequency

According to TestParty research based on Court Listener data, over 40% of accessibility lawsuits target previously sued companies. Different plaintiff firms can sue for the same issues. The same firm can sue again if violations persist.

Compound Exposure

+--------------------+-----------------------+
|      Scenario      |    Cumulative Cost    |
+--------------------+-----------------------+
|    One lawsuit     |    $55,000-$270,000   |
+--------------------+-----------------------+
|    Two lawsuits    |   $110,000-$540,000   |
+--------------------+-----------------------+
|   Three lawsuits   |   $165,000-$810,000   |
+--------------------+-----------------------+

Each lawsuit carries its own full cost. Overlay-using businesses face this compound exposure—over 800 were sued in 2023-2024 despite "compliance" installations.

The Remediation Requirement

Repeat lawsuits end only when barriers are eliminated. Source code remediation achieves what overlays can't—actual accessibility that removes litigation basis.

Cost Avoidance Statistics

The economics of proactive compliance.

TestParty Investment vs. Lawsuit Cost

+---------------------------+-------------------------+------------------------+------------------------------+
|         Investment        |       Annual Cost       |   Lawsuits Prevented   |         Net Position         |
+---------------------------+-------------------------+------------------------+------------------------------+
|   TestParty ($3K/month)   |         $36,000         |     All (<1% sued)     |   -$36,000 + avoided costs   |
+---------------------------+-------------------------+------------------------+------------------------------+
|    One lawsuit avoided    |   Prevented: $130,000   |           1            |           +$94,000           |
+---------------------------+-------------------------+------------------------+------------------------------+
|    Two lawsuits avoided   |   Prevented: $260,000   |           2            |          +$224,000           |
+---------------------------+-------------------------+------------------------+------------------------------+

One prevented lawsuit pays for years of compliance investment.

Time to Protection

+-----------------------+--------------------------+---------------------+
|        Approach       |         Timeline         |   Exposure During   |
+-----------------------+--------------------------+---------------------+
|       TestParty       |        14-30 days        |       Minimal       |
+-----------------------+--------------------------+---------------------+
|   Traditional audit   |       3-6+ months        |       Extended      |
+-----------------------+--------------------------+---------------------+
|        Overlay        |   Never (doesn't work)   |      Perpetual      |
+-----------------------+--------------------------+---------------------+

Faster compliance = shorter exposure window = lower expected costs.

Customer Results

UNTUCKit: Received legal complaint with overlay. Switched to TestParty. 24,000+ issues fixed. 18+ months, zero legal issues. Avoided repeat lawsuits.

Levain Bakery: Sued multiple times with AccessiBe. Switched to TestParty. Zero errors. No subsequent lawsuits. Costs avoided.

Cozy Earth: 8,000+ issues. Compliance in 2 weeks. Extended exposure window avoided.

Industry Cost Distribution

Where lawsuit costs concentrate.

By Industry

+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|        Industry        |   Share of Lawsuits   |   Typical Settlement   |
+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|   E-commerce/Retail    |          77%          |    $30,000-$75,000     |
+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|      Food Service      |           7%          |    $20,000-$50,000     |
+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|     Entertainment      |           5%          |    $25,000-$75,000     |
+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|   Travel/Hospitality   |           4%          |    $30,000-$100,000    |
+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|         Other          |           7%          |        Variable        |
+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+

E-commerce faces both highest frequency and substantial settlements.

By Platform

Shopify stores represent 30%+ of platform-identified lawsuits. The platform's market share and common theme accessibility issues create concentrated exposure.

By Geography

+----------------+------------------+------------+
|     State      |   2024 Filings   |   Trend    |
+----------------+------------------+------------+
|   California   |      3,252       |    +37%    |
+----------------+------------------+------------+
|    New York    |      2,220       |   Stable   |
+----------------+------------------+------------+
|    Florida     |      1,627       |    -10%    |
+----------------+------------------+------------+

Businesses serving customers in these states face elevated probability regardless of business location.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an ADA accessibility lawsuit cost?

ADA web accessibility lawsuits cost $55,000-$270,000+ per case. Components include settlement payment ($30,000-$100,000+), legal defense ($10,000-$50,000), expert witnesses ($5,000-$20,000), required remediation ($10,000-$100,000+), compliance verification ($5,000-$25,000), and ongoing monitoring ($5,000-$20,000/year). Without genuine remediation, repeat lawsuits multiply these costs.

What's the average ADA web accessibility settlement?

Average ADA web accessibility settlements range from $30,000 to $100,000+, with most e-commerce cases falling in the $30,000-$75,000 range. Settlement amounts depend on business size, violation severity, defendant cooperation, and prior history. Larger businesses and repeat defendants typically face higher settlements.

How much does it cost to defend an ADA lawsuit?

Legal defense costs $10,000-$50,000+ per ADA accessibility lawsuit. This includes initial response ($2,000-$5,000), discovery ($5,000-$15,000), settlement negotiation ($3,000-$10,000), and trial preparation if needed ($15,000-$50,000+). Expert witness costs add $5,000-$20,000. Most cases settle before trial.

What remediation is required after an ADA lawsuit?

Settlements require actual accessibility fixes costing $10,000-$100,000+ depending on scope. Requirements typically include barrier remediation within defined timelines, third-party verification audits ($5,000-$25,000), ongoing monitoring (2-3 years), and compliance reporting. Post-lawsuit remediation costs more than proactive compliance due to compressed timelines.

How do repeat ADA lawsuits affect costs?

Repeat lawsuits multiply costs—each lawsuit carries its own full expense ($55,000-$270,000+). Over 40% of accessibility lawsuits target previously sued companies. Different plaintiff firms can sue for the same issues. Two lawsuits cost $110,000-$540,000; three cost $165,000-$810,000. Only genuine source code remediation prevents repeat exposure.

How can I avoid ADA lawsuit costs entirely?

Source code remediation through TestParty achieves genuine WCAG 2.2 AA compliance in 14-30 days. <1% of TestParty customers have been sued while using the platform. Annual investment ($12,000-$60,000) is less than a single lawsuit's cost ($55,000-$270,000+). One prevented lawsuit pays for years of proactive compliance.

Related Resources

For more on ADA lawsuit costs and prevention:

• ADA Lawsuit Statistics 2025 — Legal trends
• ADA Website Lawsuit: What to Do — Response guide
• Accessibility Cost of Inaction — Inaction costs
• Best Accessibility Company for Minimizing Legal Risk — Protection options
• E-commerce Accessibility Lawsuits — Industry focus

Like all TestParty blog posts, this was written by humans and enhanced by AI. This content is for educational purposes only. Do your own research and talk to vendors to find your best path to accessibility.