ADA Website Lawsuits: A Familiar Pattern Playing Out Across the US

Aug 19 2025

From nonprofits to mom-and-pops, digital accessibility lawsuits continue to climb.

The Debate Around Digital Accessibility Lawsuits

Digital accessibility is essential. Everyone deserves the ability to access information, shop online, or use services regardless of disability. Making websites accessible isn’t just good practice — it’s a matter of equal rights.

However, there is an ongoing debate. While lawsuits have played a role in driving compliance, some believe the current wave of litigation is being used more for profit than for the greater good. Others argue that without lawsuits, many businesses would never prioritize accessibility at all.

The St. Louis Experience

This tension is playing out across the country, including in Missouri. In St. Louis Magazine, https://www.stlmag.com/news/ada-website-compliance-restaurants/ (opens in a new window) journalist Sarah Fenske described how local businesses are being swept up in website accessibility cases. One story she highlighted was that of Kevin Nashan, James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Sidney Street Café and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab. Nashan said the letter he received from an attorney “felt like a shakedown.”

The Kansas City-based attorney behind it, Kevin Puckett, has filed at least 70 similar lawsuits—28 in St. Louis in the past year alone—on behalf of the same plaintiff. Restaurants, grocers, cannabis dispensaries, and even urgent care centers have been targeted.

Jack McElaney, publisher of Accessibility in the News https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackmcelaneya11yinthenews/ (opens in a new window), highlighted part of the St. Louis Magazine article on LinkedIn, quoting:

“It is seldom good news when your business hears from a lawyer you don’t know, and so it was for Kevin Nashan this past spring… The letter claimed the man had been unable to use the website for one of Nashan’s restaurants because it was not compatible with screen access software, and that made it incompatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

A National Pattern

Whether large or small, many businesses are finding themselves in the same position, forced to choose between costly litigation or settlement.

And the pattern is not unique to Missouri. Hundreds of ADA website lawsuits are filed nationally every month, and July 2025 was no exception. From the 93 cases published on Accessibility.com that month, there were 35 unique plaintiffs. Out of those, 20 filed more than one lawsuit, meaning over half of the cases came from repeat filers, each suing multiple companies.

No Type of Organization Is Safe

• Repeat defendants: In July 2025, Weee! Inc., America’s largest online Asian grocery platform, was sued in Illinois for website accessibility barriers. It wasn’t the company’s first time — Weee! was also sued in New York back in 2020.

• Nonprofits: Even mission-driven organizations can be drawn in. The United States Fund for UNICEF faced a lawsuit in New York that same month over accessibility issues on its website.

• Education sector: Both Thinking LSAT (lsatdemon.com) and TestMax, Inc. (testmaxprep.com) were sued in July by the same complainant, showing that online learning providers are not exempt.

• Well-known brands: The luxury marketplace 1stdibs.com has also faced accessibility lawsuits.

• Small businesses: Even local cafés like Rosetta Bakery have been pulled into court.

What This Means for Businesses

These examples highlight the breadth of the issue, leaving businesses everywhere exposed. The best path forward is not to wait, but to take steps now. Perfection may be out of reach, but working toward digital compliance both strengthens accessibility for all users and reduces the risk of costly legal action.

Our solution at AAAtraq helps businesses identify and fix accessibility issues, so you can demonstrate progress and reduce risk. Start with a free check of your website today at https://aaatraq.com/check/ (opens in a new window) to see where you stand and begin your journey towards digital compliance, peace of mind, and protection.