What Happens When You Get an ADA Demand Letter?

TL;DR: You have 30-60 days to respond. Option 1: Fix your site and document it ($3K-$8K). Option 2: Ignore it and get sued ($67K-$233K). Option 3: Settle and fix ($5K-$15K total). Don't panic, but don't ignore it.

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You just opened a letter claiming your website violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, and now you're wondering: "What the hell happens now?"

Here's exactly what happens when you get an ADA demand letter - and what you need to do in the next 30 days.

What Just Happened

You received a legal demand letter because:

1. Someone with a disability allegedly tried to use your website

Could be a blind user with a screen reader, a deaf user trying to watch your videos, or someone with mobility impairments who can't use a mouse.

2. They encountered barriers that prevented them from accessing your site

Missing alt text, no captions, forms that don't work with keyboards, poor color contrast, inaccessible navigation.

3. They hired a law firm to file a complaint

The law firm sent you this demand letter before filing a lawsuit, giving you a chance to fix it.

What the Letter Says

Most ADA demand letters include:

1. Who's Claiming Harm

• Name of the plaintiff (the disabled person)
• Description of their disability
• How your website prevented them from accessing your business

2. What Violations They Found

• Specific technical issues (missing alt text, poor contrast, inaccessible forms)
• Which pages have violations
• References to WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards (the legal benchmark)

3. What They Want

• Fix the violations within 30-60 days
• Often includes a settlement demand ($5,000-$15,000 to close the case)
• Agreement to ongoing monitoring

4. What Happens If You Don't Respond

• "We will file a federal lawsuit"
• References to potential damages and attorney fees
• Deadline for response (usually 30-60 days)

What Happens Next (Your Timeline)

Here's the timeline you're now on:

Day 1-7: Initial Reaction

What you're feeling: Panic, confusion, anger, disbelief.

What you should do:

• Don't ignore it (that makes it worse)
• Don't respond emotionally
• Read the letter carefully
• Verify it's legitimate (look up the law firm)

Day 7-14: Assessment

What you need to find out:

• Are the violations real?
• How serious are they?
• What will it cost to fix?

How to find out:

• Run an accessibility scan of your website
• Get quotes from accessibility consultants
• Understand the scope of work needed

Day 14-30: Decision Time

You have three main options. Choose wisely.

Week 4-8: Action

Depending on your choice:

• Option A: Fix violations, document, respond to letter
• Option B: Ignore letter, wait for lawsuit (bad idea)
• Option C: Negotiate settlement while fixing

Week 8-12: Resolution (If You Act)

If you fixed the violations and responded:

• Some firms close the case (no settlement needed)
• Some request small settlement ($2K-$5K) to close
• You move on with your life

If you ignored it:

• Federal lawsuit gets filed
• You're now in litigation hell for 6-18 months
• Costs escalate to $67K-$233K

Your Three Options (And What They Cost)

Option A: Fix It and Respond (Smart)

What you do:

1. Run accessibility scan
2. Hire consultant to fix violations
3. Document all remediation work
4. Respond to letter showing good faith compliance

Cost:

• Accessibility fixes: $2,000-$8,000
• Possible small settlement: $0-$5,000
• Total: $2,000-$13,000

Outcome:

• Case likely closes
• Your site is now compliant
• You move on in 4-6 weeks

Pros:

• Cheapest option
• Fastest resolution
• No public lawsuit
• Actually makes your site better

Cons:

• Feels like giving in
• Still costs money

Option B: Ignore It (Very Expensive Mistake)

What you do:

• Nothing
• Hope it goes away

Cost:

• Federal lawsuit: Coming soon
• Legal defense: $30,000-$80,000
• Settlement: $10,000-$75,000
• Their attorney fees: $15,000-$40,000
• Monitoring (2-3 years): $10,000-$30,000
• Fix violations anyway: $2,000-$8,000
• Total: $67,000-$233,000

Outcome:

• Federal lawsuit filed (public record)
• 6-18 months of litigation
• Eventually settle or lose in court
• Still have to fix your site
• Way more expensive

Pros:

• None

Cons:

• Everything

Option C: Negotiate Settlement While Fixing (Middle Ground)

What you do:

1. Contact the law firm
2. Offer to fix violations + pay small settlement to close case
3. Get agreement in writing
4. Fix violations
5. Close case

Cost:

• Accessibility fixes: $2,000-$8,000
• Settlement: $5,000-$15,000
• Total: $7,000-$23,000

Outcome:

• Case closes quickly
• No lawsuit filed
• Your site gets fixed

Pros:

• Avoids litigation
• Closes case cleanly
• Faster than Option A sometimes

Cons:

• More expensive than just fixing it
• Feels like paying ransom

What Most Businesses Do Wrong

Mistake #1: They ignore it hoping it goes away

It doesn't. They file a lawsuit. Now you're dealing with federal litigation.

Mistake #2: They install an "accessibility overlay" and think they're done

Overlay plugins don't actually fix accessibility issues. Courts know this. You'll still get sued.

Mistake #3: They respond aggressively trying to fight it

Unless you have a strong legal defense (you probably don't), fighting escalates costs without improving your outcome.

Mistake #4: They hire a lawyer before fixing the technical issues

You need both - a lawyer to handle legal response and a consultant to fix your site. Start with the technical fixes.

Mistake #5: They panic and agree to unreasonable terms

Don't agree to 5 years of monitoring or $50K settlements without understanding what's actually wrong with your site first.

What You Should Actually Do

Step 1: Verify the letter is legitimate (Day 1-3)

• Look up the law firm online
• Confirm they practice accessibility law
• Verify the letter is actually from them

Step 2: Find out what's actually wrong (Day 3-7)

• Run a free accessibility scan
• Identify the violations they're claiming
• Understand the scope of fixes needed

Step 3: Get quotes for fixing it (Day 7-14)

• Contact accessibility consultants
• Get estimates for remediation
• Understand the timeline (usually 5-10 business days)

Step 4: Start fixing the violations (Day 14-21)

• Hire someone who knows accessibility (not just an overlay)
• Fix the underlying code issues
• Document everything you fix

Step 5: Respond to the letter (Day 21-30)

• Show what you've fixed
• Demonstrate good faith effort
• Offer to continue remediation if more work is needed

Step 6: Negotiate if needed (Day 30-45)

• If they want a settlement to close the case, negotiate
• Small settlements ($2K-$5K) are sometimes worth it to avoid risk
• Get the agreement in writing

What Happens to Your Business Reputation?

If you fix it proactively:

• No public record
• No lawsuit
• Case closes quietly
• Customers never know

If you get sued:

• Public federal court records
• Anyone can Google your business and see the lawsuit
• "Business sued for disability discrimination"
• Harder to recover from reputationally

The Bottom Line

What happens when you get an ADA demand letter?

You have 30-60 days to choose:

• Fix it: $2K-$13K, done in 4-6 weeks, no lawsuit
• Ignore it: $67K-$233K, 6-18 months of litigation, public record, still have to fix it

The letter is your warning shot. It's your cheapest option to resolve this.

Don't let panic, pride, or procrastination turn this into a federal case.

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Scan your website now - See what violations they're claiming (free, takes 30 seconds)

Then get them fixed in the next 30 days.