ADA Website Lawsuit: Statutory Amounts Behind Settlement Demands
There is no official schedule of ADA website lawsuit settlement amounts, and this page does not predict one. It adds up only what statutes fix: federal ADA Title III gives a private plaintiff an injunction and attorney's fees but no money damages, California's Unruh Act sets a minimum of $4,000 per offense, and Justice Department civil penalties are capped at $118,225 for a first violation. Fees and remediation costs are figures you enter.
An ADA website lawsuit is a claim that a business website is not accessible to people with disabilities, usually brought under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and, in California, the Unruh Civil Rights Act. No statute sets ADA website lawsuit settlement amounts. What the law does fix is narrower: which remedies exist, one minimum damages figure in California, and caps on government penalties.
ADA Lawsuit Settlement Amounts: What the Statutes Actually Fix
| Law | Who can claim | Amount fixed by law |
|---|---|---|
| ADA Title III, 42 U.S.C. 12188(a) | Private plaintiff | No money damages; injunctive relief |
| ADA, 42 U.S.C. 12205 | Prevailing party | A reasonable attorney's fee, litigation expenses and costs, at the court's discretion |
| California Civil Code 52(a) (Unruh Act) | Person denied rights under Section 51 | Actual damages, up to three times actual damages, and no less than $4,000 for each offense, plus attorney's fees |
| ADA Title III, 42 U.S.C. 12188(b); 28 CFR 85.5 | Attorney General only | Civil penalty up to $118,225 for a first violation and $236,451 for a subsequent violation (penalties assessed after July 3, 2025) |
Worked Example
A California claim alleges two offenses under the Unruh Act. The statutory minimum is 2 x $4,000 = $8,000. If the demand letter claims $6,000 in attorney's fees, your lawyer quotes $5,000 and a developer quotes $9,000 to fix the site, the calculator shows $8,000 fixed by statute and $28,000 in total. Change the claim to a federal Title III claim only and the statutory damages line becomes $0: the total is the $20,000 of fees and remediation you entered.
Why California Claims Carry Statutory Damages
Federal Title III gives a private plaintiff the remedies of 42 U.S.C. 2000a-3(a), which means a court order to fix the barrier rather than damages. California's Civil Code Section 51(f) provides that a violation of an individual's rights under the ADA is also a violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act, and Section 52(a) makes the defendant liable "for each and every offense" for actual damages, up to three times that amount, "but in no case less than four thousand dollars". That is why a claim framed under both laws carries a per-offense minimum while the same claim under federal law alone does not.
Government Penalties Are a Separate Track
In a case brought by the Attorney General a court may assess a civil penalty to vindicate the public interest. The statute's original figures of $50,000 and $100,000 are adjusted for inflation; the current maximums in 28 CFR 85.5 are $118,225 for a first violation and $236,451 for any subsequent violation. Several discriminatory acts found in a single action count as one violation, and the court must consider the business's good-faith efforts to comply.
Source and Disclaimer
This page gives statutory figures and adds your own cost inputs. It is not legal advice and it does not estimate what any case will settle for, what a court will award, or how many offenses a court would find. State laws other than California's are not covered. Speak to a lawyer licensed in your state before responding to a demand letter.
Sources: 42 U.S.C. 12188; 42 U.S.C. 12205; 28 CFR 85.5, Table 1; California Civil Code 52 and 51. Last updated: October 2026.