ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuits Report August 2026
-
Lawsuits
Total filings
279
Up 6.49% from 262 filings in July 2026.
-
Platforms
Shopify share
47.67%
133 lawsuits, nearly half of all filings.
-
Widgets
Widget related
27.60%
77 of 279 lawsuits involved accessibility widgets.
This is the Ecomback ADA website lawsuit report for August 2026. August brought 279 new website lawsuits, up 6.49% from July, from 262 filings in July 2026. That's roughly nine new lawsuits every single day. Nine months in, the pace is not slowing — it is compounding. And they came from almost nowhere. Five states produced 95% of every filing. 78 plaintiffs filed in August. 12 of them filed more than half. Michael Sandoval alone filed 26 lawsuits in 31 days. On the firm side, 12 firms accounted for 82% of everything filed. Manning Law filed 74 lawsuits, more than one in four. Two industries carried 72% of the risk between them. Seven consumer industries accounted for 95% of all filings. Nearly half of all August filings hit Shopify stores, 133 lawsuits. No platform makes a store compliant on its own. The site owner carries the obligation. 27.6% of August's 279 lawsuits were filed against websites that were already running an accessibility widget. Overlays and toolbars sit on top of the problem. Plaintiffs test the experience underneath. And in California, accessibility is no longer the only script risk. 51 CIPA privacy filings, two-thirds of the state's ADA volume. Five firms handled 82% of them. One brand was named in two accessibility actions weeks apart in two courts. It had already been remediated. A one-time fix is not a guarantee. Every change can quietly reintroduce a barrier that was already fixed. Compliance drifts in months when nobody is checking. Accessibility is a program, not a project. Ecomback quarterly audits keep your site compliant as it changes. Book your free audit at calendly.com/ecomback.
August 2026 ADA Website Lawsuit Summary
-
ADA Lawsuits Overview — August 2026
ADA website accessibility lawsuits increased 6.49% in August 2026, with 279 filings, up from 262 in July. Businesses faced an average of 9 new lawsuits per day throughout the month.
-
Five States Accounted for 95.34% of Lawsuits
ADA website lawsuits remained highly concentrated across a small number of jurisdictions, with California leading all states, followed by New York, Florida, Illinois, and Minnesota. Together, these five states accounted for 266 of the 279 lawsuits (95.34%) filed in August 2026.
-
Plaintiffs and Law Firms
Only 12 plaintiffs filed over 51% of all ADA website lawsuits in August 2026, and just 12 law firms filed over 82% of all filings, highlighting the continued concentration of ADA website litigation among a limited number of plaintiffs and law firms.
-
Industry Spotlight
Only 7 industries accounted for more than 95% of ADA website lawsuits in August 2026, indicating that accessibility-related litigation continued to be concentrated among a limited number of major business sectors.
-
Platform-specific Lawsuits
Shopify remained the most targeted platform in August 2026, accounting for nearly half of all ADA website lawsuits, highlighting its continued presence among platforms involved in accessibility-related litigation.
-
Widget-related Lawsuits
27.60% of ADA website lawsuits in August 2026 involved accessibility widgets, with 77 out of 279 total lawsuits filed against websites using accessibility widgets. This marks a slight increase compared to July 2026, when widget-related lawsuits accounted for 25.19% of total filings.
ADA Website Lawsuits Filed Each Month: January–August 2026
Monthly totals from EcomBack's published lawsuit reports. August's 279 filings is the second-highest month of the year, after June (286).
Total Federal and State Court ADA Website Lawsuits for August 2026
State Wise - Total ADA Lawsuits Filed in August 2026
Key summary points
- California led ADA website litigation in August 2026 with 78 lawsuits (27.96%), the highest of any state among all 279 ADA website lawsuits filed during the month.
- New York ranked second with 76 lawsuits (27.24%), followed by Florida with 71 lawsuits (25.45%). Together, these three states accounted for 225 lawsuits (80.65%) of all August 2026 filings.
- Illinois recorded 26 lawsuits (9.32%), while Minnesota accounted for 15 lawsuits (5.38%), showing continued but smaller filing activity compared to the leading states.
- All other states combined accounted for 13 lawsuits (4.66%), indicating that ADA website litigation remained highly concentrated among a limited number of jurisdictions.
12 Plaintiffs Filed Over 51% of ADA Lawsuits in August 2026
| Sr. No | Plaintiff Name | Firm Name | Aug | Percentage | Jan - Jul |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Sandoval | Manning Law, APC | 26 | 9.32% | 202 |
| 2 | Julie Dalton | Throndset Michenfelder, LLC | 15 | 5.38% | 113 |
| 3 | Washington Benavides Moran | Gottlieb & Associates | 14 | 5.02% | 6 |
| 4 | Perla Mageno | Manning Law, APC | 13 | 4.66% | 81 |
| 5 | Willie Macon | ADA Legal Team, LLC | 12 | 4.30% | 13 |
| 6 | Jesus Torres | Manning Law, APC | 11 | 3.94% | 63 |
| 7 | Biglang-Awa-Castro Sheila | Manning Law, APC | 11 | 3.94% | 36 |
| 8 | Nelson Fernandez | Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A. | 11 | 3.94% | 20 |
| 9 | Erika Randolph | Horowitz Law, PLLC | 9 | 3.23% | 12 |
| 10 | Sylinia Jackson | Gottlieb & Associates | 8 | 2.87% | 8 |
| 11 | Roberto Fernando Jimenez Arroyo | Usher Law Group, P.C. | 8 | 2.87% | 5 |
| 12 | Nestor A Proveyer | Adams & Associates, P.A. | 6 | 2.15% | 51 |
| 12 Plaintiffs Filed 51.61% ADA Lawsuits in August 2026 | 144 | 51.61% | 610 | ||
| 66 Plaintiffs Collectively Filed 48.39% ADA Lawsuits in August 2026 | 135 | 48.39% | 1,976 | ||
| 78 Plaintiffs Filed 279 Website ADA Lawsuits in August 2026 | 279 | 100.00% | 2,586 | ||
-
80
Top 5 Plaintiffs
28.67%
of all August 2026 filings
-
130
Top 10 Plaintiffs
46.59%
of all August 2026 filings
-
181
Top 20 Plaintiffs
64.87%
of all August 2026 filings
-
251
Top 50 Plaintiffs
89.96%
of all August 2026 filings
Key summary points
- Out of 78 total plaintiffs, the top 12 plaintiffs accounted for 51.61% of all ADA website lawsuits filed in August 2026, collectively filing 144 of the 279 total lawsuits. The remaining 66 plaintiffs filed 135 lawsuits (48.39%), showing that a small group of repeat plaintiffs continued to drive more than half of August's ADA website litigation.
- Michael Sandoval was the leading plaintiff in August 2026, filing 26 lawsuits (9.32%). Julie Dalton ranked second with 15 lawsuits (5.38%), followed by Washington Benavides Moran with 14 lawsuits (5.02%). Together, these three plaintiffs accounted for 55 lawsuits (19.71%) of all ADA website lawsuits filed during the month.
- Perla Mageno ranked fourth with 13 lawsuits (4.66%), while Willie Macon filed 12 lawsuits (4.30%). Jesus Torres, Sheila Biglang-Awa-Castro, and Nelson Fernandez each filed 11 lawsuits (3.94%), while Erika Randolph contributed 9 lawsuits (3.23%).
- Manning Law, APC had the strongest representation among the top plaintiffs, with four plaintiffs, including Michael Sandoval, Perla Mageno, Jesus Torres, and Sheila Biglang-Awa-Castro. These four plaintiffs contributed 61 lawsuits (21.86%) to the month's total.
- Gottlieb & Associates represented Washington Benavides Moran and Sylinia Jackson, who together filed 22 lawsuits (7.89%). Other notable plaintiffs included Julie Dalton of Throndset Michenfelder, LLC with 15 lawsuits (5.38%), and Willie Macon of ADA Legal Team, LLC with 12 lawsuits (4.30%).
12 Law Firms Filed Over 82% of ADA Lawsuits in August 2026
| Sr. No | Plaintiff Firm Name | Aug | Percentage | Jan - Jul |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manning Law, APC | 74 | 26.52% | 457 |
| 2 | Gottlieb & Associates | 29 | 10.39% | 233 |
| 3 | Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A. | 22 | 7.89% | 83 |
| 4 | NYE Stirling, Hale & Miller, LLP | 20 | 7.17% | 67 |
| 5 | ADA Legal Team, LLC | 16 | 5.73% | 16 |
| 6 | Throndset Michenfelder, LLC | 15 | 5.38% | 129 |
| 7 | Joseph & Norinsberg, LLC | 11 | 3.94% | 88 |
| 8 | Horowitz Law, PLLC | 11 | 3.94% | 41 |
| 9 | Mizrahi Kroub LLP | 10 | 3.58% | 59 |
| 10 | Usher Law Group, P.C. | 8 | 2.87% | 5 |
| 11 | Adams & Associates, P.A. | 7 | 2.51% | 64 |
| 12 | Mendez Law Offices, PLLC | 7 | 2.51% | 48 |
| 12 Law Firms Filed 82.44% ADA Lawsuits in August 2026 | 230 | 82.44% | 1,290 | |
| 16 Law Firms Filed 17.56% ADA Lawsuits in August 2026 | 49 | 17.56% | 1,296 | |
| 28 Law Firms Collectively Filed 279 Lawsuits in August 2026 | 279 | 100% | 2,586 | |
-
161
Top 5 Plaintiff Firms
57.71%
of all August 2026 filings
-
216
Top 10 Plaintiff Firms
77.42%
of all August 2026 filings
-
247
Top 15 Plaintiff Firms
88.53%
of all August 2026 filings
-
74
Manning Law, APC
26.52%
of all August 2026 filings
Key summary points
- Out of 28 law firms, the top 12 firms filed 230 of the 279 ADA website lawsuits (82.44%) in August 2026, while the remaining 16 firms accounted for 49 lawsuits (17.56%), showing continued concentration of ADA website litigation among a small group of law firms.
- Manning Law, APC remained the leading plaintiff firm in August 2026, filing 74 lawsuits (26.52%). Gottlieb & Associates ranked second with 29 lawsuits (10.39%), followed by Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A. with 22 lawsuits (7.89%).
- NYE Stirling, Hale & Miller, LLP and ADA Legal Team, LLC completed the top five firms with 20 lawsuits (7.17%) and 16 lawsuits (5.73%), respectively. Together, the top five firms accounted for 161 lawsuits (57.71%) of all August filings.
- Throndset Michenfelder, LLC filed 15 lawsuits (5.38%), followed by Joseph & Norinsberg, LLC and Horowitz Law, PLLC with 11 lawsuits each (3.94%), completing the top eight firms responsible for more than 70% of August filings.
- The concentration remained high among leading firms, with the top 10 plaintiff firms accounting for 216 lawsuits (77.42%) and the top 15 firms accounting for 247 lawsuits (88.53%) of all ADA website lawsuits filed in August 2026. This highlights the continued dominance of a limited number of law firms in ADA website litigation.
7 Industries Faced Over 95% of Lawsuits in August 2026
| Sr. No | Industry Category | Aug | Percentage | Jan - Jul |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lifestyle, Fashion, Clothing & Apparel | 117 | 41.94% | 629 |
| 2 | Restaurant, Food, Drinks & Beverages | 84 | 30.11% | 700 |
| 3 | Health, Beauty & Wellness | 35 | 12.54% | 336 |
| 4 | Home, Furniture & Garden | 12 | 4.30% | 225 |
| 5 | Automotive, Tools & Equipment | 7 | 2.51% | 55 |
| 6 | Retail & Consumer Goods | 6 | 2.15% | 79 |
| 7 | Gifts, Toys & Hobbies | 5 | 1.79% | 40 |
| 7 Industries Faced 95.34% of Lawsuits in August 2026 | 266 | 95.34% | 2064 | |
| 7 Industries Faced 4.66% of Lawsuits in August 2026 | 13 | 4.66% | 522 | |
| Total ADA Website Lawsuits by Industry in August 2026 | 279 | 100% | 2586 | |
Key summary points
- Industry Concentration: The top 7 industries accounted for 266 of the 279 ADA website lawsuits filed in August 2026, representing 95.34% of all filings. This highlights that ADA website litigation remained highly concentrated among a limited number of consumer-focused industries.
- Leading Industries: Lifestyle, Fashion, Clothing & Apparel was the most targeted industry with 117 lawsuits (41.94%), followed by Restaurant, Food, Drinks & Beverages with 84 lawsuits (30.11%). Together, these two industries accounted for 201 lawsuits (72.04%) of all August 2026 filings.
- Other Major Targets: Health, Beauty & Wellness ranked third with 35 lawsuits (12.54%), while Home, Furniture & Garden recorded 12 lawsuits (4.30%). These industries continued to face significant accessibility risks due to their strong reliance on digital commerce.
- Additional Industries: ADA website lawsuits were also filed against Automotive, Tools & Equipment (7 lawsuits, 2.51%), Retail & Consumer Goods (6 lawsuits, 2.15%), and Gifts, Toys & Hobbies (5 lawsuits, 1.79%), contributing to the overall concentration across major online business categories.
- Collectively, the top 4 industries accounted for 248 of the 279 lawsuits (88.89%) filed in August 2026, showing that accessibility litigation continued to impact a small group of high-volume consumer industries.
CIPA Website Lawsuits in August 2026
- Every script a website loads is now a potential legal exposure under California privacy law: a group of specialized California firms filing large numbers of near-identical claims against consumer-facing websites, backed by per-violation statutory damages. That is ADA website litigation. There is also, increasingly, privacy litigation under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), where statutory damages reach $5,000 per violation and plaintiffs argue that figure can be counted per website visitor.
- We tracked 51 CIPA website lawsuits filed in California in August 2026. For scale, California produced 78 ADA website lawsuits in the same month, so CIPA filings ran at roughly two-thirds the volume of the state's accessibility filings. As with ADA litigation, these cases were concentrated among a small group of firms and spread across a range of consumer-facing and technology-driven industries, confirming that CIPA exposure is not limited to a single type of website or business.
- The five most active plaintiffs collectively filed 12 of the 51 CIPA lawsuits (23.53%) in August 2026. Tommie Peterson and Miltita Casillas each filed 3 lawsuits (5.88%), while Alexander Del Salto, Dezanee Smith, and Monica Sanchez each filed 2 lawsuits (3.92%). The remaining plaintiffs accounted for 39 lawsuits (76.47%), showing that CIPA filings were distributed among a broader group of plaintiffs.
- CIPA lawsuits in August 2026 were concentrated across a few key industries, with Clothing and Fashion leading the filings. The top five industries accounted for 38 of the 51 lawsuits (74.5%), showing that exposure extends beyond online retail to sectors such as financial services and healthcare.
CIPA filings ran at roughly two-thirds the volume of the state's accessibility filings in August 2026.
-
Top 5 plaintiffs
12
23.53%
of 51 CIPA filings
-
Top 5 industries
38
74.5%
of 51 CIPA filings
5 Law Firms Handled Over 82% of CIPA Lawsuits in August 2026
CIPA lawsuits were more concentrated among law firms. Pacific Trial Attorneys handled the largest share of CIPA-related filings in August, followed by Potter Handy, LLP.
| Sr. No | Plaintiff Law Firm | Aug | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Trial Attorneys | 13 | 25.49% |
| 2 | Potter Handy, LLP | 11 | 21.57% |
| 3 | Bursor & Fisher, P.A. | 8 | 15.69% |
| 4 | Brodsky Smith | 6 | 11.76% |
| 5 | Tauler Smith LLP | 4 | 7.84% |
| 6 | Swigart Law Group, APC | 2 | 3.92% |
| 7 | Gutride Safier LLP | 2 | 4% |
| 8 | Other Law Firms | 5 | 9.80% |
| 5 Law Firms Handled 82.35% of CIPA Lawsuits in August 2026 | 42 | 82.35% | |
| Total CIPA Website Lawsuits in August 2026 | 51 | 100% | |
Key summary points
- Pacific Trial Attorneys was the leading law firm, handling 13 lawsuits (25.49%), the largest share of CIPA filings identified in August.
- Potter Handy, LLP ranked second with 11 lawsuits (21.57%), followed by Bursor & Fisher, P.A. with 8 lawsuits (15.69%). Together, these three firms handled 32 of the 51 CIPA lawsuits (62.75%).
- Brodsky Smith handled 6 lawsuits (11.76%), while Tauler Smith LLP handled 4 lawsuits (7.84%).
- Overall, the top five law firms accounted for 42 of 51 lawsuits (82.35%), demonstrating a high level of law-firm concentration in August 2026 CIPA litigation.
ADA Lawsuits Filed Against Website Platforms in August 2026
Website platforms play an important role in helping businesses build and manage their online presence. While platforms may provide built-in accessibility features and support third-party accessibility tools, ADA website accessibility lawsuits can still arise when accessibility is not properly addressed across the overall user experience.
Ultimately, website owners remain responsible for ensuring their websites are accessible. Accessibility tools can support remediation efforts, but they should not be treated as a complete solution. Maintaining accessibility requires proper implementation, regular testing, ongoing remediation, and continuous monitoring to ensure websites remain accessible to all users.
-
Shopify
133
47.67%
A widely used commerce platform that helps businesses launch, manage, and grow online stores, with flexible storefronts and tools for products, orders, and payments.
-
Custom Coded Websites
90
32.26%
Bespoke websites built with tailored code and functionality to meet specific business goals rather than relying on standard platforms.
-
WordPress
32
11.47%
A flexible content management system that powers many websites, offering themes, plugins, and integrations to help businesses build sites around their needs.
-
Wix
10
3.58%
A cloud-based commerce platform that helps businesses build, manage, optimize, and scale their online operations.
-
Squarespace
8
2.87%
A browser-based website builder that helps businesses create and manage websites without coding, using a visual editor with built-in hosting and design tools.
-
Magento
6
2.15%
A powerful commerce platform that helps businesses create and manage professional websites and online stores with flexible features and customization options.
Accessibility Widget Related Lawsuits in August 2026
Learn About EcomBack's ADA Compliance Program- 77 widget-related
- 202 other lawsuits
Remediated Once, Sued Twice: Why Web Accessibility is a Condition, Not a Checkbox
A case we saw this quarter captures a risk most online businesses underestimate. A consumer wellness company was hit with two separate accessibility lawsuits in quick succession — different plaintiffs, different law firms, nearly identical complaints. One was an individual claim in state court; the other, a proposed nationwide class action in federal court. Both pointed to the same familiar problems: images without alternative text, links and buttons with no clear descriptions, and obstacles that made it hard to find pricing and complete a purchase.
There was also a telling strategic move. In the state-court claim, the plaintiff capped her recovery at $74,999 — deliberately one dollar under the $75,000 threshold that would let the defendant push the case into federal court.
The federal class action wanted far more than code fixes, and its demands show how long these obligations now last: recurring automated and manual testing, staff training, a formal accessibility policy, revised customer-service procedures, and extended third-party monitoring.
The detail that matters most is that this business wasn't starting from zero. It had already invested in accessibility work — and got sued twice anyway. That's the real lesson. A one-time remediation is a snapshot, not a guarantee. Websites are living properties that change week to week, and any one of those changes can quietly undo an earlier fix:
- New products, pages, and themes
- Plugin updates and third-party apps
- Promotional banners and seasonal campaigns
A site that passed every check at remediation can drift out of compliance within months, with no one noticing until an automated scanner or a plaintiff does.
The takeaway is simple: accessibility isn't a project you finish, it's a condition you maintain. Being remediated — or even already sued — doesn't make you immune to the next claim. The only dependable protection is reviewing the site on a regular schedule, catching new barriers early, and fixing them before someone else finds them first.
Stay protected with EcomBack's quarterly accessibility audit
To help businesses keep their websites accessible over time, EcomBack offers a quarterly accessibility audit designed to maintain compliance and keep a consistent check on your site as it evolves. Every quarter, our team re-evaluates your website against ADA and WCAG standards using both automated and human-led testing, identifies any new barriers introduced since the last review, and provides clear, actionable recommendations to resolve them.
This recurring cadence means accessibility issues are caught early, remediation stays current, and your website continues to work for every user, quarter after quarter, rather than slipping out of compliance between one-time fixes. It is a practical, cost-effective way to protect the investment you have already made in accessibility and to reduce your ongoing legal risk.
This approach is not just good practice, it holds up in court. Businesses that maintain an ongoing, well-documented accessibility program are in a far stronger position when a lawsuit arrives. In Martinez v. Tusk, an EcomBack client secured summary judgment and dismissal of an ADA website suit, with EcomBack auditing the site and supplying the technical evidence the legal team needed. In Jones v. Moscot, a court dismissed an accessibility lawsuit on mootness grounds because the business had engaged an accessibility consultant before the suit and ran a continuing program of auditing, testing, and remediation, backed by clear documentation. In both cases, proactive and ongoing accessibility work, not a single past fix, made the difference.
Previous Monthly Lawsuit Reports
Browse past ADA website lawsuit reports to track trends and year-over-year data.
Hire EcomBack as Your Trusted Digital Accessibility Partner.
Whether you need a full accessibility audit or continuous monitoring and hands-on support, we work to keep your compliance strong, lower your exposure to legal risk, and ensure your website stays accessible to everyone.
Give every visitor a smoother, more inclusive experience with EcomBack's web accessibility services. Our team pinpoints the barriers that keep users out, improves day-to-day usability, and helps your site meet ADA and WCAG standards.
Published in accordance with our Website Content Disclaimer.
-
IAAP
International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP)
Demonstrating our commitment to advancing accessibility expertise.
-
W3C
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
As part of the WCAG working group, we actively contribute to the development of global accessibility standards.
-
Court-approved providers
EcomBack is a court-approved accessibility provider in a consent decree, further highlighting our recognized expertise in ensuring compliance with accessibility laws.