ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuits January 2026 Report
ADA website lawsuits
filed in January 2026
ADA website lawsuits filed
against websites using Shopify
26%
Lawsuits filed against
accessibility widget installed
ADA website lawsuits
filed in January 2026
136
ADA website lawsuits filed
against websites using Shopify
Lawsuits filed against
accessibility widget installed
Summary
- In January 2026, ADA website lawsuits continued to point out the importance of accessibility compliance across the United States, with a total of 347 lawsuits filed, reflecting ongoing concerns regarding digital accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
- State-wise Breakdown: In January 2026, ADA website lawsuits were filed across several states, with Florida leading at 88 lawsuits. California followed with 62 lawsuits, while both New York and Illinois recorded 60 lawsuits each, showing continued high activity in these major states. Pennsylvania reported 21 lawsuits, while Wisconsin and all other states had 19 lawsuits each. Minnesota recorded 18 lawsuits. This distribution indicates that a few key states dominate ADA website litigation, while businesses in other parts of the country also feel its impact.
- Plaintiff and Law Firms: In January 2026, a total of 93 plaintiffs filed 347 ADA website lawsuits, but just 16 plaintiffs accounted for 178 of those cases, representing 51.30% of the total. The concentration was even more noticeable at the law firm level, where the top 10 plaintiff firms were responsible for 288 lawsuits, or 83% of all filings, showing that ADA website litigation in January 2026 was driven largely by a relatively small group of plaintiffs and law firms.
- Industry Spotlight: The Restaurant, Food, Drinks & Beverages sector faced the highest number of lawsuits, with 121 cases, closely followed by Lifestyle, Fashion, Clothing & Apparel, with 74 cases. Beauty, Skin, & Body Care received 34 cases, while Medical & Health had 26 lawsuits, reflecting industries with high consumer interaction and engagement.
- Platform-specific Lawsuits: Websites using Shopify accounted for 136 lawsuits, while WordPress sites accounted for 66. This highlights that ADA compliance challenges are often tied to how themes, plugins, and customizations are used, rather than inherent flaws in the platforms themselves.
- Widget-related Lawsuits: A significant 26.22% of lawsuits (91 cases) targeted websites relying on accessibility widgets. This demonstrates ongoing concerns over the effectiveness of these tools in meeting legal accessibility standards.
Total Federal and State Court ADA Website Lawsuit for January 2026
Chart description for Total Federal and State Court ADA Website Lawsuit for January 2026
Number of ADA website lawsuits filed in Janary 2026: Florida 88, California 62, New York 60, Illinois 60, Pennsylvania 21, Winconsin 19, Other States 19, Minnesota 18 Lawsuits
Surge in Florida ADA Website Lawsuits
Florida recorded the highest number of ADA website lawsuits in January 2026, with 88 filings, marking the first time it has taken the top position and signaling a clear shift in where litigation is most concentrated. This surge, surpassing traditionally dominant states like New York, was also highlighted by Nayan Padrai, CEO of EcomBack, in a TV interview with WFTV9, where he emphasized that Florida is rapidly emerging as a key hotspot for ADA website litigation due to increased activity from plaintiff law firms and a favorable filing environment.
Another important factor is that businesses across the U.S. can be sued in Florida even if they are not physically located there. Combined with common accessibility gaps, especially in e-commerce and third-party integrations, this has made Florida an attractive venue for high-volume filings. This shift reinforces that ADA compliance is no longer region-specific, and businesses must take a proactive, nationwide approach to reduce risk.
Businesses Blindsided: Thousands sued for ADA violations on their websites
- Florida recorded the highest number of ADA website lawsuits in January 2026, with 88 filings, making it the leading state for the month. This is notable because Florida moved into the top position for the first time, showing a clear shift in where ADA website litigation is most concentrated.
- California followed with 62 lawsuits, while New York and Illinois each reported 60 lawsuits, showing that these states continued to remain major centres of ADA website litigation.
- Pennsylvania reported 21 lawsuits, placing it behind the top four states but still showing notable filing activity.
- Wisconsin stood out with 19 lawsuits, matching the count for all other states in this grouped category.
- Although Wisconsin’s total was lower than the leading states, its appearance among the higher-filing states makes it an important state to watch in future ADA website litigation trends.
- Minnesota recorded 18 lawsuits, reflecting continued activity outside the traditionally dominant states.
- All other states accounted for 19 lawsuits, showing that ADA website accessibility litigation continued to affect businesses across a broader range of states.
16 Plaintiffs Filed Over 51% ADA Lawsuits in January 2026
| Plaintiff Name | Firm Name | Lawsuits Filed in Jan | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perla Mageno | Manning Law, APC | 24 | 6.92% |
| Blair Douglass | East End Trial Group LLC | 21 | 6.05% |
| Julie Dalton | Throndset Michenfelder, LLC | 16 | 4.61% |
| James Murphy | J. Courtney Cunningham, PLLC | 14 | 4.03% |
| Nelson Fernandez | Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A. | 13 | 3.75% |
| James Watson | J. Courtney Cunningham, PLLC | 12 | 3.46% |
| Nestor A Proveyer | Adams & Associates, P.A. | 11 | 3.17% |
| Michael Sandoval | Manning Law, APC | 10 | 2.88% |
| Geovanni Bahena Figueroa | Stein Saks, PLLC | 8 | 2.31% |
| Xinyue Hippe | Equal Access Law Group, PLLC | 8 | 2.31% |
| Norma O. Gazonni | Brasil & Brasil, P.A | 8 | 2.31% |
| Jennifer Carbine | Manning Law, APC | 7 | 2.02% |
| Rebecca Hernandez | Manning Law, APC | 7 | 2.02% |
| Oscar Herrera | Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A. | 7 | 2.02% |
| Carlton Knowles | Gottlieb & Associates | 6 | 1.73% |
| Arantza Castro | Mendez Law Offices, PLLC | 6 | 1.73% |
| 16 Plaintiffs Filed 51.30% ADA Lawsuits in January 2026 | 178 | 51.30% | |
| 77 Plaintiffs Collectively Filed 48.70% ADA Lawsuits in January 2026 | 169 | 48.70% | |
Top 5 Plaintiffs
Lawsuits: 88
Percentage: 25.36%
Top 10 Plaintiffs
Lawsuits: 137
Percentage: 39.48%
Top 20 Plaintiffs
Lawsuits: 201
Percentage: 57.93%
Top 50 Plaintiffs
Lawsuits: 293
Percentage: 84.44%
Key Summary Points:
- Top Plaintiff Activity: January 2026 shows strong continuity with the trends seen in EcomBack’s 2025 annual report. Several plaintiffs who were already among the most active filers in 2025 remained prominent at the start of 2026, including Perla Mageno, Julie Dalton, Nelson Fernandez, Michael Sandoval, and Oscar Herrera. Notably, while Michael Sandoval was the top plaintiff in 2025 with 241 lawsuits, Perla Mageno led January 2026 with 24 filings, showing that repeat filer activity remained concentrated among many of the same individuals entering the new year.
- Concentration Trend: The concentration seen in the 2025 annual report continued into January 2026. EcomBack’s annual report found that 33 plaintiffs were responsible for 1,978 of 3,948 lawsuits, or 50.10% of all 2025 filings. The data from January 2026 shows that only 16 plaintiffs accounted for 178 of 347 lawsuits, or 51.30%, indicating that ADA website litigation remained heavily driven by a relatively small group of repeat plaintiffs at the start of 2026.
10 Law Firms Filed Over 83% of ADA Lawsuits in January 2026
| Plaintiff Firm Name | Total Lawsuits | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Equal Access Law Group, PLLC | 81 | 23.34% |
| Manning Law, APC | 51 | 14.70% |
| Gottlieb & Associates | 39 | 11.24% |
| Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A. | 24 | 6.92% |
| East End Trial Group LLC | 21 | 6.05% |
| Throndset Michenfelder, LLC | 18 | 5.19% |
| J. Courtney Cunningham, PLLC/td> | 15 | 4.32% |
| Stein Saks, PLLC | 15 | 4.32% |
| Adams & Associates, P.A. | 13 | 3.75% |
| AJG Law Group, PC | 11 | 3.17% |
| 10 Law Firms Filed 83.00% ADA Lawsuits in January 2026 | 288 | 83.00% |
| 10 Law Firms Filed 17.00% ADA Lawsuits in January 2026 | 59 | 17.00% |
| 20 Law Firms Collectively Filed 347 Lawsuits in January 2026 | 347 | 100% |
Top 5 Plaintiffs
Lawsuits: 216
Percentage: 62.25%
Top 10 plaintiff Firms
Lawsuits: 288
Percentage: 83.00%
Top 15 plaintiff Firms
Lawsuits: 316
Percentage: 91.07%
Key Summary Points:
- Law firm concentration remained very high in January 2026, continuing the same pattern seen in our annual report for 2025. In January 2026, the top 10 plaintiff firms filed 288 of 347 lawsuits, or 83% of all cases. In the 2025 annual report, 16 firms were responsible for 3,567 of 3,948 lawsuits, or 90.35%, confirming that ADA website litigation continues to be driven by a relatively small group of repeat-filing firms.
- Equal Access Law Group, PLLC and Manning Law, APC remained the two most active firms, showing strong continuity from 2025 into January 2026. In the 2025 annual report, In our 2025 annual report, Equal Access Law Group, PLLC led with 641 lawsuits (16.24%), followed by Manning Law, APC with 615 lawsuits (15.58%). In January 2026, those same firms again ranked first and second, with 81 and 51 lawsuits respectively, showing that the leading firms from 2025 continued to dominate filings at the start of 2026.
- Several other major 2025 firms also remained active in January 2026, including Gottlieb & Associates, Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A., Stein Saks, PLLC, AJG Law Group, PC, and Adams & Associates, P.A. This shows that January 2026 did not represent a major reshuffling of the plaintiff-firm landscape, but rather an extension of the same concentrated filing pattern identified in the 2025 annual report.
- The top end of plaintiff firm filings stayed especially concentrated. In 2025, we saw that the top 5 plaintiff firms accounted for 2,377 lawsuits, or 60.21% of all annual filings. The data from January 2026 shows that the top 5 firms accounted for 216 lawsuits, or 62.25% of the month’s total, suggesting that the beginning of 2026 remained at least as concentrated among the leading firms as the broader 2025 annual trend.
Industries Affected by Website Accessibility Lawsuits in January 2026
| Industry Category | Total Lawsuits | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant, Food, Drinks & Beverages | 121 | 34.87% |
| Lifestyle, Fashion, Clothing & Apparel | 74 | 21.33% |
| Beauty, Skin & Body Care | 34 | 9.80% |
| Medical & Health | 26 | 7.49% |
| Furniture, Lighting, Home Decor & Kitchen Accessories | 22 | 6.34% |
| Retail & Consumer Goods | 15 | 4.32% |
| Fitness & Sports Accessories | 13 | 3.75% |
| Home, Kitchen Appliances & Accessories | 8 | 2.31% |
| Toys, Games, Gifts & Flower Shops | 6 | 1.73% |
| 9 Industries Faced 91.93% of Lawsuits in January 2026 | 319 | 91.93% |
| 9 Industries Faced 8.07% of Lawsuits in January 2026 | 28 | 8.07% |
| Total ADA Website Lawsuits by Industry in January 2026 | 347 | 100% |
Key Summary Points:
Top Industries Continued to Drive Filings: The January 2026 data shows that ADA website lawsuits remained heavily concentrated in the same industries identified in our 2025 annual report. The top 9 industries made up 91.93% of all January 2026 filings, compared with 91.51% in 2025. Restaurant, Food, Drinks & Beverages remained the leading category, followed by Lifestyle, Fashion, Clothing & Apparel, showing that the core industry targets of ADA website accessibility litigation remained largely unchanged at the start of 2026.
ADA Lawsuits Filed By Web Platforms in January 2026
Many business owners rely on website platforms to build and manage their online presence. While these platforms offer accessibility tools, ADA-related lawsuits can arise if accessibility requirements are not thoroughly addressed during the development process.
Ensuring ADA compliance remains the responsibility of website owners. Accessibility tools can assist in this process, but their effectiveness depends on how well they are implemented and utilized by the owners.
Ensuring ADA compliance is ultimately the responsibility of website owners. Accessibility tools can support this effort, but their success depends on proper implementation and use by the owners.
Shopify
A user-friendly platform designed to help businesses easily create and manage online stores with powerful tools for all business sizes.
Lawsuits: 136
Percentage: 39.19%
WordPress
A flexible content management system that offers extensive customization options through a wide range of plugins and themes.
Lawsuits: 66
Percentage: 19.02%
Salesforce Commerce Cloud
A cloud-based solution built to efficiently manage large-scale e-commerce operations, offering scalability and advanced features.
Lawsuits: 13
Percentage: 3.75%
Squarespace
A user-friendly platform that helps businesses create and manage professional websites with built-in design tools, making it a popular choice for brands that want a polished online presence.
Lawsuits: 14
Percentage: 4.03%
Magento
A customizable open-source e-commerce platform known for its flexibility in design and powerful features for businesses.
Lawsuits: 9
Percentage: 2.59%
Custom Coded Websites
Tailored websites built to meet specific business needs, offering unique designs, features, and functionality for optimal user experiences.
Lawsuits: 109
Percentage: 31.41%
Hire EcomBack as Your Trusted Digital Accessibility Partner
Build a more accessible, inclusive, and compliant website with EcomBack’s expert web accessibility services.
We help businesses meet ADA and WCAG requirements while improving usability for all users, including individuals with disabilities.
Our process starts with a comprehensive accessibility audit to uncover compliance issues and usability barriers. We then improve your website’s content and code to create a stronger, more accessible digital experience.
Through ongoing monitoring and support, we help keep your website compliant, reduce exposure to legal risk, and support long-term accessibility goals.
This report is published in accordance with our Website Content Disclaimer
Professional Standing
These affiliations underline our credibility and expertise, ensuring your website is reviewed by industry leaders in accessibility.
International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP)
Demonstrating our commitment to advancing accessibility expertise.
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.
