Thousands of ADA-related Lawsuits are Affecting Businesses

Business Owners with Inaccessible Websites Face Serious Allegations

In recent ADA news, it has come to light that a New York-based law firm has been involved in filing an extensive number of web accessibility cases, totaling over 1,100 in the U.S.

According to The Wall Street Journal, law firm Mizrahi Kroub is known to be one of the largest filers of web-accessibility-related cases. In July 2024, the WSJ reported that in one such case, it was alleged that a visually impaired customer sued Kramer Knives, a website run by bladesmith and seller Bob Kramer. A visually impaired customer claimed she was unable to access the website and (allegedly) sued Kramer without a warning email or phone call.

Mizrahi Kroub frequently files numerous lawsuits on behalf of a single plaintiff against businesses that sell a wide range of products. Defense lawyers have alleged that the firm uses boilerplate plaintiffs intended to secure fast settlements rather than improve website accessibility.

Cases like these have raised concern among small business owners, who are grappling with the financial burden of costly legal fees associated with addressing them. Independent companies are often targets of accessibility lawsuits as they may not be aware of the requirements or know how to meet them.

Watch Out for Cut-and-Paste Disability Suits

Boilerplate plaintiffs are common in disability law. Several law firms make their money as serial lawsuit filers, suing hundreds of companies monthly. Scott Karlin, an attorney at Karlin Law Firm, believes 90% of ADA claims are filed by serial plaintiffs, per the San Francisco Chronicle.

As EcomBack previously covered in 2022, other law firms have filed serial plaintiffs as a way to secure fast settlements. For instance, Potter Handy was sued by the district attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles, accusing the firm of engaging in unlawful business practices under California’s Unfair Competition Law. The attorneys claimed that Potter Handy submitted fraudulent and deceitful cases under the ADA.

Business owners should let surf by cases like these serve as a warning to always ensure they are meeting ADA and WCAG requirements. As more digital accessibility lawsuits continue to emerge, it’s important you take the necessary steps to prevent litigation.

EcomBack Helps Companies Adhere to ADA Standards

EcomBack aims to provide comprehensive solutions to help business owners prevent potential lawsuits related to web accessibility. Our ADA Compliance services are designed to ensure that websites comply with accessibility standards. Our team of trained experts has extensive experience in helping businesses achieve digital accessibility compliance and has a deep understanding of the issues identified in ADA-related lawsuits.

At EcomBack, we offer a range of services to support businesses, including web design and development tailored to the specific needs of our clients. Additionally, our team can provide training to help employees understand ADA requirements and integrate principles into their web development processes. We also offer the valuable perspective of testers with disabilities, who can provide crucial feedback on the accessibility of a website. EcomBack also provides an accessibility statement template.