Don’t ignore it and don’t pay on the spot. Note any deadline, talk to a lawyer who handles ADA cases, and check whether the problems the letter names are real by testing the pages it cites. Then start fixing what you find and keep a dated record. This is practical guidance, not legal advice.
1. Read it for three things
- Is it a letter or a lawsuit? A complaint filed in court comes with a deadline to respond. Miss it and the court can rule against you by default.
- What does it say is wrong? Note each page and problem it names, such as an image with no description or a checkout button a screen reader can’t identify.
- What does it ask for? Usually money, a fix by a date, or both.
2. Talk to a lawyer before you answer
Under ADA Title III a private plaintiff can get a court order to make the site accessible (42 U.S.C. § 12188 (opens in a new tab)) and their attorney’s fees if they win (42 U.S.C. § 12205 (opens in a new tab)). State laws can add money damages, so where you and the plaintiff are matters; see your state. A lawyer who handles these claims can tell you what the letter is worth and whether your business is covered at all.
3. Check the claims yourself
Scan the pages the letter names and the pages a customer needs to buy or sign up. Test what a scan can’t with a keyboard and a screen reader. The Justice Department’s guidance (opens in a new tab) notes that a clean automated report “does not necessarily mean everything is accessible,” so a passing scan isn’t a defense on its own.
4. Start fixing, and keep the record
Fix what blocks a task first: checkout, sign-up, contact and booking. Save every scan and what changed, with dates. Add an accessibility statement with a way to report problems. That record is what you and your lawyer will need, whatever happens with the letter.
5. Don’t stop at this letter
45% of 2025 federal digital accessibility suits named a company that had been sued before (UsableNet 2025 year-end report (opens in a new tab)). Fixing only the pages one letter names leaves the rest for the next one.
Questions
Is an ADA website demand letter a lawsuit?
No. A demand letter asks you to pay or fix before a suit is filed. A lawsuit is filed in court and served on you with a deadline to respond. Treat both seriously, and ask a lawyer which one you have.
Will fixing my website make the claim go away?
It reduces what the claim can achieve: under Title III a private plaintiff can only get an order to make the site accessible, plus attorney's fees. Whether fixing the site ends a claim already filed is a question for your lawyer.
Can I be sued again after settling?
Yes. Settling one claim doesn't stop another plaintiff from suing over the same site. In 2025, 45% of federal digital accessibility suits named a company that had been sued before, according to UsableNet.