A person can sue directly in district court without first going to the Department of Human Rights (§ 363A.33 subd. 1). Remedies include up to treble actual damages, mental-anguish damages, up to $25,000 punitive damages, a mandatory civil penalty to the state, and discretionary fees (§ 363A.33 subd. 7). There are no fixed statutory damages. § 363A.331 requires a 60-day notice before suing over architectural barriers; it does not appear to cover websites. On top of that, the federal ADA applies in Minnesota as everywhere: a business that loses or settles a website accessibility suit pays the plaintiff’s attorney’s fees.
The law
The federal baseline
ADA Title III gives a private plaintiff no money damages, but a business that loses or settles pays the plaintiff’s attorney’s fees (42 U.S.C. § 12205 (opens in a new tab)). That fee-shifting is what makes a website claim expensive, in Minnesota and everywhere else.
Lawsuits in Minnesota
162 federal website accessibility lawsuits were filed in Minnesota in 2025 (Seyfarth Shaw, ADA Title III blog (opens in a new tab)).
Our lawsuit tracker has indexed 6 federal court records from Minnesota. It’s a sample, not a complete count: it covers dockets that say what they’re about.
- Phoenix Retail, LLC (opens in a new tab), filed 2026-08
- Gymreapers LLC (opens in a new tab), filed 2026-07
- Herbalife International of America, Inc. (opens in a new tab), filed 2026-05
- UNIQLO USA LLC (opens in a new tab), filed 2026-03
- New Era Cap, LLC (opens in a new tab), filed 2026-02
Questions
Can a business in Minnesota be sued over an inaccessible website?
Yes. The federal ADA applies in every state, and a plaintiff can sue in federal court for an order to fix the site plus attorney's fees. Under Minnesota law a person can sue the business directly. Whether Minnesota law covers websites is unsettled: Frost v. Lion Brand Yarn Co. (D. Minn. Feb. 2025) held stand-alone websites are public accommodations under the ADA, and MHRA claims were pleaded alongside; no ruling seen applying § 363A.11 itself to a website.
What is the minimum a Minnesota court awards for a website accessibility violation?
Minnesota law sets no fixed minimum per violation. A person can sue directly in district court without first going to the Department of Human Rights (§ 363A.33 subd. 1). Remedies include up to treble actual damages, mental-anguish damages, up to $25,000 punitive damages, a mandatory civil penalty to the state, and discretionary fees (§ 363A.33 subd. 7). There are no fixed statutory damages. § 363A.331 requires a 60-day notice before suing over architectural barriers; it does not appear to cover websites.
Do I pay the plaintiff's lawyer if I lose or settle in Minnesota?
Under the federal ADA, yes: a business that loses or settles usually pays the plaintiff's attorney's fees (42 U.S.C. § 12205). Minnesota law also provides for attorney's fees.
Which accessibility standard should a Minnesota business website meet?
The ADA doesn't name a technical standard for businesses. The Justice Department's 2022 guidance points to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and its 2024 rule for state and local governments adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
How many website accessibility lawsuits were filed in Minnesota in 2025?
162 federal website accessibility lawsuits were filed in Minnesota in 2025, according to Seyfarth Shaw's count of federal filings.