[Colorado-Talk] Frivolous ADA lawsuits

[Paul Martz]

Hi all.

I have a friend in I.T. who helps businesses with website ADA compliance. He recently made me aware of the following issue.

A law firm might threaten a business with an ADA suit, then offer to settle for an amount somewhat less than what it would cost the business to either defend the suit or address the ADA compliance issues. After the business agrees to settle, the bulk of the money goes to the law firm. The actual defendant is a straw man plaintiff who is either fictional or being payed a small token amount to have his name on the lawsuit. The end result is that the law firm collects a fat settlement, the business gets screwed, and those of us with disabilities are still left with inaccessible websites.

I’ve been unable to find any articles to confirm this is actually happening. Does anyone know if this is real? If so, is NFB or any other organization taking any steps to address the issue? I’m aware NFB is working towards website compliance in general. I’m looking for information and action regarding the specific type of abuse described here.

Pointers towards any relevant information would be appreciated. Thanks.
Paul Martz
PaulMartz.com <https://paulmartz.com/>
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