Written Dec 2, 2025
More than three decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, several states continue to see disproportionately high rates of ADA violations, triggering lawsuits, federal investigations, and mounting pressure on businesses and public agencies to improve accessibility. Civil rights advocates say that despite clear legal requirements, accessibility barriers remain widespread in both physical spaces and digital services. The result is a patchwork of compliance across the country, with certain states emerging as national hotspots for ADA complaints.
New York consistently leads the nation in ADA-related lawsuits, especially in the realm of digital accessibility. Thousands of businesses have been sued for websites that cannot be used by blind or visually impaired users relying on screen readers. Consumer-facing industries such as retail, hospitality, medical services, and financial institutions are among the most frequently targeted. Many cases highlight simple errors such as missing text descriptions, inaccessible checkout processes, or navigation barriers that prevent shoppers from completing purchases. Legal analysts say New York remains the top state for litigation because its federal courts are more receptive to ADA digital-access claims, and because a small number of highly active plaintiffs file repeatedly.
Texas and California ranked equally in second in the country, driven by their large populations, consumer-focused industries, and strong disability advocacy networks. Both often face lawsuits over architectural barriers such as steep ramps, inaccessible restrooms, improper parking lot construction, and noncompliant door hardware. Because California’s civil rights laws allow monetary damages in addition to federal ADA remedies, businesses face even stronger incentive to ensure full compliance. Yet violations continue to occur in both older and newly renovated facilities. From restaurants in Los Angeles to medical offices in San Diego, many businesses have been forced to correct features that should have been caught during construction or permitting.
Florida is another major hotspot, particularly for hospitality and tourism. With millions of annual visitors, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues encounter high scrutiny from individuals with disabilities. Common violation areas include swimming pool lifts, hotel-room accessibility, lobby counter height, and parking accessibility. Lawsuits involving small businesses have also increased, including many filed by repeat plaintiffs who monitor compliance statewide. Florida has also seen a major rise in website-accessibility lawsuits, paralleling the digital trends seen in New York.
In recent years, Illinois has emerged as a surprising new center of ADA litigation, especially in Chicago and surrounding counties. Federal court records show a steep increase in filings tied to website accessibility, architectural barriers in restaurants and retail stores, and failures to accommodate service animals. Legal analysts say Illinois’s growth reflects the widening national crackdown on accessibility issues, as well as a larger pool of attorneys and plaintiffs specializing in ADA enforcement.
Experts emphasize that the states with the most violations are not necessarily the least compliant. Rather, these states typically have larger populations, denser business environments, active disability communities, and legal systems that encourage ADA enforcement. However, the data also shows that accessibility gaps remain common nationwide, even in states with strong legislation. Advocates say the increase in lawsuits reflects a simple truth: despite decades of legal requirements, millions of Americans still encounter barriers in buildings, transportation, digital services, and medical facilities.
As the pace of lawsuits continues to rise, businesses are being urged to conduct proactive ADA audits to avoid costly litigation. For disability advocates, the goal is not punishment but progress. The ongoing wave of enforcement, they say, is a reminder that equal access is not optional and that America still has work to do before the promise of the ADA is fully realized.
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