The pandemic has not decreased the number of lawsuits filed against businesses, hotels, and other places of public accommodation alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Indeed, dozens of lawsuits continue to be filed daily against hotels for their failure to identify and describe accessible features at their properties in sufficient detail on their websites. In a relatively new twist, many of these lawsuits now also allege that hotels are fully liable for the failure of Online Travel Agencies such as Orbitz or Expedia to provide information on their website about the accessible amenities of the hotel, including its guestrooms, or to allow an individual with a disability to book an accessible guestroom.

While many ADA lawsuits also continue to be filed alleging that hotel websites cannot be used by individuals with visual or hearing impairments, there is positive news in that regard, as a recent business-friendly ruling out of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals may make it more difficult for plaintiffs to bring claims against companies for inaccessible websites. That being said, this ruling conflicts with rulings from other circuits that reach the opposite conclusion and thus, a supreme court review of this issue may be brewing. Regardless, it remains important that businesses ensure the accessibility of their websites while also providing an appropriate “accessibility statement” explaining to users the steps you have taken to improve your website’s accessibility.

Unfortunately, there is no sign that ADA lawsuits are slowing down. On the contrary, serial plaintiffs continue to file dozens of these lawsuits each and every day. This presentation will present practical tips and cost-effective strategies for managing the risk of ADA-related litigation in this ever-evolving area of the law.

Participants in this webinar learned: