South Florida Eye Care Facility & Doctors Settle for Failure to Provide Deaf Patient with Interpreter
A South Florida eye care facility and its staff of physicians settled a federal lawsuit filed by a patient who is deaf. The patient sued the facility and its doctors for failure to provide interpreters during office visits. The patient, who relies upon American Sign Language for effective communication, filed suit under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This federal anti-discrimination law requires doctors, hospitals and any other medical care facility that receives federal Medicare/Medicaid funds to not discriminate against persons with disabilities. Not providing an interpreter or some other equally effective means of communication resulted in the patient having the ability to sue for damages. Insisting upon lipreading or requiring the patient to provide his own interpreter resulted in a lawsuit seeking damages including not only the "pain and suffering" of being discriminated against, but also fpr attorneys fees and costs.
This recent settlement is the first of many such Section 504 actions being pursued by LaBovick Law Group. Persons with disabilities are entitled to the full range of services and facilities available to those without disabilities. Refusing to provide an interpreter is a violation of this federal law.
LaBovick Law Group has a specialized division dedicated to enforcing the rights of those with disabilities. If you feel your rights have been violated, please contact us for a free consultation.
Brian F. LaBovick, Esq.
Esther Uria LaBovick, Esq.
Marcie Dodson, J.D.
Rafael M. Diaz, Esq.
Mark R. Hanson, Esq.
Joseph R. Fields Jr., Esq.
Tara L. Kopp, Esq.
Warren Q. Peebles, Esq.
Joseph T. Zebrowski, J.D.