Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Interpreter Denied By Medical Office

A deaf patient denied an ASL interpreter by a medical office has agreed to a settlement. Medbrook Medical Associates in Bridgeport, West Virginia required his sick wife to serve as an interpreter for him. He was told the office would never hire interpreters. The US Justice Department says office will pay $8000 in damages and $1000 in civil penalties. The doctors at Medbrook have agreed to make a new policy in line with ADA law, post it in waiting rooms and train their staff on how to deal with deaf patients.