Hospital to pay $60K for failing to provide ASL interpreters

The US Justice Department has settled an ADA complaint against a hospital in Calhoun, Georgia.

The Adventist Health System Georgia had, according to the complaint, refused to provide a deaf patient with an ASL interpreter during her labor and delivery. As a result, the patient and her companion "were not able to get important information about a complication during the delivery, which created fear and confusion for both."

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said:

“No patient should be denied the ability to communicate effectively with their nurse or doctor, especially when giving birth to a child. This settlement reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that people who are deaf and hard of hearing are not excluded from participating in their own health care due to a lack of communication aids or services.”

Advent has agreed to advise patients and companions of their communication rights, train its staff on ADA law, and pay $50,000 to the patient as well as $10,000 to the companion.

Read more about the settlement here.