NAD and Law Firm File Complaint
Against St. Agnes Hospital
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A News Release from the National Association of the Deaf
Release Date: May 22, 2008
Contact:
Anita B. Farb
Director, Communications and Operations
National Association of the Deaf
Email: http://www.nad.org/contactus
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NAD and Law Firm File Complaint Against St. Agnes Hospital
Silver Spring, MD – The National Association of the Deaf and Brown,
Goldstein & Levy, LLP, have filed a complaint in federal court against
St. Agnes Hospital alleging its failure to provide qualified sign
language interpreter services to ensure effective communication with
Daniel and Michelle Sorace, a deaf couple. The complaint was filed in
the United States District Court in Baltimore, Maryland.
The complaint alleges that after Mr. Sorace fell from the roof of his
home, he was transported to St. Agnes Hospital by ambulance at
approximately 1:30 p.m., on May 26, 2007. On the way to and after
their arrival at the hospital, Mrs. Sorace repeatedly requested
qualified sign language interpreters to ensure effective communication
with hospital staff, according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges that, due to his injuries, Mr. Sorace could
only move his right hand. Despite Mr. Sorace’s condition, hospital
staff attempted to use Deaf-Talk, a video remote interpreting service.
Mrs. Sorace explained that this accommodation was not appropriate
because Mr. Sorace could not see the television monitor because he was
on a stretcher facing the ceiling. Furthermore, the interpreter would
not be able to see both his head and his right hand.
The complaint alleges that Mrs. Sorace contacted a friend who
contacted an interpreter. The interpreter arrived at the hospital at 7
p.m. and stayed until 11 a.m., when the hospital began providing its
own interpreter services.
ithin St. Agnes Hospital. The complaint alleges that when Mrs. Sorace
tried to schedule an appointment by telephone through a video relay
service, St. Agnes Hospital refused to accept the call. The complaint
further alleges that the Soraces tried to make an appointment by
telephone using an interpreter that the hospital provided. The clinic
refused to schedule an appointment for Mr. Sorace because he is deaf.
The Soraces then scheduled an appointment with a different orthopedic
clinic.
“This case illustrates that video remote interpreting is not always
an appropriate accommodation for patients who are deaf,” stated
Rosaline Crawford, Director of the NAD Law and Advocacy Center.
“Patients and interpreters need to see each other. When this is not
possible using video remote interpreting equipment, hospitals may need
to provide another accommodation that is effective, such as qualified
sign language interpreter services on site.”
“It is inexcusable for hospitals or health care providers to refuse
to accept relay calls or schedule appointments for patients who are
deaf,” stated Bobbie Beth Scoggins, NAD President.
The complaints request the United States District Court to declare
that St. Agnes Hospital violated the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and award money damages to
Mr. and Mrs. Sorace.
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About the NAD
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) was established in 1880 by
deaf leaders on the belief in the right of the American deaf community
to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and
to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs
remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value.
As a nonprofit federation, the mission of the NAD is to promote,
protect, and preserve the civil, human, and linguistic rights of deaf
Americans. The advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering the
breadth of a lifetime and impacting future generations in the areas of
early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology,
telecommunications, youth leadership, and more. For more information,
please visit http://www.nad.org
.
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