U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Lawsuit Against Flint Neurological Centre P.C. For Violating the Rights of Individuals Who Have Disabilities

DOJ Press

FLINT, MI — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan today announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Flint Neurological Centre P.C., alleging that the medical practice violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act by refusing to provide auxiliary aids and services required to ensure effective communication with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, such as sign language interpreters.

“The ADA protects fundamental rights of individuals with disabilities, including the ability to access health care services. My office is committed to protecting those rights,” said Dawn Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. “No one should be denied meaningful access to health care services, including the ability to exchange critical information with their medical providers.”

The complaint, filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that Flint Neurological Centre has a long history of failing to provide aids and services necessary to ensure effective communication with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, including a previous investigation by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. The complaint further alleges that Flint Neurological Centre failed to provide sign language interpreters or any other communication aids to five patients, in some cases, over several years of treatment. For one patient, the complaint alleges that his relative would travel 200 miles across state to attend medical appointments, because Flint Neurological Centre repeatedly failed to provide a sign language interpreter and important medical information could not be communicated without her assistance.

Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by public accommodations, such as the professional office of health care provider. Public accommodations must allow people with disabilities the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, and facilities. This obligation requires the provision of auxiliary aids and services, such as sign language interpreters, when necessary to effectively communicate with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing


The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan was established in 2010 with the mission of prioritizing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, including a copy of the complaint, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmi/programs/civil-rights. ADA complaints concerning Flint Neurological Centre or any other entity may be emailed to usamie.civilrights@usdoj.gov or by contacting the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Hotline at (313) 226-9151.


More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll free ADA Information line at (800) 514 0301 or (800) 514 0383 (TTY) and on the ADA website at www.ada.gov. Information about the Justice Department’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative to ensure that people who have disabilities, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, have equal access to medical services is available at www.ada.gov/usao-agreements.htm.

 

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