Miss-Delectable
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Rocky Mountain News: Local
The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition and two deaf women filed a lawsuit against a Lakewood medical practice today, alleging one of its clinics refused to provide sign language interpreters so the women could communicate with their doctors.
Red Rocks OB-GYN, a clinic owned by Cohen and Womack physicians, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing interpreters, the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court states. According to the suit, on several occasions a doctor insisted patient Ginny Lockwood, of Hudson, could communicate by exchanging notes. He eventually refused to perform surgery on Lockwood because she was "an angry patient," the lawsuit states.
Another patient, Jennifer Ann Pfau of Westminster, said she also was denied an interpreter.
Physician Harvey Cohen, one of the owners of the practice, said the lawsuit stems from a disagreement between one patient and a physician who is now on leave, working in the Dominican Republic.
"There was a terrible miscommunication," Cohen said. "They did not have a good rapport."
Cohen also said his clinics routinely treat deaf patients and provide whatever assistance is necessary to ensure they can communicate with and understand their doctors — including providing interpreters. The clinics also serve many uninsured and disabled patients that other clinics will not.
"It's just not fair," Cohen said of the lawsuit.
The suit asks a federal judge to force the clinic to provide interpreters and for an undetermined amount of money in damages.
The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition and two deaf women filed a lawsuit against a Lakewood medical practice today, alleging one of its clinics refused to provide sign language interpreters so the women could communicate with their doctors.
Red Rocks OB-GYN, a clinic owned by Cohen and Womack physicians, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing interpreters, the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court states. According to the suit, on several occasions a doctor insisted patient Ginny Lockwood, of Hudson, could communicate by exchanging notes. He eventually refused to perform surgery on Lockwood because she was "an angry patient," the lawsuit states.
Another patient, Jennifer Ann Pfau of Westminster, said she also was denied an interpreter.
Physician Harvey Cohen, one of the owners of the practice, said the lawsuit stems from a disagreement between one patient and a physician who is now on leave, working in the Dominican Republic.
"There was a terrible miscommunication," Cohen said. "They did not have a good rapport."
Cohen also said his clinics routinely treat deaf patients and provide whatever assistance is necessary to ensure they can communicate with and understand their doctors — including providing interpreters. The clinics also serve many uninsured and disabled patients that other clinics will not.
"It's just not fair," Cohen said of the lawsuit.
The suit asks a federal judge to force the clinic to provide interpreters and for an undetermined amount of money in damages.