ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A St. Petersburg doctor has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office after being accused of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Dr. Mark A. Nowacki’s practice allegedly discriminated against a deaf patient by refusing to provide an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for her appointment.
The patient, who relies on ASL for communication, filed a complaint explaining that Dr. Nowacki denied her request for an interpreter when she scheduled an appointment in October 2021. This denial prevented her from effectively communicating with the doctor and his staff, and ultimately denied her access to his medical services.
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The settlement mandates that Dr. Nowacki take several steps to ensure his practice is ADA-compliant. He must create a written policy outlining how his office will communicate effectively with patients who have disabilities. This includes providing qualified ASL interpreters, either in person or through video remote interpreting (VRI) services, whenever necessary.
Furthermore, Dr. Nowacki is required to train all his employees on the ADA and their obligations to patients with disabilities. He must also keep detailed records of every request for auxiliary aids and services, such as interpreters, and how each request was handled. Any future complaints alleging ADA violations must be reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In addition to these measures, Dr. Nowacki will pay $1,000 in compensatory damages to the patient who filed the complaint.
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If you or someone you know believes they have been the victim of discrimination, you can report it to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. They have a Civil Rights Hotline at (813) 274-6095 and can also be reached by email at [email address removed]. An online complaint form is also available on their website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights-complaint-form.
For more information about the ADA and the rights of individuals with disabilities, visit www.ada.gov or call the ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (Voice) or (833) 610-1264 (TTY)
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