Plaintiffs, native Farsi and Spanish speakers, filed a class action lawsuit against Maine Medical Center, alleging failure to provide adequate translation services for LEP patients. Plaintiffs claimed that this failure resulted in delays and denials of medical care and constituted discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, or national origin. Plaintiffs filed claims under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Hill-Burton Act, 42 U.S.C. Sect. 1981, breach of contract with the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, and the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA). Defendants filed a motion to dismiss all claims. The court allowed the claims under Title VI, the Hill-Burton Act, 42 U.S.C. Sect 1981, and the MHRA to proceed. The court granted the motion to dismiss for the breach of contract claim, punitive damages, and compensatory damages.
