$350K Polyclinic ADA Disability Accommodation Interpreter Settlement, Are You Eligible to File a Claim?

The Polyclinic Settlement is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enforcement action where eligible patients with hearing, vision, and/or speech disabilities who were denied qualified interpreter services at Polyclinic locations in Seattle, Washington, between January 1, 2021, and September 30, 2025, can receive a cash payment by filing a claim before August 8, 2026. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington investigated The Polyclinic, PLLC for alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12182), and the parties reached a settlement on October 1, 2025, establishing a $350,000 Compensation Fund for eligible patients. The Polyclinic denies all wrongdoing.

Quick-Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$350,000 Compensation Fund (plus a separate $25,000 public interest payment to the U.S. and $25,000 to the original complainant)
Claim Deadline	August 8, 2026
Who Qualifies	Patients identified by The Polyclinic who were denied or received inadequate interpreter accommodations for a hearing, vision, or speech disability between January 1, 2021, and September 30, 2025, OR who filed grievances about ineffective communication during that period
Payout Per Person	TBD — determined by the number of appointments during which each eligible patient did not receive a qualified interpreter or appropriate communication aid
Proof Required	No — eligibility and payment amounts are determined from The Polyclinic’s own medical appointment records
Settlement Status	Effective — Settlement Agreement executed October 1, 2025; claims open now
Administrator	JND Legal Administration
Official Website	polycliniccompensationfund.com
Last Updated	April 24, 2026

Current Status & What Happens Next

• Notices mailed: JND Legal Administration has already identified and contacted eligible patients directly using The Polyclinic’s internal appointment records — if you received a notice letter, you appear on the Eligible Persons list.
• Claim deadline: All claim forms must be submitted online or received by email, or postmarked by mail, no later than August 8, 2026.
• Payment timeline: Once you submit your signed Claim Form and Release of Claims, you should expect to receive a mailed check within 90 days of submission.

What Is the Polyclinic Lawsuit About? United States v. The Polyclinic, PLLC, USAO #2023v00738; DJ #202-82-249

This case arises from a federal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington (USAO) into whether The Polyclinic, PLLC violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12182) by denying auxiliary aids and services — including qualified sign language and tactile interpreters — necessary for effective communication with patients who have hearing, vision, and/or speech disabilities.

The investigation began in 2023 following a complaint from patient D.K., an individual who is deaf-blind, who alleged that The Polyclinic repeatedly failed to provide an in-person tactile sign language interpreter for multiple appointments at its Optum Madison Center and Optum Broadway locations in Seattle. D.K. alleged that these failures caused appointment cancellations and ineffective communication during medical visits. The USAO determined that The Polyclinic engaged in similar conduct across its Seattle-area locations for other patients during the Claims Period of January 1, 2021, through September 30, 2025.

The Settlement Agreement, signed on October 1, 2025, by USAO Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Kas and Polyclinic CEO and Optum Pacific Northwest Market President Alka Atal-Barrio, M.D., resolves all covered claims without further investigation or litigation. In addition to the $350,000 Compensation Fund for eligible patients, The Polyclinic agreed to implement sweeping operational reforms — including designating an on-duty Assistive Device Point Person (ADPP), maintaining an expanded and contractually reinforced pool of qualified interpreters, deploying dedicated iPads for Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), and filing semi-annual compliance reports with the USAO for two years. Covered Polyclinic locations include Ballard FM/Northwest FM/Ballard Surgery, Optum Broadway, Optum Downtown, Optum Northgate Plaza, and Optum Madison Center — all in Seattle, Washington.

Who Is Eligible for the Polyclinic Settlement?

• You may qualify if you are a patient of The Polyclinic who, between January 1, 2021, and September 30, 2025, requested an accommodation for a hearing, vision, or speech disability — including a qualified interpreter — and did not receive one, or received an inadequate one.
• You may qualify if you filed a grievance or complaint during the Claims Period alleging that The Polyclinic failed to provide effective communication for your medical appointments.
• You may qualify if you received a Notice of Settlement letter from JND Legal Administration — this means The Polyclinic’s own records identified you as a Potential Eligible Person.
• You may qualify if you sought care at any of the five covered Seattle locations: Ballard FM/Northwest FM/Ballard Surgery (1448 NW Market St.), Optum Broadway (1145 Broadway), Optum Downtown (509 Olive Way), Optum Northgate Plaza (9709 3rd Ave. NE), or Optum Madison Center (904 7th Ave.).
• You do NOT qualify if you were not identified on The Polyclinic’s Potential Eligible Persons List — however, if you believe you were wrongly excluded, you should contact JND Legal Administration directly at (877) 206-2308 or [email protected].

Important: Under this settlement, all Eligible Persons release their ADA claims against The Polyclinic, Optum Health of Washington, and UnitedHealth Group — whether or not they submit a Claim Form. Filing a claim is the only way to receive a payment.

How Much Money Can You Get from the Polyclinic Settlement?

Your individual payment amount is pre-calculated by The Polyclinic and the USAO based on the number of medical appointments in the Claims Period during which you were not furnished with a qualified interpreter or appropriate communication aids. Your specific payment amount appears on or with your Notice of Settlement letter.

The total $350,000 Compensation Fund distributes on a per-appointment basis: the more missed or inadequate accommodations documented in your appointment records, the higher your payment. The compensation amounts for each tier were determined by a distribution plan approved by the USAO prior to the Agreement’s effective date.

Key financial details from the Settlement Agreement:

• The $350,000 Compensation Fund is entirely separate from a $25,000 payment to the United States to vindicate the public interest, and a $25,000 direct payment to the original complainant D.K. — neither of those amounts reduces the fund available to other eligible patients.
• Polyclinic bears all costs of administering the Compensation Fund, including JND Legal Administration’s fees — those costs do not come out of your payment.
• Payments are characterized as non-wage income. You may receive a 1099 tax form from the administrator for use when filing your annual tax return.
• Any residual funds unclaimed after the Final Payment Date are returned to The Polyclinic — not redistributed to other claimants — so filing promptly protects your full allotment.

Step-by-Step: How to File Your Polyclinic Claim Form

Step 1 — Visit the official claim portal at secure.polycliniccompensationfund.com — or download and print the Claim Form from the Important Documents page if you prefer to submit by mail or email.

Step 2 — Enter your personal details exactly as listed: full legal name, date of birth, address, phone number (or VRS number if preferred), email (optional), and Social Security number.

Step 3 — Review the Release of Claims embedded in the Claim Form — by signing, you release The Polyclinic, Optum, and UnitedHealth from all ADA claims related to this investigation covering the period January 1, 2021, through September 30, 2025. You are encouraged to consult an attorney at your own expense before signing.

Step 4 — Sign and date the Claim Form, declaring under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct.

Step 5 — Submit your completed Claim Form via one of three methods: (a) online through the claim portal, (b) email to [email protected], or (c) U.S. mail to: Polyclinic Compensation Fund, c/o JND Legal Administration, PO Box 91345, Seattle, WA 98111.

Step 6 — If you have a visual impairment and need a Braille version of the Claim Form or Notice that was not provided, contact JND Legal Administration at (877) 206-2308 to request one at no charge.

Deadline: Online submissions and emailed forms must be received by August 8, 2026. Mailed forms must be postmarked by August 8, 2026. Expect your check within 90 days of submission.

Estimated time to complete: 5–10 minutes.

Important Deadlines & Dates

Milestone	Date
Claims Period (Alleged Conduct)	January 1, 2021 – September 30, 2025
Settlement Agreement Effective Date	October 1, 2025
$25,000 Public Interest Payment to U.S.	Within 30 days of Effective Date (October 2025)
$25,000 Direct Payment to Complainant D.K.	Within 30 days of Effective Date (October 2025)
$350,000 Compensation Fund Deposited	Within 60 days of Effective Date (November 2025)
Claim Filing Deadline	August 8, 2026 (online/email received; mail postmarked)
Expected Payment After Submission	Within 90 days of submitting a signed Claim Form
Agreement Duration / Compliance Monitoring Ends	October 1, 2027 (24 months from Effective Date)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim? 

No. JND Legal Administration administers the claim process, and The Polyclinic bears all administration costs — you pay nothing to file. However, because signing the Claim Form releases all your ADA claims against The Polyclinic, Optum, and UnitedHealth, the settlement documents encourage you to consult an attorney at your own expense before signing if you have any questions about what rights you are waiving.

Is this settlement legitimate? 

Yes. This is a federal enforcement settlement executed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington (USAO #2023v00738; DJ #202-82-249) under authority granted by Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12188(b). JND Legal Administration, the court-appointed claims administrator, manages polycliniccompensationfund.com. You can verify by calling (877) 206-2308 or emailing [email protected].

When will I receive my payment? 

Once you submit your signed Claim Form and Release of Claims, you should expect to receive a mailed check within 90 days. Checks that are not cashed or deposited within 90 days of issue become void. If your check goes uncashed, JND will attempt to reissue it within 30 additional days — after that, the funds revert to The Polyclinic and you forfeit your payment.

What if I missed the claim deadline? 

The claim deadline is August 8, 2026. If that date has passed when you read this, you are no longer eligible to receive a payment from the $350,000 Compensation Fund. However, signing or not signing the Claim Form does not affect the fact that your ADA claims against The Polyclinic for this Claims Period are released under the settlement terms — the release applies to all identified Eligible Persons regardless of whether they submit a form.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes?

 Yes, potentially. Payments from this settlement are characterized as non-wage income and The Polyclinic’s administrator will issue a 1099 informational tax form to eligible payees. You are solely responsible for paying any taxes owed on your payment. Polyclinic separately bears any taxes owed by the Compensation Fund itself. Consult a qualified tax professional for advice specific to your situation.

What if I have a visual or hearing impairment and need accessible documents?

 JND Legal Administration provides the Notice of Settlement and Claim Form in Braille at no charge for eligible persons with visual impairments. An ASL video summary of the settlement documents and Claim Form is available on the settlement website. An audio recording is also available. If you require any of these accessible formats and did not receive them, contact JND at (877) 206-2308 or [email protected].

What policy changes is The Polyclinic required to make? 

The Settlement Agreement requires The Polyclinic to implement significant structural reforms over a two-year compliance period monitored by the USAO. These include: designating an on-duty Assistive Device Point Person (ADPP) at all times; maintaining contracts with at least five qualified interpreter agencies; providing dedicated iPads for Video Remote Interpreting (VRI); posting ADA nondiscrimination statements in all patient waiting areas in both print and Braille; updating its website for accessibility per WCAG 2.1 AA standards; and training all clinical staff and active clinician members on effective communication protocols. The Polyclinic must submit compliance reports to the USAO every six months through October 2027.

What was the “double dip” in tactile interpreter denials about?

 The original complaint came from patient D.K., who is deaf-blind and communicates through tactile ASL — a form of sign language in which an interpreter signs directly into the person’s hands. The Polyclinic allegedly failed to provide D.K. with an in-person tactile interpreter for at least five appointments at its Optum Madison Center and Optum Broadway locations in 2023, resulting in appointment cancellations and missed medical care. The USAO’s investigation found similar failures affected other patients with hearing, vision, and speech disabilities across all five covered locations between 2021 and 2025.

Sources & References

• Official Settlement Website: polycliniccompensationfund.com
• Settlement Agreement (Full Document): View PDF via Settlement Website
• U.S. Department of Justice — U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington: USAO #2023v00738; DJ #202-82-249
• Governing Law: Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12182; 28 C.F.R. § 36.303

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official settlement administrator website and the Settlement Agreement executed October 1, 2025, on April 24, 2026. Last Updated: April 24, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.