Adventist hospital sued for forcibly removing disabled veteran and service dog

Portland Adventist Medical Center had security forcefully remove an 86-year-old Happy Valley man from the hospital because he had his service dog Libby with him, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court on Monday.

Robert Campen, a disabled veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, was accompanied by his service dog when he visited the hospital on June 1, 2015.

With the dog on a leash, Campen stopped at the information desk, and was directed to the medical records department, the suit states.

After finishing his business in Adventist's medical records department, Campen was walking with his dog to the hospital exit when two security guards stopped him and told him he couldn't have his dog with him.

As Campen was explaining to the guards that Libby was his service dog, a hospital senior vice president David Russell appeared and ordered, "Get the dog out of here,'' according to the lawsuit.

The suit alleges that one of the guards immediately grabbed Campen by the wrist, twisted it away from his body and forced him to leave.

The federal lawsuit contends that Adventist discriminated against Campen because of his disability and seeks a court order mandating the hospital comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It seeks a court order prohibiting the hospital from "continued discrimination against people with disabilities.'' It also contends the guards subjected him to "battery.'' He suffered a sprained wrist that required medical attention, according to his lawyer Daniel Snyder.

Campen is seeking an undisclosed amount of economic and non-economic damages.

Kristi Spurgeon Johnson, a spokeswoman for Adventist Health, said the center has not yet been served with the lawsuit. "We were not aware of pending litigation,'' she said.

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