A medical license defense lawyer from Texas is a legal professional who can protect your license from disciplinary actions, including revocation, probation, and suspension.
Whether facing misconduct allegations, malfeasance accusations, or if your license application or renewal has been denied, a license defense lawyer from Bertolino LLP can build a strong case and fight for your right to practice in the medical field.
Reasons to Hire a Medical License Defense Lawyer in Texas
An experienced attorney can help you if the Texas Medical Board (TMB) has denied your license application or renewal request and assist you in defending your license if you’re facing allegations of:
- Violating the standard of care for physicians treating patients
- Violating doctor-patient relationship boundaries
- Engaging in inappropriate sexual behaviors when working with a patient
- Physically, sexually, or emotionally abusing a patient
- Failing to maintain patient records and documents properly
- Violating laws surrounding the prescription and administration of controlled substances
- Insurance fraud
- Unethical behavior
If you’ve been involved in a scenario that has put your license at risk or are having trouble with another license-related matter, a lawyer can take various actions on your behalf. They’ll work hard to protect your license, preserving your reputation, livelihood, and ability to continue working in your desired profession.
Steps a Lawyer Can Take to Defend Your Medical License
Once you’ve discussed your situation with an attorney, they can determine how to protect you from disciplinary actions and help you preserve your license. Here are steps your lawyer can take to preserve your professional medical license:
Respond to the Letter of Investigation
A letter of investigation is a formal notification sent by the medical licensing board or a similar authority indicating a complaint or allegation has been made against you.
The letter will detail the nature of the complaint, specific allegations, and possibly preliminary evidence supporting the claims.
Whether you were expecting the letter or were caught off guard and believe the allegations are baseless, you’ll want to take it seriously.
Taking a TMB letter of investigation seriously involves responding promptly and properly. Ignoring or delaying a response can have severe consequences, potentially leading to disciplinary action against your license.
Contacting the board to explain your side of the story might seem appealing; however, the wrong words or actions may cause further harm and jeopardize your defense.
We recommend consulting a skilled medical license defense attorney. A lawyer can review the notification and draft a compelling response to address the allegations, present supporting evidence, and argue in favor of your professional conduct and expertise. This response is vital because it sets the tone for future interactions with the licensing board.
Gather Evidence and Build a Strong Case on Your Behalf
If the TMB decides to investigate the allegations against you, your license defense attorney will review the evidence they find and search for evidence that the TMB could not recover.
Your lawyer will leave no stone unturned during the investigation because even the smallest bit of evidence can impact your case.
Once your lawyer has collected and analyzed all the evidence they can find, they can argue against the accusations you’re facing and fight to protect your professional medical license and reputation as a practitioner.
Represent You During Disciplinary Proceedings
The outcome of your disciplinary proceedings will determine whether your license is suspended, revoked, or you receive some other form of disciplinary action. Fortunately, an experienced medical license defense lawyer can take the following actions:
- Review the licensing board’s proposed sanctions
- Participate in informal negotiations with the TMB to reach a favorable conclusion
- Engage in the discovery process if the board decides to take formal disciplinary action against you
- Represent you during an administrative hearing before an administrative law judge
- Pursue a motion for rehearing and petition for judicial review if you have a basis to challenge the agency’s final order
- Explain the disciplinary hearing process and answer any questions you have
A medical license defense lawyer can also help you with challenges stemming from your initial or renewal application with the TMB. If you are applying for your medical license or attempting to renew it, you could encounter several stumbling blocks that make it challenging to complete. The following issues could cause the TMB to deny your initial or renewal application:
- False information in your application
- A criminal history matter for which the TMB may deny your application
- A history of disciplinary action brought against you by another state medical board
- A history of disciplinary action during medical school, residency or post-graduate training
- Failure to meet specific requirements or criteria
- If you are found to be mentally incompetent by a court
- If you were diagnosed with a physical or mental condition that makes you unable to provide safe medical treatment
- A history of substance abuse, fraud, deceptive advertising, dishonorable conduct, or other immoral or illegal behaviors
If the TMB denies your application or license renewal for one of the reasons above, you’ll want a knowledgeable and trusted medical license defense attorney in your corner to help you navigate the legal process and fight to protect your right to practice, your license, career and professional reputation.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Medical Defense Lawyer from Texas
Now that you know what a medical defense lawyer can do for you, it’s time to find out how the team at Bertolino LLP will fight aggressively to protect your professional license. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your rights and legal options.
If we agree to work with you, our Texas medical license defense attorneys will fight hard to bring your case to a positive conclusion. We will draw on our extensive experience to thoroughly investigate your case, build a facts-based legal argument on your behalf, and fight for your right to make a living in your desired field.
Call or text (512) 476-5757 or complete a Case Evaluation form
