Whether you are a doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, or other licensed professional, you have always delivered top-tier services with the utmost integrity and professionalism. Nevertheless, someone used underhanded tactics to make you do something unethical or illegal that has jeopardized your license and career. You now face licensing board investigations into alleged wrongdoing, but you feel you have done nothing wrong.

No matter your field, you know it is a cutthroat world, and a colleague or academic rival may have deliberately entrapped you into getting your license suspended. You need to understand your rights and options for dealing with this unfortunate reality, as well as what you should and should not do going forward. You should also contact an experienced professional license defense attorney immediately for a full review of your case and help with building your defense.

Understand the Complaint

If someone filed a professional complaint against you, you likely received a letter from your administrative licensing board informing you of an impending investigation into your case. Virtually anyone can file a complaint against any licensed professional, including:

• Colleagues
• Employees
• Patients
• Spouses or significant others

Complaints can involve any of the following alleged offenses:

• Fraudulent practices
• Sexual misconduct
• Patient abuse and neglect
• Incorrect or fraudulent prescribing practices
• Failure to follow treatment protocols
• Substance abuse or addiction
• Poor or suspicious record-keeping or tax filings
• Criminal convictions

You need to understand exactly what the complaint entails so you can better prepare your defense, and you should contact a lawyer right away.

The Disciplinary Process

After receiving the complaint, the licensing board will investigate the matter to determine whether enough evidence exists to support the allegations. If they find substantial evidence, they may ask you to sign a consent order, whereby you effectively plead guilty, or they will call a formal board hearing to determine your guilt.

Know Your Rights

The U.S. Constitution grants all citizens the right to due process during formal (especially criminal) investigations and prosecutions. The administrative licensing board may try to limit the disclosure of facts and evidence, and they typically have a lower burden of proof to suspend or revoke your license. Nevertheless, they must honor your right to due process and should afford you the benefit of the doubt.

However, complaints can be made anonymously, and you may have no way to know for sure who filed a complaint against you. Remember, you do not have to say anything to an investigator or the review board without first consulting an attorney.

Do Not Retaliate

Even if you know (or highly suspect) who filed a complaint, you should not retaliate against them. In fact, you should have no contact with them at all. The license review board may look at anything you do or any communication you have with your accuser as an act of aggression, intimidation, or tampering, and it may open the door for your accuser to bring even more unfounded allegations against you.

Work With an Experienced Attorney

You will need to show the person used some form of entrapment to compel you to act so you can clear your name and protect and preserve all that you have worked so hard to achieve. Your defense options will lie in the facts and circumstances of your case, and you can contact attorney Joseph Lento and the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or online to request a confidential consultation.