As a professional land surveyor, you've worked hard to build your career. It required years of schooling and even more years of field experience, and tough exams to earn the license you need to even start your career. The license you worked so hard for is the key to your livelihood, so you want to protect it. Allegations of wrongdoing can derail all that you worked for.
If a complaint is filed against you with your state licensing body, it doesn't matter if the accusation is false or whether the offense in question was a simple misunderstanding or an unfortunate misstep on your part; it can still disrupt your life and your career. You don't have to face this process without expert legal help.
The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team has helped many licensed professionals across the nation defend their careers from potentially disastrous complaints filed against them. Call (888) 535-3686 immediately if you've had a complaint filed against you or you even suspect one is coming. The sooner our experienced team can begin preparing your defense, the better.
What Offenses Could Cause Me to Lose My License?
The state body that oversees your professional land surveyor license likely has established a code of conduct that spells out professional standards that licensees must adhere to. Most issues that result in disciplinary action will involve either a violation of this code of conduct or some other breach of public trust that gives the public a reason to have doubts about your ability to perform your job.
If you make serious errors in surveys, fail to communicate critical information to your clients, or do anything that compromises public safety, you could face allegations of gross negligence or incompetence.
You might also find yourself in hot water if you perform services outside the scope of your license. If you fraudulently advertise services you aren't qualified to provide or don't deliver on promises made in your advertising, you could also face a complaint against your license.
Letting unlicensed employees perform services that should only be performed by a licensed land surveyor is also likely to cause you problems.
It should go without saying that failing to comply with federal, state, and/or local safety standards and ordinances will almost certainly lead to disciplinary action.
Are There Other Disciplinary Actions That Can Be Applied Besides Having My License Revoked?
The licensing board may choose to suspend your license, which will allow it to be reinstated after certain conditions have been met over a period of time.
They may also decide to allow you to keep your license on a probationary basis. A time period will be established in which certain conditions and/or restrictions will be placed on you, and you will practice under strict scrutiny. If you reach the end of the probationary period with no further offenses, your probation will be lifted, and you will be back to surveying normally.
Another possibility is that you keep your license but have some kind of limitation put on you. You might be restricted to only performing certain types of activities. If it is determined that your offense happened because of a lack of training on your part, the board could impose an educational requirement to fill those gaps in your learning.
Finally, the licensing board may issue a formal, written reprimand that will appear on your public record.
What Will the Disciplinary Process Look Like?
Each state will have established its own process, but there are basic steps that will be similar among all state disciplinary processes. Attorney Lento will help you navigate the process in any state in the US. The process will almost always be initiated by a formal complaint alleging some form of wrongdoing that will be made to the state licensing board.
Once a complaint has been filed, an investigation will begin. The investigation will begin by trying to determine if the complaint is legitimate, with enough evidence to proceed with the disciplinary process. You may be asked to file a response to the complaint in writing. Witnesses may also be interviewed, and documents may also be subpoenaed.
If enough evidence is found, the board could offer you the opportunity to sign a consent decree. This will allow you to avoid going to a formal hearing, but by signing, you voluntarily agree to submit to the disciplinary actions recommended by the board. This is a legally binding document, so it is essential that you consult Attorney Joseph D. Lento before signing this kind of document.
If there is no consent decree offered, or you choose not to sign it, the process will move to a formal hearing. The hearing can be conducted directly before the board, or it may be held before an Administrative Law Judge. Since this is a legal hearing, you are encouraged to have your attorney represent you and be present with you during the hearing.
What Happens After the Hearing?
Following a hearing, the board will decide if your case merits any disciplinary action and what that action will entail. This could mean that your professional land surveyor license is revoked. Even a lesser penalty can have a serious negative impact on your career, so your best hope of avoiding the most serious damage to your career is to hire experienced professional license defense attorney Joseph D. Lento.
At any point in the process, the board could decide to dismiss your case, and you could avoid any penalty at all. The Lento Law Firm Team understands every step of the process and will be prepared to negotiate with the licensing board to have your case dismissed. Even if the complaint isn't dismissed entirely, Attorney Lento can negotiate for reduced penalties at any point in the process.
Even a seemingly minor complaint with very little evidence could end up doing serious damage to your professional land surveyor career. You don't want to take any chances when facing a complaint. The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team can give you the best chance to protect your license and your ability to earn a living as a professional land surveyor. Call (888) 535-3686 or go online immediately if you've had a complaint filed against you.
