The fees associated with obtaining a license to work in Kentucky vary greatly. For one thing, it depends on what you do: Getting a doctor's license in Kentucky, for example, may cost around $700.00. Accountant and architect licenses in Kentucky cost a bit less — around $200.00.
Regardless of the type of license you need, you've put years into pursuing the qualifications necessary to get the license. Whether you've gone through medical school or put in years of training to become a licensed Kentucky electrician, you've spent a significant amount of energy, money, and time to get this far.
Clearly, losing your professional license would impact everything you've worked to build.
Unfortunately, it's easier than you think to lose your license in Kentucky. Missteps, mistakes, miscommunications, and even sheer bad luck can result in career-threatening allegations, professional misconduct procedures, and more.
If you're in a situation where you need to protect your future, your professional reputation, and your ability to make money in Kentucky, you need to reach out to Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team. They can help you determine the best steps to take to defend yourself and safeguard your career.
Kentucky Professional License Defense With the Lento Law Firm Team
Losing your Kentucky professional license is a very serious problem.
You might wonder what types of professional code violations could result in this consequence. The expectations of professionals in your field may vary depending on what you do, but typically, if a professional in Kentucky is associated with any of the following, their state licensing board may decide to pursue disciplinary action:
- Violating patient or client confidentiality
- Sexual misconduct
- Substance abuse
- Mishandling medications
- Issues technically unrelated to your practice but generally considered serious (e.g., DUIs)
If your applicable Kentucky licensing board learns about these or similar violations, representatives from that board may decide to initiate an investigation.
Examples of these boards include:
- Kentucky boards that oversee medical and healthcare licenses, such as the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure
- Kentucky boards that issue professional services licenses, such as the Kentucky Board of Architects, the Kentucky Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors, and the Kentucky Board of Accountancy
- Kentucky boards that manage trade licenses, such as the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction
Dealing with the disciplinary processes of each of these groups can require a lot of time, energy, and skillful negotiating. If, at the end of their disciplinary process, your professional board decides to take away your license, you could find yourself unable to practice your craft in your home state.
You can't let that happen. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team can help you respond to any allegations of professional misconduct you're facing anywhere in the country. For years, the Lento Law Firm Team has helped healthcare professionals and professionals in myriad other industries reduce their risk of losing their licenses. If you're in need of similar assistance, contact the Lento Law Firm today by calling 888.535.3686.
The Disciplinary Process for Licensed Professionals in Kentucky
The path your state's licensing board will take to potential degree revocation includes many different steps. It's a good idea to check your specific professional licensing group — e.g., the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure — to see if it has any specific guidelines and procedures.
For the most part, you can expect this general process to occur:
- An Official Complaint: Your formal disciplinary proceedings will begin when someone files a complaint against you with your licensing board. For example, if someone has a complaint against a Kentucky doctor, they might file that complaint with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. While anyone can file this type of formal complaint, generally, these complaints come from clients, patients, coworkers, insurers, and even state court clerks.
- A Thorough Investigation: After your relevant licensing agency receives a complaint, the next step is an investigation. If your licensing board decides to initiate an investigation, you should receive a notice in the mail. This notice should contain details about the allegation against you. Keep this notification, and start a file to collect all information you glean about your investigation. During this part of the process, you might be asked to provide a statement or cooperate with an interview. Before you do anything, retain the services of Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his experienced Professional License Defense Team. They can help you determine the best way to respond to all requests from your licensing board.
- A Consent Agreement: if your relevant Kentucky licensing board decides to pursue disciplinary action after its investigation is complete, it may decide that a consent agreement is a workable compromise. A consent agreement involves your legally admitting liability or guilt for the allegations or complaints against you. In exchange for this agreement, your licensing board may reduce the sanctions against you — e.g., could avoid straight-out license revocation. Your particular consent agreement may require some further actions on your part related to your alleged offense, such as substance abuse treatment. Before you consider signing a consent agreement, even if it seems sensible to you, discuss it with Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team.
- A Formal Hearing: If your state's licensing board does not offer a consent agreement or you decide not to sign one, the board will invite you to a mandatory hearing. During this hearing, the board will present its findings, give you a chance to respond to the allegations and take time to determine next steps. At the end of this hearing, the board will issue its recommendation for sanctions, which may include license revocation.
You Need the Lento Law Firm to Help Protect Your KY License. Here's Why
The stakes in your Kentucky professional license dispute are incredibly high. Your professional reputation and ability to provide for yourself and your loved ones are both hanging in the balance.
That's enough of a reason to retain premier professional license defense attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Team, but it's not the only reason. For example:
- Anyone can bring a complaint against you. They don't need to hire legal representation, and there are no costs involved with bringing said complaint. This makes the barrier to initiating this process against you scarily low.
- In many professions, there is no statute of limitations for filing a complaint. This means someone could file a complaint against you for issues that occurred years in the past — which can make finding evidence to support your case very difficult.
- It can be wildly easy to accidentally misrepresent yourself or issue statements that make your case harder to argue than necessary.
Retaining the Lento Law Firm Team is an effective way to increase your chances of a positive outcome. Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team can help you:
- Fully understand the complaint lodged against you
- Represent you, as needed, in all interactions with your relevant state licensing board
- Help you draft compelling, persuasive responses and arguments to aid in dismissal of the complaint against you
- Handle negotiations with your board, to pave the way to a lesser penalty or other successful resolution
- Determine whether a consent agreement is a favorable course of action for you
- Defend you in your state licensing board's formal hearing, if necessary
Kentucky Regions and Cities In Which the Lento Law Firm Can Help
Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team are ready to provide defense services to a wide range of professionals working within the state of Kentucky — from doctors, nurses, and dentists to plumbers, electricians, and beyond. If your job requires that you file for and maintain a professional license from a licensing board in Kentucky, we are pleased to assist. Many of our clients work in the communities surrounding these cities (and their popular healthcare hubs):
- Louisville. Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky, is home to over 600,000 residents. There, the major healthcare institutions are the University of Louisville Hospital and Norton Hospital.
- Lexington. Lexington's population of 330,000 lives near several notable hospitals and healthcare institutions, including the UK Good Samaritan Hospital and the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital.
- Bowling Green. Bowling Green, a town in southern Kentucky, boasts a population of 70,000. It's also home to the Medical Center at Bowling Green.
- Owensboro. Owensboro's main healthcare institution is Owensboro Health — a healthcare system that oversees the operation of several clinics and hospitals in the region. Owensboro itself has a population of about 59,000.
- Covington. Covington is a smaller town with a population of around 41,000, but it is part of the greater Cincinnati area. While Covington itself is home to St. Elizabeth Healthcare, many Covington professionals may work at hospital centers and clinics that are part of larger Cincinnati-area systems.
Next, we'll provide a little more detail surrounding the specific types of allegations that could jeopardize your professional license.
Common Offenses that Could Endanger Your Kentucky Professional License
The state of Kentucky and its various licensing boards issue and maintain licenses to ensure that professionals working within the state provide safe services.
Part of maintaining these licenses, therefore, involves reviewing complaints and considering revocations if it appears that licensees have violated public trust or are associated with actions that put their ability to perform their roles safely within significant doubt.
An incomplete list of accusations that your Kentucky licensing board might frown upon includes:
- Being associated with fraud or fraudulent practices. For healthcare workers, “fraud” may encompass over-billing your patients, submitting incorrect insurance codes, falsifying patient diagnoses, or advertising and providing services that you don't have the authority to provide.
- Any alleged acts of gross negligence. This might include any patient- or client-jeopardizing activities, medical or prescription errors, or emotional or physical abuse.
- Initiating or pursuing a dual or inappropriate relationship. Whether you're a healthcare professional or an electrician, it's usually not encouraged (or flat-out prohibited) to form a sexual or romantic relationship with a patient or a client. If someone can allege that you're involved with sexual harassment, inappropriate behaviors, or assault, your state's licensing board will likely get involved.
- Poor or inaccurate maintenance of records. Whether there's ill intent behind it or not, maintaining sloppy records can result in mistakes or bad care for your clients or patients. If someone can demonstrate that your records are less than meticulous, your state's licensing board may want to know more.
- Criminal convictions, unrelated though they may seem. While your driving record or issues relating to your personal life may not seem like they have an effect on your career, your state's licensing board may consider them indicative of your character or your ability to remain professional while on the job.
If you realize that you're going to be involved with an investigation centering on these or similar issues, you need to work quickly. Retain Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team to work towards a favorable outcome.
The Lento Law Firm: Professional License Defense for Licensed Professionals in Kentucky
The Lento Law Firm is ready to help licensed Kentucky professionals protect their licenses and their careers. If you are licensed in any of the following roles and require experienced assistance, contact the Lento Law Firm at once:
- physician
- nurse
- physician assistant
- dentist
- pharmacist
- mental health professional
- podiatrist
- anesthesiologist
- chiropractor
- physical therapist
- audiologist
- real estate agent
- K-12 educator
- cosmetologist
- insurance agent
- architect
- CPA
- other licensed professions
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team are ready to provide a strong defense and stellar representation. Call our team at 888.535.3686 or contact us online to schedule a review of your case.
