Garland Physician License Defense Attorneys

The Leichter Law Firm is dedicated to defending the medical licenses of physicians against the Texas Medical Board. The Board is responsible for pursuing misconduct proceedings and/or disciplinary actions against physicians and other medical practitioners. The loss of a license to practice can more commonly be the result for physicians who do not consult with the a physician license attorney. Garland area physicians facing sanctions from the Texas Medical Board can benefit from consulting with an attorney at the Leichter Law Firm PC.

A physician in Garland might be accused of any number of actions that could be pursued by the Texas Medical Board. For instance, at the Leichter Law Firm PC, we’ve worked with physicians accused of chemical dependency and intemperate use issues. We also have experience handling cases related to sexual boundary violations, non-therapeutic prescribing, record documentation and maintenance problems, and standard of care violations.

Our experience is not the only thing that commends us amongst physicians facing license defense. We are conveniently based in downtown Austin, which is especially important because it is only minutes from the Executive Offices of the Texas Medical Board, the State Office of Administrative Hearings, the Travis County District Court House, and the Texas Supreme Court.

Why You May Need a Physician License Defense Attorney

In general, there has been a relative increase in punitive sanctions, as the number of cases involving probated suspensions and lengthy disciplinary orders has increased. In most cases, these issues involve accusations of poor standards of care. However, approximately one-half of cases involve one or more of the following accusations:

• Chemical dependency,
• Records failure,
• Unethical prescriptions,
• Sexual boundary violations, and
• Commission and conviction of crimes.

It may be wise to seek the support of a physician license defense attorney for any of these issues. This is especially important at the beginning of a case when you first become aware that the Texas Medical Board has become involved. In addition, you never want to respond to the TMB without first talking with an attorney. Also, you never want to meet with investigators without first having an attorney present. This can prevent you from incriminating yourself, or allowing the TMB to trap you.

At the Leichter Law Firm, our attorneys can answer any questions that physicians have regarding numerous defense issues. In your first, or subsequent, visits, we can help you understand all of the following:

• The Disciplinary Process
• Grounds for Discipline
• Types of Penalties
• Appeals
• Peer Review Actions
• Network & Insurance Terminations
• Chemical Dependency
• Criminal Arrests and Convictions

In many cases, allegations are brought forward by a co-worker, patient, malpractice suit, or negative peer review. Our initial step is to figure out the exact complaint against you. Once we’ve done that, we can help you craft the appropriate response to your allegations, and we can then move on to building the other important aspects of your defense. In some cases, you can prevent a TMB sanction by disputing a hospital peer review investigation, or disputing medical staff privileges.

When it comes to criminal accusations, if a physician is arrested but not on charges that relate to his or her practice, it is still advisable to consult with an attorney. This is because some arrests (if they lead to conviction) will result in the immediate loss or revocation of a physician license. Also, if a physician is contacted about Medicare, Medicaid, or other reimbursement policies managed by Social Security, an attorney consultation is important because this contact is often indicative of imminent charges and a criminal prosecution.

If you do find yourself in the spotlight of a criminal investigation, you should know that many of these cases often lead to improper reporting to the National Practitioner Data Bank, or NPDB. But in many cases you can petition for non-disclosure agreements, and can remove any misdemeanor probation convictions. This is critical because removing this data can protect you and your practice both now and in the future.

Even if you are not part of a criminal investigation, facing any kind of disciplinary action or misconduct proceeding can be intimidating, especially when you are threatened with the loss of your license to practice. Fortunately, having the experience and skills necessary for a sound defense can help protect your license, as well as your reputation as a licensed physician. Many physicians may worry about the costs of an attorney or legal advice and assistance, but remember two things: first, having the advice and assistance of someone experienced with defending against the Texas Medical Board can be invaluable in the long run, and second, many medical liability policies will actually cover the costs of an attorney’s fees if you are involved in licensure actions or disciplinary inquiries.

The best legal defense is critical when you are facing accusations of criminal misconduct as a physician, and experience and expertise are among the most important qualities your attorney can have. At the Leichter Law Firm, we help Garland physicians defend against disciplinary inquiries from the Texas Medical Board, and can also help defend you against losing your license to practice medicine in the state of Texas.

Contact a Physician License Attorney in Garland

If you or someone you know is facing the loss of his or her medical license, then you could benefit from consulting with a physician license defense attorney. At the Leichter Law Firm PC, our Garland attorneys work with individual clients personally, answering all of their questions and representing them fairly and with integrity; let us work with you too. Contact our offices today by calling (512) 495-9995 to learn more about our practice and how we can help you.