One of the most significant challenges you can face as a podiatrist is allegations and complaints from your patients, colleagues, or employer. Even the best podiatrist faces these challenges when accused of negligence or unprofessional conduct. Allegations and complaints occur when you make a mistake or have a misunderstanding at your workplace. You should take complaints to the Board of Podiatrist Medicine seriously, as they can damage your reputation and result in severe consequences, like a suspension or revocation of your license.

It helps to always be prepared for such eventualities to protect your career and reputation. You can still seek advice, support, and assistance from a professional license attorney. Our legal expertise at Kern County License Attorney enables us to fight for the best possible outcome of our clients’ cases. While the board works to protect the public from substandard and unsafe services in Kern County, we will work with you to ensure that the complaint does not affect the career you have worked hard to build.

Your Critical Role as a Modern Podiatrist

Our feet play a significant role in our lives. They carry us through every day, enabling us to achieve our goals and move from one location to another. A problem with your teeth will leave you grounded until you can find help; this is where a podiatrist comes in. Podiatrists are medical professionals who deal with problems related to the feet. They are foot doctors who understand how our feet function and some of the issues that could affect that function. Thus, your role as a podiatrist is invaluable.

However, you need adequate and extensive training to become a podiatrist. It takes a long time and substantial resources to obtain the necessary skills to work in this field. After training, you must gain some experience to serve well and effectively. If your skills and experience are insufficient, you must take tests to qualify for a license to serve in hospitals, on a military base, or even operate a private practice. The Board of Podiatric Medicine ensures only qualified podiatrists are licensed.

Once you have a permit, you can treat wounds, perform surgical procedures, administer anesthesia, and treat arthritis, sprains, and other foot-related diseases. You can serve many people, including the youth and adults. You expect your career to thrive at this point with zero or minimal challenges, but that is usually not the case. The board, whose primary mandate is to ensure public safety, will be on the lookout and ready to take action if you fail to perform your duties as expected.

A problem with your patients, their families, colleagues, or employers puts your license and career at risk. You can lose the license in an instant, which takes you a long time and costs you a lot of money to obtain. That could happen if you make a mistake, are professionally negligent, or misconduct yourself. The board takes these issues seriously and will not hesitate to suspend or revoke your license if necessary to protect the public.

The problem is that most of the allegations and complaints the board receives are untrue, exaggerated, and misguided. You could lose your livelihood due to an inaccurate or false accusation, hence the need to hire a proficient license attorney. The attorney will help defend you against your claims. They will also advise you on your options and protect your rights to ensure you do not lose your livelihood.

The Board’s Mission

Although the Board of Podiatric Medicine licenses qualified podiatrists in California, its primary mission is to ensure public safety. The board’s mandate is not to protect your rights but to ensure the public enjoys safe services. Thus, the board will quickly take the side of the complainant and can take stern action against you if a patient or employer lodges a complaint with them. Remember that only qualified podiatrists are licensed to serve in hospitals and private facilities. The board also takes a wide range of disciplinary actions against licensed podiatrists who fail to abide by the set standards of operation.

It is safe to say that the board’s primary concern is protecting patients and their families from suffering harm at the hands of medical professionals. It also sets and maintains standards to which all podiatrists must adhere. While that is a noble mission, the board can quickly turn against you, to the point of ending your career, once a complaint is filed against you.

Fortunately, you can fight any allegation or complaint against you for a fair outcome. You will need a proficient license attorney, whether the allegation is severe or minor. The board can rule against you even if the allegations against you are untrue. However, a lawyer can prevent that by presenting evidence and using mitigating factors to fight for a favorable resolution of your case. Sometimes, the board overlooks crucial evidence and the circumstances of the case, which could result in an unfair outcome. Having someone with your best interests in mind can benefit your situation.

Examples of Allegations You Can Face As a Podiatrist

Being a foot doctor means working directly with patients and their families. That close relationship could be the genesis of a life-changing issue that could put your license at risk. Your relationship with colleagues and employers could also determine your future as a podiatrist. Typically, podiatrists face all kinds of allegations and complaints. The common ones include the following:

  • An arrest or criminal sentence that affects your ability to provide safe services to patients

  • You commit a fraud-related offense, like insurance fraud

  • You are negligent in your service delivery (including ordinary and gross negligence)

  • Incompetent in performing your duties

  • Abandoning or neglecting a patient

  • Failing to refer patients to other medical professionals when there is a need

  • Operating without a license or with an invalid permit

  • Allowing unqualified assistants to work under your supervision

  • All types of unprofessional conduct

  • Fraudulently obtaining a podiatrist license

  • Falsifying or forging medical records

  • Failing to maintain patient records properly

  • Abusing drugs or alcohol, especially at work

These are only a few examples of allegations you can face as a podiatrist today. The board receives and acts upon all kinds of claims and complaints. However, it considers the nature and gravity of the allegations in determining the right course of action. Your licensing board will also consider mitigating or aggravating factors in your case, evidence, a performance record and whether anyone suffered harm through your actions or omissions.

Once a person files a complaint against you with the board, the board will investigate the nature and severity of the action. The board can investigate the case before informing you of the allegation, or it can inform you of the allegation and the investigation. Some allegations result in a formal accusation, whereby the board holds an administrative hearing to hear your side of the story and review your evidence. Ensure you avoid discipline at all costs because even the simplest form of discipline can affect your reputation.

Types of Disciplinary Actions Used By The Board In Case of Professional Misconduct

When the board receives a complaint and decides to investigate, it will appoint administrative judges to oversee the investigation and discipline. The outcome of the investigation will determine the kind of discipline the judges will decide on. Remember that all disciplines, even the most lenient, can affect your reputation and career. You need the help of a qualified license attorney to fight your charges and the discipline. Here are possible actions the judges can recommend to the board, depending on the investigation's outcome:

A Citation

The board issues citations through its website and orders you to pay a particular amount as a fine. Since citations are issued in public, it can affect your reputation and job if your employer, colleagues, or patients find out about them. But an aggressive lawyer can fight it to safeguard your interests.

A Public Reprimand

The board also issues reprimands to caution you against similar conduct in the future. Although the reprimand does not affect your license, it can affect your reputation. Your patients can drop your service, and you could lose your job.

Your license lawyer can fight this even before the board issues the letter through its website. This way, no one will know about the complaint and the board's investigations.

License Probation

A not-so-severe complaint can cause the board to place you on probation as it monitors your performance. Being on probation means that you will be under the close watch of the board. If you make a mistake while on probation, the board can suspend or revoke your license. Even if you continue to serve your clients during the probation period, the board will set strict probation conditions to which you must adhere. These conditions could make it difficult for you to execute your duties as a podiatrist freely.

Your lawyer can fight probation with evidence or mitigating circumstances. If that does not work, they can fight for fair probation and favorable conditions.

License Suspension

Severe cases of professional misconduct can result in the suspension of your podiatric license. License suspension is typically for a particular period. You could be required to complete a specific course within that period or meet other requirements for the board to reinstate your license. The problem with the suspension is that you will not work throughout that period. You will lose your livelihood and the possibility of finding a new job or new patients after the reinstatement.

Your legal representative can also fight your license suspension to a more favorable resolution, such as probation. You can earn a living while on probation, although under strict probation conditions. Your attorney will also ensure that your probation conditions are favorable.

License Revocation

This is the severest form of discipline by the board against podiatrists unfit to work in the medical field. Severe complaints can result in license revocation, whereby the board cancels your license completely, making it impossible for you to work again as a podiatrist. This will take away your livelihood and your career, which have taken you a long time and cost you a lot of money to build. You will be forced to train again for another job to start earning a livelihood again.

Although license revocations are not uncommon in this profession, you can overturn the judge’s decision with the help of an aggressive license attorney. Your lawyer can bargain for a license suspension if the allegations against you are grave. They can also negotiate for a favorable suspension period and help you reapply for another license after a license suspension.

When to Hire a License Attorney

If you enjoy your work as a podiatrist, a professional allegation will catch you unawares. It is best to act fast to fight the complaint and any disciplinary action by your licensing board. The board does not hesitate to begin an investigation against podiatrists if the complaint is severe and they have evidence to support it. You must also act fast to ensure you have compelling evidence and statements to counter the allegations.

Your license attorney will quickly discuss your situation and options and help you explore possible outcomes for your case. They will also seek out other professionals who can help with your situation. Once you receive a notification about the pending investigation by the judge, start working on your defense to improve your chances of success.

Find The Best Professional License Defense Attorney Near Me

A complaint to the board against your profession as a podiatrist in Kern County can result in severe consequences, including license suspension or revocation. Any action the board takes against anyone accused of professional misconduct can affect your livelihood. However, a competent license defense attorney can help you fight the allegation, discipline action by your licensing board, and defend your rights.

We understand how hard you have worked, how long it took, and how much it cost to acquire your podiatric license at Kern County License Attorney. We will use our expertise to mount a vigorous defense that could compel the board to dismiss your allegations or choose a lenient discipline. With our help, you can obtain a favorable result for your case. Call us at 805-702-8560 for more information about our services.