Common Mistakes to Avoid When Facing a License Investigation
The world of licensing complaints is one that’s overwhelming, frightening, and apparently full of negative outcomes. However, this process doesn’t have to be the end of your career—and in many cases, you can get complaints dropped or maintain your license via probation. A lot depends on how you initially handle the complaint investigation and what you do to protect your license. In many cases, the best option is to work with a Southern California license defense attorney as soon as you find out an investigation is underway. Keep reading to learn about the most common license investigation mistakes.
Let us help you as you navigate your license investigation. You’ve worked so hard to build your career and secure your license, so don’t let one mistake or miscommunication end it. Call the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates at 562-216-2944 to schedule your consultation now.
Not Taking the Complaint Seriously
One of the most common mistakes we see is ignoring a complaint or failing to take it seriously. You may think that a complaint is an obvious misunderstanding or the result of an angry patient or client that has no power over your career. The fact is that if your licensing board decides to investigate a complaint, they’ve already deemed it plausible enough to devote time to it. Laughing it off, ignoring requests for information, or assuming the issue will settle itself can be a disaster for your career. There’s a lot at stake here—for example, a nurse who loses their license will likely be unable to secure any work in the healthcare industry in the future.
Mishandling Communication With Investigators
When you communicate with investigators, you have to walk a careful line. You don’t want to be abrasive or confrontational in a way that indicates you think they’re trying to end your career, but you also don’t want to be a friendly open book. Remember that anything you tell them may become part of their investigation—and it’s all too easy to say something that can be interpreted in a negative light. This is one reason we recommend hiring a license defense attorney as soon as possible; your attorney can tell you what you should and should not say to the licensing board. They may even take over all licensing board communication on your behalf.
Destroying or Losing Evidence
If you panic and start acting out of fear instead of reason, you risk making yourself look guilty and ending up with worse consequences because of it. Destroying evidence, including digital communications or social media posts, is a bad move. Even if you’ve made mistakes in the past, trying to cover them up is not the way to go if you want to keep your license. If the licensing board requests something, you have to hand it over—even if it is damning. Again, this is another benefit of having an attorney on your side. They can present evidence in the best light possible.
Going Public With the Complaint
You may feel angry about the investigation or even feel like you’re being targeted by the licensing board. A lot of people are very vocal about their investigation, complaining to coworkers, family members, and even patients or clients. This can really work against you as the licensing board investigates your claim. Except for the conversations you have with your attorney, nothing protects the conversations you have with other people. They can be called up at any time to testify about what you’ve said to them and what you said about the investigation.
Waiting to Hire an Attorney
Failing to hire an attorney or waiting too long to hire a lawyer is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most common mistakes we see at our firm. Many people find out that they are under investigation and assume that they can weather the storm on their own. They only realize that they are in over their head once the possible outcomes are explained to them or they get the distinct feeling that the tide has turned against them. While we can still help at this point, we can do far more good on your behalf when we’re brought in earlier.
Protect Your License and Call the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates
Your license is at the core of the work you do—losing it could mean losing your livelihood. Do not take risks when your future is at risk. Let our license defense lawyer support you through your license investigation defense. Call us at 562-216-2944 or fill out our online contact form to have a team member reach out to you.
Attorney Robin D. Perry has been part of the Long Beach Community for over 25 years handling business litigation, employment litigation and advising, criminal defense, personal injury and code enforcement defense for businesses.
