Medical Board Accusation Lawyers in Los Angeles

If You Are a Physician Accused of Misconduct in Los Angeles, Talk to Our Legal Team

If you have been formally accused, as a physician, of violating the California Medical Practice Act, an investigation into the accusations will be conducted. If the investigation finds alleged violations that warrant disciplinary action, your case may be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office. If this occurs, you will be served with the accusation, a legal document listing the charges and alleged violations. You will have an opportunity to dispute the allegations in an administrative Medical Board hearing.

The Medical Board takes allegations of physician misconduct seriously. An investigation or disciplinary action could threaten your license and career. If you find yourself facing accusations of Medical Practice Act violations, you should call an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP at (213) 688-0460 to protect your rights.

How Can a Lawyer Help During the Investigation?

During the investigation stage, an experienced medical defense attorney can assist you by responding to an inquiry from the Medical Board of California (MBC). This response may be in writing or in person, during an investigative interview, or both. An effective response by experienced defense counsel can sometimes result in the closure of the investigation without a formal accusation being filed.

This can help prevent unfounded claims from tarnishing your career, as accusations and charges of physician violations are publicly available. Damaging effects can linger after disciplinary actions are published, even when allegations are later disproven.

Potential Consequences of Medical Practice Act Violations

Disciplinary outcomes that could arise out of accusations of physician violations of the California Medical Practice Act include:

• An investigation into the allegations, with or without a letter stating that the matter is closed
• Citation, with or without a fine
• A formal accusation filed by MBC and made public via the board’s website
• Public reprimand or reproval (in cases of minor infractions)
• License probation (a period of time in which your license is subject to restrictions imposed by MBC)
• License revocation (after which you may petition the Medical Board for reinstatement)

Allegations That May Give Rise to Disciplinary Actions in Los Angeles

We defend physicians against a wide range of allegations, including:

• Professional misconduct
• Negligent quality of care
• Sexual misconduct
• Chemical dependency
• DUI
• Criminal arrests, charges, and convictions
• Excessive prescribing of opioids
• Non-therapeutic prescribing
• Failure to comply with mandatory reporting requirements
• Inadequate maintenance of patient charts and records
• Peer review-based allegations

Defense Strategies Against Disciplinary Proceedings

We craft comprehensive strategies in your defense against misconduct allegations, tailored to suit your particular needs. Depending on the circumstances, we may employ defense strategies that include:

• Requesting a meeting with the MBC investigator and/or the Deputy Attorney General handling your case to present evidence that will refute the allegations or mitigate the level of disciplinary action.
• Retaining an investigator to interview witnesses, subpoena relevant records, secure computer metadata, and evaluate the evidence or the scene.
• Retaining experts in the issues in question.
• Developing a rehabilitation plan if chemical dependency is an issue, or if mental and emotional rehabilitation are in order.
• Assisting professionals with gathering mitigating documents to support a rehabilitation package and/or to prepare for a hearing.

Seek Legal Help to Protect Your Physician License

Allegations of misconduct are a serious matter that can threaten your medical license and career. If you are facing such allegations, it is in your best interest to speak with an experienced Los Angeles white-collar crime defense lawyer as soon as possible.

Attorney Mark Werksman at Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP is a former Deputy District Attorney and former Assistant United States Attorney who has been practicing criminal law since 1986. Our firm handles many challenging, high-profile, celebrity defendant cases. Call us at (213) 688-0460 for the effective legal representation you need if you are facing a Medical Board accusation or hearing.

Additional Information

• California Medical Practice Act
• Medical Board of California (MBC)