Professionals such as medical professionals, physicians, pharmacists, accountants, and attorneys are at risk of losing their professional licenses for DUIs. Those who hold a professional license are held to a high standard. Therefore, mistakes or negligence can have more serious consequences in these types of jobs than for the average person. Professionals can lose their licenses, particularly for criminal conduct. You can learn more about professional licenses and how to defend yourself if your license is up for review.

What Actions Could Make Me Lose My License?

If you are a licensed healthcare professional and have faced any type of criminal charge or investigation, your professional license may have been impacted. Some risk factors that could cause a professional to lose his or her license include:

• Practicing under the influence of controlled substances or alcohol.
• Driving under the influence of controlled substances or alcohol.
• Medical malpractice.
• White collar crime charges such as theft, fraud, embezzlement, or medical insurance fraud.
• Criminal charges involving domestic violence.
• Illegally prescribing narcotics.

Professional License Investigation

Before your professional license is taken from you, there is usually an investigation done into your professional practices and then you will be given a notice of the action being taken against you. There are several steps that this process could entail including a pre-accusation stage, a formal administrative hearing, a negotiation, and a settlement.

Administrative Hearing

The formal administrative hearing is something that you, as a holder of a professional license, are entitled to because you are entitled to due process under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. This due process encompasses a notice or administrative complaint that gives you the awareness that you have allegedly committed a violation. The second requirement is the opportunity to be heard at a hearing, at which time you are entitled to representation by an attorney. At the hearing, you can argue for why you believe you should keep your professional license. You can establish a defense to the accusations that you face and try to keep your license.

Protect Your Medical License after a Connecticut DUI

The conduct mentioned above could open a medical professional or another type of professional up to criminal charges, a civil lawsuit, and the loss of their professional license. These are severe situations that would result in severe penalties. This is why it is important to defend yourself against the accusations that you face. The best way to do this is by contacting a lawyer and working with them to defend yourself.

If you or someone you know is facing the risk of losing a professional license at any stage in the process, there is still time to find an attorney that can defend your rights. Call Ruane Attorneys to speak with someone who can give you more information. We are happy to answer your questions, provide additional resources, and help you through this process.