Licensing Issues for Physical Therapists

 Posted on October 18,2018 in Professional Licensing Defense

Wisconsin physical therapists know that their license to practice must be closely guarded. Losing or having any restrictions on your license will have a negative impact on your business and your reputation in the community.

Licensing issues can come up at any point when one is applying for a license or after a license has been issued. A physical therapist’s license can be threatened by a complaint filed by a patient or other person. In these instances, the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Examining Board may send out an investigator to gather more information.

An investigator will attempt to speak with the physical therapist whose license is at issue. While it is not recommended, some physical therapists will not consult an attorney in advance of this meeting or bring an attorney to the interview.

Reasons Why Physical Therapists Do Not Seek Counsel

There are many explanations that physical therapists may give as to why they do not seek counsel when they first learn of a complaint filed against them. These include:

• A physical therapist did not understand how serious the situation was. Sometimes, a person may not understand that his or her license is in jeopardy.
• A physical therapist did not understand how complex the proceeding is. An investigation is the beginning of a long complaint process that could culminate in a hearing. At a hearing, witnesses will be called, discovery will have been conducted, and certain laws and legal principles will be in full force.
• A physical therapist believed that the issue could be cleared up quickly. He or she may believe that after providing an explanation to the investigator, disciplinary action will not be pursued. This rarely occurs.
• A physical therapist thought he or she could mount the best defense by themselves. 

Call a Milwaukee, WI Professional License Defense Lawyer

If you suspect that you may lose your professional license for any reason, you should find an attorney who you trust to advise you during this critical time. This is the first step towards resolving this threat to your livelihood. 

An experienced attorney can provide valuable insight and advice to professionals who are facing the loss or encumbrance of their license. At Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP our professional license defense attorneys have years of experience interacting with examining boards. We can also help by bringing a legal viewpoint to a process that can be emotional and sensitive to the license holder.

To learn more about how we can help you protect your license, call our trusted Milwaukee physical therapy license defense attorneys at 414-271-1440.

Sources:

http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/448/III/50

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/sps/professional_services/001/2.pdf