Any person who holds a professional, medical, or vocational license from a Texas licensing board or regulatory agency could have a complaint lodged against their license. Formal complaints filed against a licensee can range from Board rule violation claims to allegations of malfeasance, from concerns of impropriety to accusations of fraud.
In our modern world the majority of us communicate through email and text, and on a device slimmer than a deck of cards. Communications that once would have been done in-person, or at least over the phone, are now sent in seconds, done in 160 characters or less, often with no editing and maybe an emoji or two. While our tech-savvy society can easily communicate, the quality and depth of that communication may leave something to be desired.
Couple our lackadaisical technology-based communications with screed distraction and a general lack of time due to packed schedules, and what you may have is a recipe for a serious miscommunication that could ultimately threaten your professional license.
A miscommunication between a licensed professional with a client, patient, customer, or patron could lead to a formal complaint being lodged against you with your Texas licensing board.
Consider these examples:
A doctor gets test results back for a patient showing an illness for which the patient needs treatment. Say the doctor’s office tells the patient to come in for test results via an e-mail that lands in her SPAM folder, or the doctor reaches the patient but is rushed and fails to adequately communicate the illness and necessary treatment plan to her. This is the type of miscommunication that not only could adversely affect a patient’s health, it could cause the patient to file a formal complaint against the doctor with the Texas Medical Board.
A real estate agent enters into a listing contract with a seller. Thereafter the agent sends a few quick texts off to the seller with generic information about selling real estate. The seller assumes her house was put on the market, but the agent failed to list the seller’s home on the MLS and did nothing else in furtherance of selling her home. After many weeks the seller realized her home was not yet on the market. While the agent did not confirm that the seller’s home had been listed on the MLS, the seller interpreted the agent’s texts as confirmation that the process of selling her home was in motion. This kind of miscommunication could cause the seller to file a formal complaint against the agent with the Texas Real Estate Commission.
Timely and effective communication can help you avoid licensing board complaints. Take the time to talk with the people you serve. Whether you have clients, patients, or customers – people want to have their concerns properly addressed by the professionals they seek out to help them. Be purposeful about how you communicate with those you serve to avoid miscommunication and to foster professionalism and trust.
When Your Professional License is Under Attack
A single complaint filed against you can jeopardize your career and livelihood. Even if you believe the complaint to be baseless, it is critical that you face the allegations head-on right from the start. Hire an experienced license defense attorney to advocate for you, protect your rights, and mount a strong defense against the complainant’s allegations.
Our law firm helps professionals, like you, keep their licenses when those licenses are under attack by a state agency or board.
BERTOLINO LLP represents licensed professionals across the entire State of Texas. If you are facing disciplinary action from a professional licensing board, contact us today or call (512) 476-5757 and schedule a case evaluation.
Call or text (512) 476-5757 or complete a Case Evaluation form
