What do I do if I have received a letter notifying me I am under investigation from my licensing board?
DON’T panic if you receive notice your professional licensing board has opened an investigation involving your license. Professional licensing boards receive complaints involving their licensees on a regular basis. Most, if not all, Nevada licensing boards are legally required to open an investigation upon receipt of a complaint, regardless of the source, if the board has jurisdiction over the licensee named in the complaint.
DON’T disregard timelines. If you have been notified by your licensing board that a complaint has been filed against you, you will be directed to respond in writing within a designated period of time. Most licensing boards are willing to provide a reasonable extension to respond if needed, but do not let the deadline lapse or simply ignore the letter. You may also be directed in the notice of complaint/investigation to provide documents or other materials. Licensing boards typically have a legal right to request this information and failure to comply may create additional issues.
DO consider seeking appropriate legal assistance, like Law Offices of Lyn E. Beggs, as quickly as possible. While you may feel that you can respond to the letter on your own, legal counsel experienced in professional licensing matters can help ensure the response letter sent to the licensing board addresses not only all relevant factual issues involved in the case, but legal issues as well. If you have professional liability coverage, check your policy to see if it covers administrative/board legal costs; many policies do include such coverage.
If you choose to respond to the notice of investigation without the assistance of legal counsel, try not to be overly defensive. While it is natural to want to vigorously defend yourself against any allegation made against you, the board is simply trying to gather information about the incident at this juncture. This is your initial opportunity to provide the licensing board with information regarding the issue in question and to explain your side of things.
Be patient after submitting your response. Nevada licensing boards often have legally mandated investigative processes that can take some time to complete before you may hear anything further.