Need to Talk with a Physical Therapists License Defense Attorney in Arizona?
As a physical therapist, you’ve worked hard to secure your license, and you take pride in serving your patients.
If you’re facing allegations in front of the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy, the wheels of disciplinary action are already in motion, so it’s time to get in touch with a physical therapists license attorney experienced in defending health care licenses.
At Arizona Law Group, our team of physical therapy license defense attorneys is well-versed in the ins and outs of professional license defense, including physical therapy practitioners.
We will work tirelessly on your behalf to protect your license and your good name.
If you have had a complaint filed against you by the ASBPT, or have recently been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense, please contact us immediately at 602-562-5000.
We know you have questions, and we’re here to give you answers.
Got Questions About Physical Therapy License Defense in Arizona? Get Answers
- What Is the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy’s Disciplinary Process Like?
- How Can I Get My Arizona Physical Therapy License Reinstated?
- Is My Physical Therapy License Defense Case Part of the Public Record?
- Talk with an Experienced Physical Therapy License Defense Attorney Today
- Reviews of Our Phoenix AZ Physical Therapy License Defense Attorneys
Disciplinary procedures involving the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy (ASBPT) can be complicated, and from the moment you learn about any threat to your ability to practice physical therapy, you must take it seriously.
Having a lawyer who knows how to build the best possible defense in physical therapy license defense cases is invaluable.
By placing your file in an experienced attorney’s hands, you can focus on remaining calm and humble during the proceedings, so the state Board sees your willingness to work together on a solution.
Moreover, your legal representative can keep up with filing deadlines, make sure you comply with all requirements, and guide you through the process at every stage.
What Is the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy’s Disciplinary Process Like?
The state legislature has authorized the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy to establish the scope and standards of physical therapy practice within the state.
As part of this duty, the Board licenses and certifies those qualified to practice as physical therapists in Arizona and also handles allegations made against licensed and certified physical therapists.
The legislature has given the Board the authority to investigate complaints, enforce applicable laws and regulations and impose disciplinary sanctions in its discretion.
The Board handles complaints concerning all types of allegations against practicing physical therapists and physical therapist assistants including:
- Chemical dependency
- Incompetence
- Negligence
- Criminal convictions
- Fraud
- Billing irregularities
- Discipline in another jurisdiction
- Sexual misconduct
- Unprofessional conduct
When the Board receives a complaint, it first must determine whether it has jurisdiction over the matter and whether the allegations, if true, would violate the law.
If so, the Board will open a file, assign it a case number and send a copy of the complaint to the licensee who must respond within 30 days.
During its investigation, the Board may conduct interviews and review patient records as well as any other information relevant to the allegations.
Once the investigation stage is complete, the Board will discuss the complaint and related documentation at the next Board meeting — in public.
Both the complainant and licensee can address the Board.
At this point, the Board can decide to dismiss the complaint, hold it open for further investigation or move to either a formal or informal hearing.
Generally, an informal hearing is essentially an interview with the full Board during which the licensee will likely be asked to be a witness.
A formal hearing, on the other hand, operates much like a trial in that it is adversarial in nature.
It is held in front of either the Board or an administrative law judge with the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings. The licensee will be informed of the hearing through a formal Complaint and Notice of Hearing, and again, will likely be called as a witness.
The Board has several options for the resolution of complaints against physical therapists, including:
- Dismissal of complaint
- Decree of censure
- Limit the licensee’s practice in scope or place or require supervision
- Suspension of your license
- Revocation of your license
The Board may also issue an Advisory Letter if it finds no violation of the law but still has concerns regarding the licensee’s behavior.
An Advisory Letter is considered a non-disciplinary action, but it is part of the public record.
From a complaint’s filing until final resolution can take several months, and, as you can see, the disciplinary process can go in a few different directions depending on your circumstances.
Although the above information provides a general overview of the procedure, the process can be complex, which is why you should have legal counsel by your side as you go through the process.
How Can I Get My Arizona Physical Therapy License Reinstated?
If the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy has administratively suspended your license, you may request reinstatement; the process varies depending on how long your license has been suspended.
If the license was suspended for more than three consecutive years, you must reapply as if you were applying the first time and also meet additional criteria to the satisfaction of the Board, such as practicing with a temporary permit for a period of time, completing coursework, passing an examination and/or completing competency requirements for the time period during which the license was suspended.
An experienced attorney can help you prepare your application to give you the best possible chance for reinstatement of your license.
Is My Physical Therapy License Defense Case Part of the Public Record?
Both disciplinary and non-disciplinary orders are part of the public record — and some Arizona government officials want the information to be even more accessible.
In 2017, Phoenix’s ABC15 conducted an investigation and found that over a five-year period, more than 1,360 non-disciplinary state board actions against health care professionals were “hidden from the public each year” because the information cannot be posted to some of the boards’ websites.
In 2016, Governor Doug Ducey vetoed a bill that would have made such records more easily accessible—only because he didn’t think it went far enough to ensure transparency and accountability.
As this is a hot topic in Arizona, an experienced physical therapy license defense attorney can make sure you are informed of your rights regarding the publication of disciplinary orders.
Make no mistake: A complaint filed against you with the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy is serious.
With your career, reputation and future at stake, a physical therapy license defense lawyer who is experienced in defending these types of cases can help you navigate through the process and develop a comprehensive defense strategy.
Give us a call at (602) 562-5000 or send us a message to get started.
Talk with an Experienced Physical Therapy License Defense Attorney Today
Whethere it’s an informal complaint or a formal one, any time a complaint is filed against your physical therapy license in the state of Arizona, it’s a serious career-threatening matter.
We understand how you feel, many of our clients felt the same way before speaking with one of our attorneys experienced in physical therapy license defense. What we’ve found is that if you do receive notice of a complaint from the ASBPT, do not attempt to address the Board or the alleged violations on your own.
Even if the concerns are minor and the evidence sparse, the Board’s job is to protect the consumer, not you.
Protect your own interests by hiring an experienced physical therapy license defense attorney to defend your professional license and your reputation.
For a free evaluation, call Arizona Law Group at (602) 562-5000.
Reviews of Our Phoenix AZ Physical Therapy License Defense Attorneys
“I worked with Colin Bell on a business licensing issue. He was very knowledgeable and extremely helpful dealing with a stressful situation. With Colin’s help, I feel I got the best possible outcome in the situation.”
Jeff W. on Google (see more Google reviews here)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Types of Healthcare Licenses We Defend in Arizona
All healthcare workers deserve quality representation in the face of license revocation. We serve medical professionals at all levels and from all areas of healthcare.
Our professional license defense practice regularly takes on the following healthcare license cases:
When your career and reputation are called into question, you need an experienced professional license defense lawyer acting in your best interests.
