Chiropractors and Massage Therapists: Protect Your Licenses with Our Maryland License Defense Team

Chiropractors and massage therapists have spent years honing their craft. They have applied their medical education to the skill and art of healing others with their hands. As a result of this, patients who are treated by chiropractors and/or massage therapists trust their healthcare providers. If you are put in the unfortunate situation of having your chiropractic or massage license put in jeopardy, you should hire a professional license defense attorney you can trust. You may be presently under investigation, or you may have been put on notice and believe you will become the subject of investigation. No matter where in this difficult process you find yourself, it is vital that you hire competent legal counsel to navigate the complicated and drawn-out review process when it comes to you chiropractor or massage therapy license. It is best to consult with a professional license attorney at as early a stage as possible during this daunting process to preserve your rights under Maryland law. Hiring a skilled Maryland chiropractic and massage therapy license defense lawyer will help protect your license as much as possible and ensure that errors are not made that will harm your case.

Chiropractic License Defense 

Many chiropractic and massage therapy professionals make the mistake of assuming that cooperating with an investigator from the regulatory body, the Maryland Department of Health, will resolve the issue with little, if any, disciplinary action. In reality, investigators often take advantage of the professional’s cooperation and are often using it to build a case against you.

Not surprisingly Maryland’s Board of Chiropractic Examiners (the “Board”), which regulates chiropractors, treats each allegation against a licensee seriously and will no doubt fully investigate the accusations brought forth. A board-initiated investigation may include accusations of poor record keeping, drug or alcohol abuse, improper billing practices, as well as unauthorized use of unqualified or unlicensed assistants or therapists to perform chiropractic procedures. Moreover, the licensing board will likewise take seriously any criminal allegations or convictions even if they do not have a direct bearing on the license holder’s duties and obligations as a chiropractor. In other words, if you are a Maryland chiropractor who has been charged with a criminal offense, you should consult with an experienced professional license defense attorney to understand the consequences a criminal conviction may have on your chiropractic license before you enter any plea in court.

Massage Therapy License Defense

The Maryland Department of Health’s Board of Massage Therapy Examiners regulates massage therapy licenses across the state. Often, massage therapists who are confronted with an investigation against their license decide it is less stressful and more economic to turn over their massage therapy license than fight the charges. This choice is likely to be the wrong one. A complaint or charge may be filed against a Maryland massage therapist from many different sources and is not uncommonly made without any supporting evidence for the accusations. If the investigation is challenged by a knowledgeable and experienced Maryland professional license defense attorney, the investigation may be dismissed without any disciplinary action made against the therapist’s license, depending on the circumstances.

Notably, massage therapists typically spend tens of thousands of dollars on tuition and several hundred hours of study over the years to meet the basic criteria for licensing. Oftentimes a massage therapy license is a stepping stone for a later higher degree and/or license in another healthcare specialty including nursing, acupuncture, physical therapy, or chiropractic medicine.

Know Your Rights 

Chiropractors and massage therapists may be facing disciplinary matters, credential issues, licensing problems, or even malpractice claims and suits. If you receive a letter from the Maryland Department of Health notifying you that you are under investigation, make sure to take this matter seriously. Below is some information that you may not know when confronted with a licensing issue:

  • You should not and are not required to make any statement, oral or written, to the investigator on your case. You should always reach out to an attorney before any statements are made to an investigator;
  • You have the right to request and obtain a copy of the investigation report after it is completed. You also have a right to file a rebuttal to this report.

Beyond the above, there are several other factors you should consider with an experienced professional license defense attorney if you are facing a board complaint or investigation of your chiropractic or massage therapy license:

  • Do not agree to voluntarily relinquish your license while an investigation is pending without first consulting with an attorney. Relinquishment of your chiropractic or massage therapy license may be treated the same as a disciplinary revocation, which can have severe consequences;
  • If the Maryland Board takes disciplinary action against you, including a voluntary relinquishment of your license, this relinquishment will be reported to your national certification board and will likely result in a revocation of your national certification;
  • If you also are licensed in other states or hold licenses in other health profession disciplines, your voluntary license relinquishment will be reported to those other states, and investigations, as well as disciplinary action may begin in those states;
  • Your voluntary relinquishment of your chiropractor or massage therapy license will be reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG may start action to exclude you from the Medicare Program, which will likely keep you from being able to work for any government contractor or in health care in any form.

Contact The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, LLC to Speak With a Maryland Chiropractic and Massage Therapy License Defense Lawyer

You have worked long and hard to obtain your chiropractor or massage therapy license. Your patients literally put their trust in your hands, in the hopes that you will be able to heal their ailments. Having to face a Board complaint or investigation can be daunting. Your reputation is your key to financial success. If you have been put on notice that you are under investigation, or if you are facing a disciplinary hearing, the knowledgeable attorneys at The Law Firm of J.W. Stafford, LLC can guide you every step of the way. An experienced Maryland chiropractic and massage therapy license defense lawyer at our firm can protect your rights. Call 410-514-6099 or contact us online today to schedule an initial consultation with one of our lawyers to review your case.

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