Doctors have an obligation to provide their patients with adequate care while also protecting their privacy. This duty is especially important when it comes to providing medical care to juveniles. Failing to meet this obligation can lead to legal liability and leave many doctors vulnerable to investigation by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF).
If you are a practicing physician, you could face investigations for allegations of abuse or failing to report evidence of neglect. In this situation, your best option is to rely on the guidance of Mark Sherman Law. Our dedicated attorneys can provide legal counsel for any Ridgefield doctors in DCF investigations and offer valuable advice on how to move forward with your defense.
Under the law, doctors are mandated reporters. This means that all doctors in Ridgefield must report any suspicions of child abuse or neglect to DCF or law enforcement for further investigation. Physicians may choose to report abuse or neglect for a variety of reasons. Unexplained injuries or signs of malnourishment are a few examples. Doctors can face serious consequences if they do not report suspicions of abuse or neglect within 12 hours, followed by a written report that they must submit in the days that follow. One of the risks of this requirement is that most doctors do not have extensive training in identifying the signs of abuse or neglect. Investigations that fail to consider this lack of training can lead to unfair accusations of negligence, especially when investigators are only scrutinizing doctors after additional evidence of abuse has surfaced.
Unfortunately, there are other serious allegations doctors may face aside from a failure to report suspected abuse. In some cases, DCF agents may also investigate doctors in Ridgefield for abusing their juvenile patients.
This is a serious allegation that has the potential to have drastic consequences. Your employer may suspend you during the course of the investigation, and the state could take your medical license if the accusations are substantiated. Often, DCF agents will request to file criminal charges as well.
While these outcomes are unfortunate, you have the right to defend yourself. With the right approach, you can achieve a favorable outcome—especially when you have an attorney to advocate for you.
When DCF decides to investigate physicians, it typically makes contact right away. The law does not require agents to provide notice, meaning they can approach you at any time to discuss allegations. While the law does require agents to make contact within 72 hours of the accusation, they will often contact you much sooner than that.
Of course, there are also times when DCF will reach out to a child’s physician even when they are not the target of the investigation. Investigators might seek information from a doctor to compare a parent’s or guardian’s statements with a child’s medical records.
Despite the seriousness of these investigations, doctors are bound by doctor–patient confidentiality and cannot provide sensitive information without permission. To allow Ridgefield practitioners to cooperate in their investigations, DCF will often seek a court order of parental permission to allow them to question the child’s physician and access medical records.
If DCF has targeted you in an investigation, your medical career could be in jeopardy. Thankfully, the Law Offices of Mark Sherman can help Ridgefield doctors in DCF investigations defend themselves against unfair allegations. If you are curious to learn more, we have over 300 verified reviews from past clients who endorse our experienced legal team. Contact us today to set up a private consultation with our firm.
