penal code

As an ophthalmologist, your career is built on trust, precision, and an unwavering commitment to patient care. However, since your patients are entrusting their eyesight to you — and, in some cases, their lives, especially when surgery is involved — it’s also possible for your actions to come under legal scrutiny and even result in criminal charges. These can arise from a range of situations, including billing disputes, prescription-related concerns, medical mistakes, or misunderstandings with patients or staff.

In California, several penal code sections directly or indirectly apply to licensed medical professionals. Let’s take a look at some of the more common statutes under which ophthalmologists could be charged.

Insurance Fraud (Penal Code §550)

Nursing is an honorable yet demanding profession, requiring technical skill and strict adherence to legal and ethical standards. Nurses in California are held to particularly high standards under the law due to the sensitive nature of their work. They must handle vulnerable patients, medications, and sensitive information daily, often in high-stress situations. And unfortunately, these high stakes sometimes mean if a mistake or misunderstanding occurs, it can sometimes lead to criminal charges–especially in situations where controlled substances are mishandled, or patients become victims–requiring the nurse to seek help from a California criminal defense attorney. Let’s take a closer look at some of the applicable California statutes under which a nurse might find themselves facing criminal charges.

Drug-Related Offenses

While most nurses don’t prescribe medications (the exception being nurse practitioners or NPs), they do have responsibilities to handle and administer controlled substances on behalf of patients. Missteps in this area can lead to charges such as the following:

Articles Tagged with penal code

Criminal Defense for Ophthalmologists Accused of Crimes in California

Criminal Defense for Nurses Accused of Crimes in California