Receiving a Pilot Medical Certificate Denial from the FAA’s Aviation Medical Certification Division is a time of concern and frustration amongst airmen, leaving most airmen asking the question….”What now?”
Simply requesting reconsideration of a denial will most likely not change the FAA’s opinion on their decision.
Options to Respond to a Medical Certificate Denial
The applicant has a few options on how to respond to a medical certificate denial:
1. If the denial was issued by the Office of Aerospace Medicine, the applicant is typically given the option to appeal to the Federal Air Surgeon.
2. If the denial was issued by the Federal Air Surgeon, the applicant is given the option to appeal to the NTSB.
3. In some cases, a FAA denial letter will also be accompanied by a request for additional information. The applicant can comply with the request for additional information. This typically leads to a revolving door of repeated information requests from the FAA, each response taking months at a time for a decision from the FAA. The FAA’s requests can include costly medical examinations or mental health evaluations.
4. Do not respond. If an airman decides not to respond to the FAA’s request for information, the application will eventually be denied, and can even result in legal enforcement action from the FAA.
5. Get Help. Whether you have been denied for a Disqualifying Medical Condition, or are struggling with multiple rounds of requests for information from the FAA, Barnett Law Offices has the experience airmen need to navigate the denial of a medical certificate.
Many reasons for a pilot medical certificate denial.
Barnett Law Offices are prepared to aggressively advocate for FAA pilot medical certification. We have a proven track record of tackling tough certification issues such as: alcohol and substance abuse diagnoses; ADHD; diabetes; PTSD; cancer treatment; and cognitive disorders, just to name a few. Oftentimes we are able to assist our pilots without the expense of a hearing before an administrative law judge. No matter the reason for the denial, a consultation with an aviation attorney to discuss paths toward certification is well worth a phone call.
Why hire an aviation attorney?
Whether you are a student pilot applying for your first medical certificate, or an experienced ATP with a medical concern, our attorneys have years of experience and have worked with hundreds of airmen struggling with FAA and medical certification. We have the knowledge and experience to represent you and assist you in achieving your flying goals.
Our firm concentrates our practice of law in putting airmen in the best position to obtain or retain their FAA Pilot Medical Certificate.
Our attorneys will represent you and provide legal services, consultation, negotiation, research, and appropriate reporting, all in the pursuit of obtaining and/or preserving your FAA medical certificate. Additionally, we have the resources and connections to assist each pilot in navigating this complicated process. Our experience has provided us with valuable contact references so we can get you to the AME with the experience to manage your particular situation. Additionally, in the event further evaluations are required, we can assist in preparing each pilot to increase the likelihood of a good result. Our experience has shown that working with expert AMEs can greatly reduce the amount of time spent obtaining a pilot’s medical certificate.
Get your questions answered.
Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation with an aviation attorney on your matter.
Call us at 800-578-5512 or use the Contact Form below. We look forward to hearing from you.