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Basic Elements of Qui Tam Law

Laws are rules put in place to protect the people and to help settle disputes brought up by the public. Because there are many types of disputes, there are many types of law. The different types of law range from property law, contract law, and one that is not commonly heard of, Qui Tam Law.

Qui Tam law is a set of rules put into place so that people may blow the whistle on individuals who try to defraud the government. This type of fraud violates the federal False Claims Act. These whistleblowers are known as “relators”. Relators may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States government. But the defendant has to have knowingly committed fraudulent acts toward the government.

Benefits of Qui Tam Law

Qui Tam law helps protect the government and also contains incentives for individuals who blow the whistle on individuals attempting to cheat the government. A person who blows the whistle is entitled to a reward. The reward is based on the monetary amount that the United States government is able to reclaim. Also, qui tam lawsuits will protect the relator; giving he or she some job protection and privacy concerning their identity.

Types of Qui Tam Law

Each Qui Tam lawsuit must be investigated by the government. Each state has some similar law involving the false claims act. Therefore, in each state, an individual may bring a qui tam lawsuit against other individuals and companies on behalf of the government. These Qui Tam lawsuits can range from: