In the United States, the False Claims Act allows citizens to bring qui tam lawsuits against businesses that defraud the government or its agencies. The person bringing the qui tam lawsuit, called the whistleblower or qui tam relator, is often an employee of the company committing fraud. Whistleblowers who come forward with proof of fraud against the government are both financially incentivized for their bravery under the False Claims Act and protected from employer retaliation.
If you work in an industry that uses government contracts or federal government funding and you believe you have proof of fraud, you may be able to receive a financial award for your contributions as a whistleblower. Contact the Philadelphia qui tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei LLP today for a free, confidential qui tam case evaluation.
What is the False Claims Act?
The False Claims Act (FCA), sometimes known as the Lincoln Law, was established by President Abraham Lincoln during the civil war when it was becoming apparent that corporate fraud was running rampant. The False Claims Act encouraged citizens with knowledge of fraud to come forward and assist the federal government in recovering defrauded funds.
An important part of the False Claims Act is the qui tam provision that allows private citizens to bring qui tam lawsuits, which are lawsuits brought by a private citizen on behalf of the federal government. Under the qui tam provision, qui tam relators whose tips lead to the government successfully recovering defrauded funds are entitled to between 15 to 30 percent of the recovered funds as an award for their contributions as a whistleblower.
How Are Philadelphia Whistleblowers Protected?
Many potential whistleblowers are hesitant to come forward with evidence of their employer’s fraud against the government due to fears of their employer retaliating. Under the False Claims Act (FCA), it is illegal in every state for an employer to retaliate against an employee for becoming a whistleblower. Retaliation banned under the FCA may include termination, demotion, suspension, withholding pay or benefits, harassment, threats, or any type of discrimination directed at the whistleblower for coming forward about the company’s fraud.
If a qui tam relator is retaliated against, the FCA gives them the right to file a lawsuit against their employer seeking damages that may include, reinstatement, back pay and added interest, and reasonable attorney’s costs and fees. If you have been retaliated against by your employer for your actions as a whistleblower, contact the Philadelphia qui tam lawyers at Tycko & Zavareei LLP to understand your legal options.
How Are Philadelphia Whistleblowers Compensated?
In addition to being protected from employer retaliation, whistleblowers are also incentivized to come forward with information about corporate fraud. Qui tam relators who submit valuable tips that lead to recovered funds may receive substantial rewards of between 15 and 30 percent of the amount of defrauded funds that are recovered. In last year alone, the U.S. Justice Department obtained over $5 billion in cases that involved False Claims Act violations. Not only does a successful lawsuit benefit the whistleblower financially, but it is also in the best interest of American citizens whose taxes fund the government programs that deceitful businesses seek to defraud.
What Are Examples of Fraud Under the False Claims Act?
While any industry that receives federal government funding can be the subject fraud allegations, the majority of False Claims Act violations take place in the medical and defense industries. Some of the most common types of fraud seen in qui tam lawsuits include:
- Medicare, Medicaid, and Healthcare fraud: This may include billing for services that were unnecessary or unprovided, inflating the cost of services, and claiming a more qualified medical professional performed the services than who did.
- Pharmaceutical fraud: This can include pharmaceutical companies offering kickbacks to doctors, off-label marketing, and more.
- Government contractor and defense contractor fraud: This can include bribery, inspection violations, failure to meet contract specifications, and deceptive charging.
How Can a Philadelphia Qui Tam Attorney Help Me?
A qualified whistleblower lawyer will be able to guide you through the complex qui tam legal process and make it as simple as possible for you to expose the fraud that is taking place. At Tycko & Zavareei LLP, an experienced Philadelphia qui tam attorney will begin by evaluating the strength of your claim and whether or not it will be sufficient for a whistleblower lawsuit. If not, our attorneys will be able to use their experience in handling qui tam cases to advise you on how to strengthen your case to more clearly expose the fraud.
If your qui tam claim is strong enough, our whistleblower law firm will assist you in filing the lawsuit and act as your advocate throughout the duration of the case. This includes ensuring you receive your reward for your whistleblower contributions and protecting you from employer retaliation to the fullest extent of the False Claims Act.
Contact a Philadelphia Qui Tam Attorney
At Tycko & Zavareei LLP, our nationally-recognized whistleblower law firm has vast experience handling qui tam cases for whistleblowers across the country. Our qui tam attorneys are dedicated to helping whistleblowers uncover corporate fraud while also protecting taxpayer money, and our firm’s qui tam cases have resulted in the recovery of over $7 billion to date.
If you believe you have proof of corporate fraud against the government, you may be rewarded for your bravery if you decide to come forward with a whistleblower claim. Contact the Philadelphia qui tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei LLP today for a free, confidential whistleblower claim evaluation.
