Whistleblower & Qui Tam Lawyers

In qui tam lawsuits, fraud is defined as the intentional, significant misuse or theft of taxpayer funding. It also includes the misrepresentation of goods or services with the intent to earn unwarranted compensation, which can occur when companies bill the government for unperformed services. Fraud can be committed by a single individual or an entire organization, but the victim is always the innocent taxpayer who assumes their hard-earned money is going toward its intended purpose. 

The False Claims Act (FCA) makes it illegal for any person or institution to intentionally file a false claim or create a false record regarding any federally funded program. In this case, “intentionally” includes acting with reckless disregard, which is when someone blatantly ignores the potential consequences their actions may bring. The “qui tam” provision of the FCA allows private citizens who have evidence of fraud to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party on behalf of the government.

Hardworking citizens and their tax dollars support our government programs. When money is stolen from these programs, it’s really stolen from the American people, as they’re the ones who ultimately pay the price for fraud. The brave individuals who expose this criminal behavior are nothing short of heroes, and their contribution to the preservation of justice is something that shouldn’t go unrewarded. Fortunately, the FCA contains a provision that allows whistleblowers to receive a financial reward for their actions.

If your qui tam lawsuit is successful in recovering defrauded funds, you could be eligible to receive between 15% and 30% of the total amount recovered. Although the promise of compensation is appealing, the real reward for whistleblowers is knowing that you’ve helped right a wrong and set an example for others to follow in the future.

“Qui tam” is a shortened Latin phrase meaning “who as well for the king as for himself sues in the manner.” In other words, it means that an individual is filing a lawsuit on behalf of their government. The qui tam provision of the FCA was enacted not only to encourage whistleblowers but also to protect them from any retaliation by the hands of the organization they’re helping to expose. 

Those who discover evidence of fraud often fear that the organization may attempt to retaliate against them for bringing their crimes to light. However, these individuals have nothing to worry about, as the FCA grants protections from retaliatory behavior for all whistleblowers. This behavior can include:

• Harassment/discrimination
• Suspension
• Demotion
• Denial of benefits
• Imposition of penalties/sanctions

Some organizations may attempt to retaliate against you despite the protections of the FCA. If this occurs, you have the right to file a lawsuit against your employer seeking reinstatement, twice the amount of back pay you lost as a result of their behavior, interest on back pay, and any litigation fees you accrued throughout the process. Our experienced whistleblower attorneys have a proven track record of recovering the full extent of damages in cases of retaliation, making us an undeniable asset for your legal challenges.

The evidence you collect will mostly depend on the type of fraud you’re hoping to expose. However, detailed evidence is important throughout all qui tam cases, so you should ensure that all the information you collect is as comprehensive as possible. Items such as financial records, emails, and memorandums are often used in this type of litigation, but some whistleblowers choose to use a personal recording device to gather evidence as well. If you’re still in the process of collecting evidence for your case, make sure that it answers the following questions:

• Who is committing the fraud?
• Who knows about it?
• What violation is being committed/has been committed?
• When/where did the crime occur?
• Is the fraud ongoing?
• How was/is the fraud perpetrated
• What are the implications of the fraud for the government/public?
• How much money was defrauded?

HIPAA contains certain exemptions for healthcare employees who are helping to expose fraud. 

An experienced whistleblower attorney will help you navigate through the complexities of the lawsuit process and make it as easy as possible for you to use your evidence to expose corruption. Once we’ve received your claim, we’ll begin the evaluation process to determine whether your evidence is sufficient enough to move forward. If not, we’ll use our years of experience to advise you on ways to make your case stronger.

Once it’s determined that you have a case, our attorneys will help you file the lawsuit and ensure that you’re protected to the fullest extent of the law for the duration of your case. We take the safety of our clients seriously, and if you experience any retaliation from the organization you’re helping expose, we can do everything in our power to make sure they’re held accountable for their actions. Not only that, but our attorneys will also fight for the maximum relator reward possible, so you’re compensated fairly for your brave contribution.

A qui tam lawyer is an attorney who specializes in whistleblower lawsuits. This type of litigation allows private citizens to file a lawsuit on behalf of the government against an individual or organization who’s committing fraud within our nation’s federally funded programs. 

The False Claims Act requires that qui tam lawsuits are kept “under seal” while the case is under investigation. This means that anyone other than the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. attorney, and the assigned judge of the District Court cannot view the details of your case until the case becomes unsealed. If you have any concerns about your anonymity during this process, it’s a good idea to speak with our whistleblower attorneys and learn more about the laws that will affect your case.

If you have evidence of an individual or organization deliberately attempting to defraud the government of funding, you may have grounds for a whistleblower lawsuit. However, not all evidence is created equal, and you may not know if your information is sufficient enough to warrant a lawsuit. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please speak with one of our whistleblower attorneys for further opinion and advice on how to proceed.

Yes, you’ll need strong supporting evidence to file a qui tam lawsuit. The evidence you collect must clearly display the entity committing the fraud, the amount stolen, and any other relevant information pertaining to the crime at hand. Many whistleblowers have collected financial statements, emails, and memorandums, but others have taken an extra step and used a personal recording device to collect evidence. While this isn’t necessary in all cases, it is important to collect as much evidence as you can to ensure that your case can help expose the corruption.

Whistleblowers are granted protections from retaliation under the FCA, including demotion, termination, suspension, denial of benefits, and any other retaliatory behavior. If an unethical organization attempts to retaliate against you despite these protections, you can file a lawsuit against them and recover the damages their actions have caused. 

However, it’s important to act quickly if you do experience retaliation. Time is of the essence in these situations, and you’ll need to prove that you were fired as a result of the qui tam lawsuit you were a part of. Waiting to file the lawsuit can make your case weaker and potentially cause you to lose it altogether, so it’s important to speak with an attorney sooner rather than later. 

A public insurance adjuster is an independent professional who represents a policyholder. Similar to the role of an insurance company adjuster, a public adjuster reviews the claim filed by a client to calculate a reasonable payout based on the severity of the policyholder’s injuries and the value of any financial losses. A public adjuster considers the terms written into a client’s insurance policy to ensure the client receives just compensation.

If you file an insurance claim without the support of a public adjuster and a personal injury attorney, your insurance company might see that as a sign to lowball your claim or outright deny it. Hiring a public adjuster demonstrates to your insurance company that you are serious about receiving the compensation you deserve based on your injuries, as well as the terms that are written into your insurance policy. The public adjuster that you hire to review your claim receives a percentage of the payout issued by your insurance company.

Should I hire a public adjuster before or after I meet with a Morgan and Morgan personal injury attorney for a free case evaluation? You should meet for a free case evaluation with a Morgan and Morgan personal injury lawyer before hiring a public adjuster. With more than 35 years of experience handling personal injury cases, Morgan and Morgan has developed a list of highly-qualified public adjusters that have amassed an impressive record of helping our clients receive the compensation they deserve from their insurance companies. The personal injury lawyer that you meet with for a free case evaluation might recommend not hiring a public adjuster because your claim contains overwhelmingly persuasive medical and physical evidence.

If you decide to hire a public adjuster, you should do it before you file an insurance claim. A public adjuster offers advice on how to boost the strength of your claim by including more convincing evidence, as well as presenting statements made by witnesses. If you wait until your insurance company denies or lowballs your claim, your chances of getting just compensation decreases.

The personal injury attorney that you meet with for a free case evaluation can recommend an experienced public adjuster who has compiled a proven record of getting clients the compensation they deserve. You can search the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) website for potential candidates to hire a public insurance adjuster. The NAPI Directory lists every public adjuster required to obtain a license to operate in the state where you live. Simply enter your zip code or city and state into the database box to generate a list of state-licensed public insurance adjusters. You also can network with friends, family members, and professional peers to receive recommendations.

After you narrow your search down to a few candidates, ask each candidate how much they charge for their services. Most public adjusters charge a flat percentage fee, which can be as small as five percent or as much as 20 percent. How much a public adjuster charges depends on the complexity of your case, as well as whether you have filed your insurance claim.

Do not allow your insurance company to deny your claim or offer a value for compensation that is well below what you deserve. Schedule a free case evaluation today with one of the highly-rated personal injury attorneys at Morgan and Morgan.