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When a company engages in fraudulent activities, often the only people who know about it are the employees. Therefore, in order for the proper authorities to discover the fraud and take legal action, an employee must first report their employer. Usually, the employee must file a whistleblower claim.
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A whistleblower is an individual who exposes illegal activity within a company or government organization. That individual is usually someone who works inside the organization. The crimes involved are usually those that have a financial impact on the government, company shareholders, and taxpayers and can be tough for the authorities to find out on their own.
Becoming a whistleblower can be a difficult decision, as workers may fear retaliation from their employer. However, there are local, state, and federal laws that protect whistleblowers and allow those who come forward to keep a portion of the recovery as a reward for reporting fraud.
Whistleblower claims are complex and most companies fight allegations of fraud and/or misconduct fiercely. An experienced whistleblower lawyer can shoulder the legal burdens of your claim and can help protect you from employer retaliation.
At Regan Zambri Long PLLC, our whistleblower attorneys in Washington, DC have decades of experience representing complex legal claims involving fraud and illegal activities. We can work with you to put an end to fraud and misconduct. We always offer free, confidential consultations so that you can discuss your situation with no fee and no worries about your employer’s reaction.
Fraud against the government and/or the public can take many forms and may vary by industry. Some of the most common types of whistleblower claims that our attorneys have handled include:
Medical institutions sometimes profit by taking advantage of government programs. Billing for services that were never delivered, fraudulent coding, and misrepresenting prescriptions are all actions that may constitute healthcare fraud.
Medicare and Medicaid subsidize the costs of medical treatments and prescriptions for certain groups. However, contractors and other parties involved may overcharge, bill for nonexistent procedures and/or commit other fraud designed to get unwarranted payments from the government.
A company may offer financial incentives to facilitate deceitful gains from the government. Usually, kickbacks accompany some other type of fraud.
Your employer may misrepresent earnings or other details of the business in order to avoid taxes or receive fraudulent refunds.
Government contractors may commit fraud either to win contracts or to avoid fulfilling their obligations, while still receiving payment. For example, a contractor may falsify test data to deceive the government into accepting a substandard product as fulfillment of the contract.
Employees generally know their own businesses best; if you suspect that your employer committed fraud according to industry-specific laws, then contact a DC whistleblower attorney to learn your legal options.
To file a whistleblower claim, you must be able to demonstrate that fraud or misconduct on the part of your employer caused one of the following:
The specifics of these types of claims may vary widely, depending on the circumstances of your case. However, whistleblower claims must generally all meet the same standards, which are:
The personal injury lawyers at Regan Zambri Long PLLC offer confidential consultations so that you can learn your rights in whistleblower matters free of charge. If you have evidence of your employer’s False Claims Act violations, then we can help you file a lawsuit and protect your own rights. Call (202) 960-4596 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
A qui tam lawsuit is a type of whistleblower lawsuit that is brought under the False Claims Act. The words qui tam comes from the Latin phrase, “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur.” It means, “He who sues on our Lord the King’s behalf as well as his own.”
In a qui tam claim, a private party, known as a relator, is bringing legal action against a company on behalf of the government in order to receive a reward.
Also known as the “Lincoln Law,” the False Claims Act gives private citizens the chance to sue any individual or company that is defrauding the government in order to recover damages. Those who successfully bring a qui tam action can receive a portion of the government’s recovery.
The answer is, it depends on the law you file the claim under. While many whistleblower claims are confidential to the public, the government and the defendant will know your identity. There are types of cases that do allow you to remain totally anonymous such as filing a claim under the Security Exchange Act.
Typically, a whistleblower can receive 15% to 30% of any recovery, either through a settlement or through a judgment.
Anyone can be a whistleblower, as long as the fraud has not been publicly revealed. You do not have to be an employee to uncover the wrongdoing.
