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Qui Tam Lawyer - False Claims Act Attorney

There are different kinds of whistleblowing lawsuits depending on what kind of illegal activity is being committed and the party affected by the illegal activity. For example, federal and state governments have passed laws that allow private citizens to file a lawsuit on behalf of the government if they have knowledge that someone is defrauding the government. This is called a qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuit. If you are an employee and have alerted a government agency of the legal violations of your employer, and thereafter fired or retaliated against, you might have an employee whistleblower lawsuit. If you believe that you have knowledge about a corporation defrauding the government submit your case to a Los Angeles qui tam attorney at Gallenberg PC for consideration. We also can accept cases on a contingency fee basis. To speak with a member of our team call us now at (818) 237-5267 (Burbank) or (213) 986-8432 (Los Angeles) or (310) 295-1654 (Beverly Hills) or you can fill out our quick and easy online Case Evaluation Form; this is the fastest way to get your case screened by an attorney. We do not charge prospective clients for a confidential telephone intake or online case review.

What is a Qui Tam Lawsuit?

A whistleblower/qui tam lawsuit is filed by a regular person who knows that a company or other entity is defrauding the government. That person assists in prosecuting the lawsuit and is able to keep up to one quarter of the money recovered. These claims originated because of rampant fraud during the Civil War. In 1863, Congress passed the False Claims Act in order to reduce the amount of fraud committed by government contractors. Today, the False Claims Act is still effective in reducing the amount of fraud on the government. Many states, including California, have their own version of the False Claims Act. California’s is called the California False Claims Act.

In order to file a whistleblower lawsuit under the federal False Claims Act, a person with knowledge of fraud perpetrated on the government must file a lawsuit under seal and serve a copy on the attorney general of the United States. The person with knowledge of the fraud is called the relator. The attorney general will evaluate the case and determine whether the government will take over the lawsuit. If the government does not choose to take over the suit, the relator is free to litigate the case. The relator is entitled to keep between 15 and 25 percent of the money won in the lawsuit, either though a verdict or settlement. The rest goes to the government to compensate it for the fraud. This can be a huge recovery for the relator in fraud cases where the damages are in the million or billion range.

If you believe that you have information that could make you a relator in a qui tam lawsuit, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. The statutes that provide for these suits are complex, and an experienced attorney can help guide you through the process.

What Kinds of Claims May Be Brought in a Qui Tam Lawsuit?

There is no limit to the type of claim that may be filed as a whistleblower lawsuit, as long as the defendant has defrauded the government of money. Some of the common types of claims are Medicare or Medicaid fraud, and government contractor fraud.

Medicare or Medicaid fraud could involve a health care provider that charged the government for hospital services that were not performed, or that overcharged for services rendered. The types of entities that may engage in this type of fraud are hospitals, nursing homes, health clinics, home health care providers, or other types of health service providers.

Entities that have contracts with the government may also be liable in a whistleblower lawsuit. For instance, construction contractors, defense contractors, or even research institutions that do not perform or over charge for services subject to government contracts could be defendants in a qui tam lawsuit.

Contact a Qui Tam Attorney Today

If you have information that a company has defrauded the government, an experienced Los Angeles qui tam lawyer at our office may be able to accept the case on a contingency fee basis. If your suit is successful, you may be able to keep a portion of the money recovered. For your case to be considered, you can call our new client intake line or you can fill out our quick and easy online Case Evaluation Form; this is the fastest way to get your case screened by an attorney. We do not charge prospective clients for a confidential telephone intake or online case review.

Submit your case for consideration now to a Los Angeles qui tam attorney; please dial (213) 986-8432 now. For Beverly Hills, please call (310) 295-1654. To submit your case for review to an employment in Burbank and surrounding San Fernando Valley, please call (818) 237-5267.