Nationwide Whistleblower Lawsuits

Whistleblower lawsuits are on the rise as citizens help disclose cases of fraud against the government – and reap large rewards for their efforts. The cases cover illegal activities ranging from tax evasion to health care fraud involving Medicare and Medicaid.

Successful whistleblower suits, also known as qui tam lawsuits, have also been filed in cases involving, but not limited to, defense procurements, underpayment of royalties (such as oil, minerals and gas from public lands), brokerage firm fraud, computer supplier fraud and construction cases.

Whistleblower lawsuits can be a complex and it is helpful to get representation from attorney experienced in dealing with government agencies and major corporations.

If you have information or evidence about fraud perpetrated against the government, you should contact a whistblower lawyer or a qui tam lawyer for a FREE evaluation of the potential case.

The Philadelphia-based law firm Kline & Specter, P.C. has some 30 highly experienced attorneys, several of whom have worked as government prosecutors or won large verdicts and settlements against major corporations. They are well-equipped to assist citizens nationwide to navigate the process of filing claims under the U.S. False Claims Act or various state laws. They can also help ensure that plaintiffs receive their fair rewards from successful civil actions.

(Visit our whistleblower website)

It is important to file whistleblower lawsuits as quickly as possible since the government uses a “first to file” rule, meaning that the first person who brings suit against an entity allegedly defrauding the government is entitled to the government reward.

One of the most common types of whistleblower lawsuit involves health care fraud by pharmaceutical companies, hospital corporations and clinical laboratories which bill the government, often through the Medicare and Medicaid programs, for drugs or services. In a recent case, the firm helped secure an $800,000 settlement from a South Carolina ambulance company which defrauded the U.S. government by billing Medicare for transports that were not medically necessary. Kline & Specter represented the whistleblower in the case, clinical social worker Sandra McKee, who will receive a $160,000 reward under the federal  False Claims Act. (See the Department of Justice news release, news article)

Kline & Specter handles whistleblower lawsuits on a contingency basis, meaning the law firm gets paid of a reward plus expenses if – and only if – a suit is successful. If there is no reward, the firm receives no remuneration, not even for expenses that may have been incurred.

Whistleblower lawsuits have flourished in recent years as they allow private citizens to sue on behalf of the government even though the individual has suffered no personal harm. The U.S. government has reaped more than $20 billion from qui tam lawsuits since 1986, when the law was bolstered, and whistleblowers have collected an average of roughly 16 percent – in some cases as much as 30 percent – of government recoveries.

Among the more famous whistleblower cases, drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $750 million in 2010 to settle allegations that it knowingly sold drugs with questionable safety. The whistleblower in that case, Cheryl Eckard, the company’s quality manager, was fired when she tried to address the issue. She later filed a qui tam lawsuit that exposed the practice. She was to receive a $96 million reward. (Click here to read more news articles about whistleblower cases.)

Rewards in whistleblower cases vary widely. In 2008, for instance, hundreds of IRS cases were expected to bring rewards, including 228 related to cases of tax cheats owing at least $10 million each and 64 cases involving tax debts of more than $100 million. (Click here learn more about whistleblower rewards)

Kline & Specter has won many major verdicts and settlements in a variety of cases (see Major Victories). Click here to read the biographies of all of the firm’s attorneys (Lawyer Profiles), including partners Tom Kline, Shanin Specter and  David Caputo, a former federal prosecutor.

Contact a whistleblower attorney today.

 Links:
1- Whistleblower FAQ
2- Qui Tam lawsuits defined
3- Rewards and Fees
4- Whistleblower state laws
5- In The News

Resources:
http://www.whistleblowerprotection.net/