You rely on the income from your job to support your family and yourself. You may feel that what is good for the company you work for is good for you too, like job security or promotions. However, if the company asks you to do something illegal or unethical, it puts you in a difficult position and raises serious concerns. But what happens if one day you realize that you’re working for a company that is deliberately and systematically doing something illegal or harmful in the name of profits.
What do you do then? If you blow the whistle on your company’s wrongdoing, you could soon be without a job or subject to retaliation and having to work in a hostile environment. You might even be terminated and find yourself without a job at all and without a reference when you apply for new employment.
Before you blow the whistle, call Hill & Associates founding partner and Philadelphia qui tam whistleblower attorney Leonard K. Hill to learn about filing a qui tam lawsuit.
Legal Protection for Whistleblowers
Fortunately, in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States, there are laws in place to protect employees who expose the wrongs being perpetrated by their employers. In every state, it is illegal or unethical for a company to terminate or retaliate against a whistleblower, and when the United States Government is a victim of the company’s wrongdoing or a government regulation is being violated, a whistleblower is not only protected but is rewarded with a percentage of any recovery the government obtains as a result of the information provided by the whistleblower. When you are faced with such circumstances, you will need an experienced lawyer for legal guidance in helping you navigate the complexities of the law. The way this is done is by means of a qui tam lawsuit, a kind of civil suit under the federal False Claims Act. In a qui tam action, a private party, known as a relator, brings an action on behalf of the government. The government, however, is considered the actual plaintiff. If the government succeeds, the relator receives a share of the award. When you choose a Philadelphia qui tam whistleblower attorney, look for a professional who has experience in both private party and government cases.
Reward for Exposing Fraud
A qui tam lawsuit is a way for people with inside information to act as whistleblowers to help the government put a stop to various kinds of fraud while rewarding the person for taking on this responsibility that can be so harmful to one’s current and future employability and in some cases, personal security. Examples of fraud affecting the government are Medicaid or Medicare fraud, defense contractor fraud, promoting drugs for uses other than those approved by the FDA, and others. In the fiscal year 2013, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recovered 3.8 billion dollars in this way.
The Importance of Consulting the Right Philadelphia Qui Tam Whistleblower Attorney
Qui tam lawsuits are generally large and complicated, and the person bringing the charges is risking a great deal, although the potential reward can be great. This type of action requires a qui tam whistleblower lawyer in Philadelphia, PA with very specific experience and knowledge. If you have evidence of fraud against the government or serious violation of a government regulation, you should not speak about it to anyone until you have found the right attorney. Having the right attorney by your side can make a huge difference in the likelihood of success in your qui tam case as well as in determining whether you will be rewarded and how much you will receive. It is also important to hire a lawyer and act as soon as you have evidence of the wrongdoing. By waiting too long, you could lose your right to the reward percentage if someone else files the action first. Only the first person to file a lawsuit is entitled to the government reward.
Handling Whistleblower/Qui Tam Actions in Philadelphia
If you are considering blowing the whistle to expose a company that is defrauding the government or whose activities violate federal law, the Philadelphia law firm of Hill & Associates offers a free legal consultation to review the evidence you have, inform you of your options, and file a lawsuit on your behalf as soon as possible to preserve your position as the first to bring the matter to court. Call our office at (215) 567-7600 today to schedule your appointment and receive expert legal advice for successful qui tam action.