Understanding Your Whistleblower Rights and Procedures

INTRODUCTION TO WHISTLEBLOWERS

If you are considering blowing the whistle, call Nashville whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles today

Whistleblowers perform an extremely important service when they come forward and report unethical or illegal activity to the Department of Justice. All DOJ employees, along with contractors and subcontractors, are protected under the law from retaliation for making a protected disclosure.  

​If you have knowledge of a person or company attempting to defraud the federal government, and you come forward with this information, you could be receive a whistleblower award for your courage and blowing the whistle by filing a whistleblower lawsuit and do so with the knowledge you have strong whistleblower protections against whistleblower retaliation. Contact a Nashville whistleblower attorney today, located conveniently in Brentwood, TN a suburb of Nashville. (855) 846–6529 or [email protected].

---

How to Properly Make a Protected Disclosure?

To encourage whistleblowers to come forward, it is against the law for your employer to retaliate against you for making a "protected disclosure."  So, what exactly constitutes a protective disclosure?  There are two conditions that must be met. 

1. The disclosure must be based on a reasonable belief that wrongdoing has occurred. As explained in the chart below, the definition of wrongdoing varies slightly depending on your place of employment.
   
   
2. The disclosure must also be made to a person or entity that is authorized to receive it. Employees who reasonably believe they have evidence of wrongdoing are always protected for submitting that information to the OIG Hotline. However, as explained in the chart below, the other authorized audiences are different, depending on your place of employment.

How to Report Retaliation by Your Employer

Whistleblowing concept: Black keyboard with a red key and the whistleblower word

Again, to encourage employees to come forward when they have knowledge of wrongdoing, there are very strong anti-retaliation laws in place that make it unlawful for your employer to take any personal action against you for having the courage to come forward and blow the whistle. If you believe you have been retaliated against for making a protected disclosure, you have numerous remedies including filing a lawsuit and should contact Nashville Whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles today for a free and confidential case evaluation. For most federal employees, including all DOJ employees other than those employed by the FBI, to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) or through the OIG Hotline.

---

Seeking Remedies for Retaliation

If an individual experiences retaliation for blowing the whistle, they can file a lawsuit against their employer, seeking various remedies to deter such actions. These remedies may include:

• Back pay (wages and benefits lost due to unlawful termination)
• Reinstatement to the whistleblower's former job
• Front pay (wages and benefits to cover the time needed to find a new job)
• Out-of-pocket losses (e.g., the costs of finding a new job)
• Damages for pain and suffering
• Punitive damages
• Attorney's fees and court costs

It is crucial for individuals considering blowing the whistle to understand their rights and the protections afforded to them under the law. Consulting with an experienced Nashville whistleblower attorney such as Timothy L. Miles can provide valuable guidance on navigating the legal process and ensuring that their whistleblower protections are upheld.

Whistleblower Awards and Incentives

​To encourage whistleblowers to report fraud against the government, the FCA provides substantial financial incentives. If the government recovers funds based on the information provided by the whistleblower, the relator is entitled to a share of the recovery, typically ranging from 15% to 30% of the total amount.
​​
This incentive system not only rewards whistleblowers for their courage and sacrifices but also serves as a powerful deterrent against corporate fraud and misconduct. By offering a substantial share of the recovery via a whistleblower award, the FCA incentivizes individuals with insider knowledge to come forward and expose wrongdoing.

---

Areas of Fraud Covered by the False Claims Act

​The False Claims Act covers a wide range of industries and sectors where fraud against the government may occur, including:

• Medicare and Medicaid fraud
• Defense contractor fraud
• Healthcare fraud
• Pharmaceutical fraud
• Environmental fraud
• Federal crop insurance fraud
• Construction fraud
• Federal student loan fraud
• Securities fraud

By providing a legal framework and financial incentives for whistleblowers, the False Claims Act has proven to be an effective tool in combating fraud, recovering billions of dollars for the government, and promoting accountability within various industries.

THE EVIDENCE NEEDED TO BE A WHISTLEBLOWER

​You will 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 is not 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.  For more information on the type of information you need and how to obtain it, and your whistleblower protections in obtaining it, contact Nashville Whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles.

If You Are Thinking of Blowing the Whistle, Contact Nashville Whistleblower Attorney Timothy L. Miles Today

​​If you have knowledge of fraud against or by the federal government, contact Nashville whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles who can guide you through the whistleblower process and explain your whistleblower protections.  The consultation is free and confidential. Just complete the form below to get started or call (855) Tim-M-Law.  Ask a Nashville whistleblower attorney, you could be entitled to a significant whistleblower award. 

​Please also visit our Resources center which provides a wealth of information on whistleblower lawsuits, among others.

​Call today and see what a Nashville whistleblower attorney can do for you.

The Law Offices of Timothy L. Miles
Tapestry at Brentwood Town Center
​300 Centerview Dr., #247
Brentwood, TN 37027
Phone: (855) 846–6529
​​Email: [email protected]

Takata airbag lawyer Timothy L. Miles  

Timothy L. Miles is a top-rated and AV preeminent lawyer in Nashville, Tennessee and a nationally known class action and products liability lawyer who has been leading the fight to protect consumer rights for over 22 years. Mr. Miles received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee in 1995 and his J.D. from the Nashville School of Law in May 2001, graduating third in his class, and was made a member of the Honorable Society of Cooper’s Inn which is reserved for students graduating in the top ten percent of their class.

He is admitted to practice before the Tennessee Supreme Court; the United States District Court for the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Tennessee and the District of Colorado; and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.  He is a member of the Nashville Bar Association; National Trial Lawyers Association; and Harry Phillips American Inns of Court (Student Member 2000). Mr. Miles has dedicated his career to representing consumers and shareholders in complex class-action litigation, products liability and mass torts.

Whether serving as lead, co-lead, or liaison counsel, Mr. Miles has helped recover millions of dollars for aggrieved consumers, shaped precedent-setting decisions, and delivered real corporate governance reforms. Judges and peers have repeatedly recognized Mr. Miles’ relentless advocacy for the underdog, as well as his unbendable ethical standards.
​
For example, Mr. Miles is a member of the prestigious Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers: The National Trial Lawyers Association, which is by invitation only and is “extended to those attorneys who exemplify superior qualifications, trial results, and leadership in their respective state based upon objective and uniformly applied criteria.” The National Trial Lawyers Association explained the significance of this honor: “With the selection of Timothy L. Miles by The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100, [Mr.] Miles has shown that he exemplifies superior qualifications, leadership skills, and trial results as a trial lawyer. The selection process for this elite honor is based on a multi-phase process which includes peer nominations combined with third party research.” Further, “[m]embership is extended only to the select few of the most qualified attorneys from each state or region who demonstrate superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature and public profile measured by objective and uniformly applied standards in compliance with state bar and national Rule 4-7.”
​
Additionally, Mr. Miles has maintained an AV Preeminent Rating in securities law with Martindale-Hubble since 2014, their highest award given. The coveted AV Preeminent rating is reserved for “[a]n elite group of approximately 10 percent of all attorneys.”  Additionally, while Martindale’s peer review ratings have been trusted for decades because they are based on the opinions and feedback of fellow legal practitioners, the organization’s special judicial edition rating, which Mr. Miles received this year for the sixth year in a row, is an even higher honor. As Martindale notes, the prestigious judicial rating is its highest possible distinction, and is representative of the opinions of both a lawyer’s peers and members of the judiciary.

CONTACT                                                      
The Law Offices of Timothy L. Miles
Tapestry at Brentwood Town Center
​300 Centerview Dr., #247
Brentwood, TN 37027
​​Phone:(855) 846-6529
​Email: [email protected]
​Websites:
www.classactionlawyertn.com
​www.dangerousdrugslawyertn.com
www.stocklosslawyertn.com