Contact Nashville Whistleblower Attorney Timothy L. Milles Today if You Are Thinking of Blowing the Whistle
Everything You Need to Know About Whistleblower Lawsuits
A whistleblower is anyone who has and reports insider knowledge of illegal activities occurring in an organization. A whistleblower can be an employee, supplier, contractor, client, or any individual who becomes aware of illegal business activities. 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. Contact Nashville Whistleblower Attorney Timothy L. Miles today for a free case evaluation, you may be eligible to file a whistleblower lawsuit and for a whistleblower award.
The brave individuals who do so are known as whistleblowers, and they play a critical role in holding businesses and industries accountable. They also protect taxpayer dollars. Blowing the whistle on fraud or any other illegal activity that goes against the public interest benefits the government and its people. That is why the U.S. government offers whistleblower awards and protections to those who share credible information with them who file Whistleblower lawsuits. Although you might be nervous to come forward for fear of retaliation from your employer, there are laws in place to protect you from retaliation.
Read on to learn more about these laws, and how we can help in whistleblower lawsuits.
What Is the False Claims Act?
When an individual or company seeks to procure unwarranted funds from the federal government, it is considered fraud and a violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). The FCA, also known as the Lincoln Law, imposes liability on individuals and companies who defraud government programs.
Fraud occurs in virtually every industry in which government contracts exist. Types of fraud include:
The FCA allows private citizens to stand in the shoes of the government and file a lawsuit on the government’s behalf in a federal district court. That lawsuit is served on the United States Attorney and remains under seal outside of the public realm while the Department of Justice and other federal and state agencies investigate the allegations. Whistleblowers or “relators” are entitled to share between 15% and 30% of the government’s recovery as a reward for bringing fraud to the government’s attention, and bringing a whistleblower lawsuit.
What Are Some Other Whistleblower Programs?
IRS Whistleblower Program The Internal Revenue Service’s whistleblower program allows individuals or entities with knowledge of non-payment or underpayment of taxes to come forward and provide the IRS with that information. An IRS whistleblower can receive between 15% and 30% of the total recovery. Information can be provided about both companies and individuals who have not paid their fair share of taxes, as long as certain threshold requirements are met.
SEC & CFTC Whistleblower Programs Both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have whistleblower programs that allow an individual to report violations of the securities and commodities trading laws and regulations. Successful whistleblowers are entitled in between 10% and 30% of any penalty imposed by these agencies. Whistleblowers with knowledge of insider trading, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, accounting fraud, or any other illegal or improper schemes that harm investors or violate the law, can come forward with this information to regulatory authorities on a confidential basis to file whistleblower lawsuits.
FIRREA/FIAFEA Whistleblower Actions Under FIAFEA’s whistleblower provisions, if the United States recovers under FIRREA based on original information brought by the whistleblower, the whistleblower is entitled to 20 percent to 30 percent of the first $1,000,000 recovered, 10 percent to 20 percent of the next $4,000,000 recovered, and 5 percent to 10 percent of the next $5,000,000 recovered, for a total potential recovery of $1.6 million.
State False Claims Acts Currently, 31 states have false claims act statutes that provide whistleblowers a reward if a state government recovers. These state statutes follow the Federal False Claims Act for whistleblower lawsuits, providing an award between 15 and 30 percent of the state’s recovery. Several states, including Tennessee and California, allow whistleblower awards of up to 50 percent of the government’s recovery in a whistleblower lawsuit.
What Is a Qui Tam Lawsuit?
Qui tam is a provision in the FCA that allows private citizens with evidence of fraud perpetrated against the federal government to sue the wrongdoer on behalf of the U.S. government. These citizens are rewarded with a substantial share in any financial recovery that’s made (typically 15-30% of the total amount).
The qui tam provision was enacted to encourage private citizens to come forward with information about entities defrauding federal programs and file whistleblower lawsuits, thus allowing the government to recoup stolen funds. Qui tam lawsuits differ from other types of lawsuits, such as personal injuries, in that the person bringing the suit is not the one who has been directly harmed.
Any person with information about fraud against the government – an employee, contractor, competitor, or someone else – can bring a qui tam lawsuit.
If you have information about fraud against the U.S. government, contact Whistleblower Attorney Timothy L. Miles, a top-rated attorney in Tennessee. He can help you determine if you have a case, and securely walk you through the whistleblower process.
How Are Whistleblowers Protected?
Congress enacted protections for whistleblowers prohibiting retaliation against those who blow the whistle
The government affords certain protections for whistleblowers. The FCA provides protection against retaliation: Whistleblowers may not be harassed, threatened, demoted, fired, or otherwise discriminated against because of their decision to come forward. The Whistleblower Protection Act prohibits federal agencies from firing, demoting, and blacklisting federal employees who become whistleblowers as well as other forms of retaliation including reducing pay, change of duties, or reassignments. Under the Whistleblower Protection Act, qui tam relators have the right to protections such as reinstatement if terminated or demoted, back pay, as well as compensatory damages. If you have been treated unjustly because you spoke out, contact Nashville whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles. You can file a lawsuit against your employer seeking damages including reinstatement (if you were fired) and back pay. Even if your claim turns out to be unsubstantiated, you are protected against retaliation provided your claim was made in good faith. These protections for whistleblowers are meant to encourage whistleblowers to come forward without fear of retaliation and file whistleblower lawsuits or quitam lawsuits.
Can Government Employees Be Whistleblowers, Too?
Government workers can also blow the whistle on their own government and file whistleblower lawsuits and receive a whistleblower award. The Whistleblower Protection Act is a federal law that provides these individuals with protection for disclosing various acts of unlawful and unethical behavior on the part of the U.S. government:
Violations of the law, rules, or regulations
Abuse of authority
Gross waste of funds
Gross mismanagement
Substantial danger to public health or safety
If you are a federal employee who has uncovered possible fraud by the federal government and you have endured punishment as a result (e.g., demotion, pay cut, firing, or harassment), contact us. We can review your case in a free, no-risk evaluation. Contact us today about a whistleblower lawsuit, you may be entitled to a whistleblower award.
What Can a Whistleblower Attorney Do?
Whistleblower lawsuits are complex, so you need a qualified whistleblower attorney on your side. We have the know-how to handle your case, including qui tam and other whistleblower lawsuits, from healthcare fraud to defense contractor fraud. We can:
Evaluate your claim and all evidence relating to it;
Help you file a lawsuit or submit information under the appropriate whistleblower program (depending on your type of case);
Persuade the government to get involved in your case, which increases the likelihood for success;
Fight for the maximum compensation for your contributions as a whistleblower; and
Remain by your side from start to finish.
We understand that you might be reluctant to file a qui tam lawsuit, but it is important to know that all FCA whistleblower lawsuits are filed confidentially and may not be viewed by the accused or the general public.
Contact a Whistleblower Attorney
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. The consultation is free and confidential. Just complete the form below to get started or call (855) Tim-M-Law. Please also visit our Resources center which provides a wealth of information on whistleblower lawsuits, among others.
Call today and see what a whistleblower attorney can do for you.
CONTACT US FOR A FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL WHISTLEBLOWER LAWSUIT CASE EVALUATION WITH WHISTLEBLOWER ATTORNEY TIMOTHY L. MILES
Whistleblower Attorney (855) Tim-MLaw (855-846-6529) tmiles@timmileslaw.com Contact Whistleblower Attorney Timothy L. Miles today for a Free Case Evaluation about a whistleblower lawsuit or a qui tam lawsuit.
FREE CASE EVALUATION Call for a free, no obligation case evaluation with Nashville Whistleblower Attorney Timothy L. Miles about a Qui Tam Lawsuit today or other whistleblower lawsuits.
Congress enacted protections for whistleblowers prohibiting retaliation against those who blow the whistle