Sacramento Whistleblower Lawsuit Attorney
The decision to come forward with information about fraud is not an easy decision to make. It can weigh heavily on a person’s mind, especially if the one perpetrating the illegal act is an employer. So many concerns come to mind. Will my employer find out and retaliate against me? Will someone go to jail? Will my coworkers be hurt in the process?
The Sacramento whistleblower lawsuit lawyers at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp help employees blow the whistle on fraud against their employers, handling every case with strict confidence and care. An important thing to know is that the False Claims Act provides several protections to the whistle blower, including provisions stating that an employer is not allowed to retaliate against an employee who reveals information against them. Additionally, an employer cannot retaliate against an employee who refuses to partake in any activity that is violating a federal law or regulation. If the employer does take retaliatory action in any way, we go after them for compensation of lost wages and benefits and/or (if desired) to reinstate the whistle blower’s position.
What is a Whistleblower Lawsuit?
A “whistleblower” is a person who publicly reports illegal activities of a company that is cheating or defrauding the government. It is typically an employee, former employee, or member of an organization, especially a private business or government agency; however, anyone with privileged information and evidence can blow the whistle on fraud.
The whistleblower who brings a whistleblower lawsuit (also known as a “qui tam lawsuit”) is entitled to a percentage of the money the government recovers. Depending on the amount recovered by the government, the percentage paid to the whistleblower can be tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
People outside of a company who have knowledge of fraud may also be entitled to file whistleblower lawsuits. For example, the family of a hospital employee may discover fraudulent charges to Medicare or Medicaid. These people can also file whistleblower lawsuits with a Sacramento personal injury lawyer.
The U.S. government pays trillions of dollars each year to companies it contracts with for services and products to run government programs. American taxpayers are cheated out of billions of dollars annually when companies defraud the government in the following ways:
- Overcharging for products and services
- Charging for products or services that were never delivered or provided
- Intentionally cutting corners to provide only partial services or inferior products
- Failure to deliver goods and services for which they were paid
The Whistleblower Protection Act
Whistleblower employees who reports the fraudulent activity of their company are protected from company reprisals (wrongful termination or firing, harassment, or demotion) by the Whistleblower Protection Act.
What to do if My Employer is Committing Fraud?
First and foremost, contact a qui tam attorney to discuss the right steps to take. Record any evidence of illegal activity or activity demonstrating that the company is aware of the fraudulent nature of their business practice. This would include emails, invoices, or other tangible evidence that shows that what you claim actually took place. Do not tell anyone else. The first person reporting a fraud is the person who will be rewarded by the government in a successful lawsuit, and to protect yourself from retaliation, it’s better that your employer does not know that you might expose their wrongdoing.
In fact, whistleblower lawsuits are filed under seal, and every aspect of the case is held in complete confidentiality until a verdict has been reached.
Contact our Sacramento Whistleblower Lawyer
Our experienced Sacramento attorneys have represented people in many different types of whistleblower lawsuits claiming fraud against the government. If you have knowledge that your employer is defrauding the U.S. government, please fill out and submit the contact form on this page or call us toll-free at (866) 527-4278. You can call our firm for any questions you might have or for a free case evaluation.
