Qui Tam Lawyers Taking on Whistleblower Cases
Sue on behalf of the government for acts of fraud
For centuries, people have been courageously coming forward to speak out against fraud, corruption, misconduct and other legal activity, and for centuries, the law has been on their side. The government knows that whistleblowers play a vitally important role in our society by helping to shed light on wrongdoing. If you come forward as a whistleblower, you have legal protection from wrongful termination and other retaliatory acts, and you may be entitled to financial compensation as well.
However, the reality is that whistleblowers' experiences on the ground don't always align with what the law says. To protect your rights under the law as a whistleblower, you need an experienced whistleblower attorney from Dean Waite & Associates, LLC.
What is qui tam law?
The legal term qui tam dates back all the way to the 1300s, when King Edward II began to reward people who reported fraud committed by government officials. "Qui tam" is short for a longer Latin phrase stating that a person who files this type of claim does so on behalf of the government, not just on behalf of him- or herself. The same principle applies to whistleblower cases today as well.
In the United States, qui tam laws have existed since the Revolutionary War, but it was the Civil War that brought these cases to the forefront. In 1863, the federal False Claims Act was created to combat widespread fraud committed by government contractors. Over the years, the law has been revised and expanded, and it now protects whistleblowers who expose fraud and corruption committed by private companies in addition to government fraud.
What do whistleblowers do?
Broadly speaking, a whistleblower is anyone who reports misconduct being committed by a private company or government agency, including the military. Some areas of misconduct that are frequently exposed by whistleblowers include:
- Corruption
- Business fraud
- Education fraud
- Government fraud
- Medicaid fraud
- Military contractor fraud
- Securities fraud
A whistleblower may reveal misconduct by his or her employer, or by another business or entity - for instance, a contractor working for another business might gain knowledge of illicit practices at that business.
The types of misconduct that whistleblowers expose often have hundreds or thousands of victims. And in cases where the misconduct involves embezzlement or misappropriation of government money, that money is effectively stolen out of taxpayers' pockets.
Whistleblowers have legal rights. We can help.
If you have knowledge of illicit activities, you need to contact an experienced attorney right away. Filing claims under the False Claims Act is a complex and challenging process, and the people responsible for the corruption or fraud often have deep pockets and high-paid lawyers on their side. With your own legal advocate, you can cut through that confusion and move your case forward to hold them accountable for their wrongdoing.
An attorney can also help protect you from retaliation - or get fair compensation if you are wrongfully terminated or demoted. Whistleblowers are protected under the law, but because Alabama is an "at will" employment state, your employer may think they can get away with firing you anyway. The truth is that even under the at-will rule, you cannot be fired for exercising your legal rights.
If you're considering coming forward as a whistleblower, we encourage you to contact our law firm right away. We'd be happy to meet with you for a free, confidential consultation. Call (866) 434-5840.