Qui Tam Attorneys

Sometimes it takes the action of a private citizen to bring a severe case of fraud or corruption into the light of day. When a company, a corporation, or a group of people are taking advantage of the government illegally and a private citizen is the one who uncovers this criminal activity, then there is a good chance that the case will require an experienced Qui Tam attorney. Sometimes this term is replaced by the simpler term “whistleblower attorney.”

Whatever term you prefer, this doesn’t change the importance of quickly getting an experienced and capable legal attorney on your side. There are multiple protections available to whistleblowers, but you need a knowledgeable attorney to help make sure you get all the protections and don’t get bullied. Whistleblower cases can be especially tricky and going up against a large organization or company. You don’t want to find yourself alone when their lawyers start filing motions. Every step of the process needs to be perfect in these cases.

What Is Qui Tam?

The technical definition of Qui Tam comes from a much longer Latin term that begins with the words Qui Tam. This term refers to when an individual brings a case on behalf of a larger entity. The original phrase meant on behalf of a king, but in modern law the term still refers to whistleblowing cases where on behalf of the United States government. This is when an individual files a case on their behalf against individuals or organizations that are defrauding the government. Qui Tam is a larger part of the False Claims Act, which according to Whistleblowers.org consists of 31 U.S.C. Sections 3729 through 3733.

How Do Qui Tam Laws Work?

Legally this does open up some interesting points. Filing a case under the statute of Qui Tam can be complicated, and even in the very beginning anyone going this route needs to look at having quality legal representation. Basically when a company or organization is defrauding the federal government, it’s possible that anyone with any pull in the government won’t know about it. With so many programs to administer and with the large number of people willing to scam them, it’s not surprising that some could fall through the cracks.

In this case the individual who has evidence of the wrongdoing has the right to file on behalf of the U.S. government. The law is designed to allow this person to do so without revealing their identity if at all possible in order to protect them and their rights. Even if this can’t be done, under the law they are still protected from retribution such as being fired or harassed.

When these cases are being filed, federal agencies do investigate the claims and depending on the severity of the situation, the government may come in on the suit. They have a right to do this since technically under Qui Tam the problem was filed on their behalf.

Whistleblower Rights

A quality Qui Tam attorney will be able to help a client understand what their rights are under federal law. While there might be a cash reward or pay compensation based on the case, other important rights include compensation for legal fees, forced reinstatement to a job they were terminated from, or even double back pay. Under these circumstances workers who bring fraud to light are allowed protections that they might not otherwise have.

In Conclusion

When getting the right attorney, you need to be certain that they have specific whistleblower case experience. This is the only way you’ll know for sure that your rights under a Qui Tam case are being protected.

Sources:

https://www.doioig.gov/Docs/FalseClaimsAct.pdf

http://www.WhistleBlowers.org/Index.php?Itemid=64