Whistleblower Attorney in Chicago

whistle

Have you discovered acts of fraud against the government?
You need a whistleblower Lawyer.

The False Claims Act allows an individual with knowledge of fraudulent activities that federally funded programs and contractors commit against the United States Government to take legal action against those who committed the fraud. Those who bring these fraudulent cases to light are commonly known as “whistleblowers.”

The one who committed the fraudulent activities is liable to pay up to three times the damages suffered by the U.S. Government, along with penalties between $5,500-$11,000 per act of fraud. The whistleblower is known as the “qui tam plaintiff,” and is given a percentage of the amount recovered in the legal proceedings. That percentage ranges from ten to thirty percent of the total amount recovered. However, the whistleblower is only awarded compensation for personal and occupational sacrifices suffered by bringing the fraudulent activities to light if the case is successful.

Blowing the whistle on fraud can be a risky endeavor without proper support. For this reason, it is incredibly important for you to hire an experienced and competent whistleblower Lawyer. Balkin Law Group has years of experience and a lengthy record of success with False Claims Act Cases. Call a competent whistleblower Lawyer today for a free, completely confidential case evaluation.

Who does the False Claims Act Apply To?

The False Claims Act covers nearly every case of fraud involving federally funded contractors or programs except tax fraud.

Historically, defense contracts were common whistleblower lawsuits during the 1980’s. However, more recently, Medicare and other federally funded healthcare related fraud has become much more common. Some common types of fraud include:
  • Charging the government for costs not associated with a government project
  • Falsifying test results or other information regarding materials, quality, or costs of products being sold to the government.
  • Billing Medicare for unnecessary tests, or tests that were not actually performed.

Types of Fraud Covered by the False Claims Act

Over the years, innumerable False Claims Act cases have been tried. Ultimately, this law protects the tax dollars of hard working Americans by encouraging citizens to help keep contractors and other government programs honest. Some of the most common cases are:

  • Bribing officials, or giving kickbacks to decision makers to win a contract.
  • Not reporting a known defect in a products design in order to continue selling to the government.
  • Billing for advertising, lobbying, or other marketing or corporate activities that are not included in the government contract.
  • Trying to dodge tariffs by hiding the value of imported good, or their country of origin.
  • Billing Medicare for unlicensed and unapproved drugs
  • Billing made up hours, or charging for employees that are not working in order to artificially inflate bills to the government.
  • Marking down and billing Medicare for more expensive treatments or illnesses than were actually performed or diagnosed.
  • Winning a contract because of false certifications, such as pretending to be a: veteran, minority, etc.
  • Charging multiple times for the same service.
  • Billing for products of superior quality but providing inferior products.
  • Submitting false product specifications, samples, or service records in order to display superior performance but providing inferior products.
  • Presenting defective or broken equipment or goods as fully tested and operational.
  • Presenting false records or production schedules for the use of natural resources such as: pumping, mining, or cutting more timber from public land than contracts specify.

Get the Compensation You Deserve

Whistleblowers help keep government funded contractors and programs from stealing the tax dollars of the American people. If you are aware of fraud in a government funded program or by a contractor, call a whistleblower lawyer today. An experienced whistleblower lawyer can help you evaluate your case, and show you the best way to proceed with your case. Help protect the American people from fraudulent use of their tax dollars, call a whistleblower lawyer at Balkin Law Group today fro a free, confidential case evaluation today.