Finding out about illegal activities going on in your workplace can be pretty stressful. You may not even know what to do with the information you have. You could also be worried about losing your job if you report any illegal conduct. There are many questions that you need answered before you make your move.
Employees who expose a company that is defrauding the government by filing a "qui tam lawsuit" against the employer are known as whistleblowers. An experienced employment lawyer at Whittel & Melton can help you protect your job while also exposing your company or employer's wrongdoing by filing a qui tam lawsuit on your behalf. Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.
Are you leaning towards filing a qui tam case against your employer? The information below could help in your decision making process.
If you don't know what a qui tam lawsuit is, you are not alone. Most have never heard of these cases because of how rare they are. If you have been privy to knowledge of illegal practices happening at your job, our employment attorneys can review it and determine the best way to proceed. Qui tam lawsuits are usually complex because of how much evidence is needed to prove any wrongdoing. However, this does not mean that it is not possible to get the government involved to put a stop to illegal conduct.
What Should You Do First For a Qui Tam Case?
Qui tam lawsuits have to be filed quickly. As soon as you learn of illegal activities, it is best to speak with an attorney who can walk you through the process. If you think that you know about some type of fraud or illegal activity at your job, call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
Qui Tam lawsuits will be under seal for 60 days, so during that time it will be a secret lawsuit that is not revealed to the employer while the Justice Department is investigating. The court may extend the 60 day seal to allow further investigation. The government will then decide whether to intervene in the lawsuit after the investigation is complete. Cases in where the government decides to action are usually successful. In certain cases, the seal is lifted to allow the government to negotiate a settlement with the company.
Most employees fear taking action because they are scared something will happen to their job. However, you need to realize that if you file a qui tam case against your employer you are protected from any retaliatory actions. This means that you cannot be fired, demoted, discriminated against, harassed, etc. If you are retaliated against in any way, then you can seek damages for the injustice you have suffered.
Think You Have A Qui Tam Or Whistleblower Case?
First thing you need to do is meet with our Florida Employment Lawyers at Whittel & Melton so that we can go over the details of your potential lawsuit.
Second, you must not discuss your case with anyone other than your lawyer. These cases are highly confidential for several reasons. If someone files a suit before you do addressing similar allegations, your case could be thrown out. Likewise, if the fraudulent activity becomes public before your case is filed, your case could be dismissed.
Third, there is no time to delay. There are time restraints placed on how long you have to file a case. For the most part, a federal qui tam case must be filed within 6 years of when the fraud was committed. However, there are some exceptions in these cases. There are also state time limits on how long you have to file a claim, so it is best to not delay in these cases.
If you would like to have a confidential and free consultation with a Florida Employment Lawyer at Whittel & Melton where we review your potential qui tam case, call us today at 866-608-5529. Please note, we handle all qui tam and whistleblower cases on a contingency basis, so you pay us nothing to handle your case.
Our Florida Employment Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you bring a qui tam lawsuit against your employer should you know about illegal practices happening at your job. Don't worry about your employer firing you - call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online.