Qui tam relators (the label given to whistleblowers under the False Claims Act) are able to act in a powerful manner to report fraud and help the government recover funds. Anyone can be a qui tam whistleblower, provided they have new information about fraud committed against the government.
Qui tam refers to a specific type of legal action that allows any person to bring a lawsuit in place of the government under the False Claims Act, against an entity which has defrauded the government.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A QUI TAM RELATOR REPORTS FRAUD?
Qui tam relators must retain the services of an experienced whistleblower attorney. After an attorney takes a qui tam case brought by a whistleblower, it is filed under seal, protecting the whistleblower’s identity and allowing the government to quietly investigate the potential defendant.
WHAT PROTECTIONS AND REWARDS TO QUI TAM RELATORS RECEIVE?
Ultimately, the government can either take over the whistleblower’s case or, if it declines, the whistleblower can continue with the litigation on his or her own. Either way, the qui tam whistleblower remains eligible for a monetary reward in a successful legal action.
Historically, qui tam laws have allowed whistleblowers who assist in the prosecution of a case to receive all or part of any penalty. If the government prevails in the action, the relator receives up to 30 percent of the recovery.
If it is proven that the government has been victimized, a qui tam relator is entitled to a significant percentage of the monetary penalty, which can sometimes total tens of millions of dollars.
Hagens Berman’s team of whistleblower attorneys has successfully represented qui tam relators. Unlike smaller whistleblower practices, Hagens Berman has the resources to litigate claims against the world’s biggest corporations, and the firm’s track record includes some of the largest settlements in legal history.
- MORE ABOUT THE FALSE CLAIMS ACT
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ABOUT THE FALSE CLAIMS ACT
- False Claims Act Explained
- Types of False Claims Act Fraud
- Rewards for False Claims Act Whistleblowers
- Protection for False Claims Act Whistleblowers
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Qui Tam?
- What is a False Claims Act Whistleblower?
- Who Can File a False Claims Act Whistleblower Case?
- Do I Need a Lawyer To Become a Whistleblower?
- Can a Whistleblower be Sued for Filing a False Claims Act Claim?
- What if the Government Refuses to Pursue a Whistleblower Lawsuit?
- What is the Statute of Limitations for Whistleblowers’ False Claims Act Claims?
- What State and Local False Claims Act Laws Exist for Whistleblowers?
LAWS AND STATUTES
