Working within an organization, whether as an employee or contractor, often exposes a person to trade secrets and inner workings that are proprietary. Though some of these are perfectly ordinary and what differentiates one company from the next, sometimes what goes on behind closed doors is illegal and unethical. When an individual who is in possession of insider knowledge of this type of activity provides that information to the authorities, they do so by filing a whistleblower lawsuit. Those who make the decision to file these lawsuits are extremely courageous, as it is a difficult thing to turn in an employer and fellow colleagues for wrongdoing, but it is also the right thing to do, and those who do so are eligible to receive generous rewards. If you believe that you are in possession of information that would be suitable for a whistleblower lawsuit and you need information, the Philadelphia whistleblower attorneys at Bochetto & Lentz can provide you with all the information that you need.
Whistleblower lawsuits first came into existence during the days of the Civil War, when army contractors were constantly defrauding the government. Lincoln created the False Claims Act to reward those who came forward with information – he understood that by providing an incentive to those who were on the inside of organizations that were perpetrating fraud, the government was essentially creating an additional layer of protections for itself a vast army of insiders that could act as their eyes and ears. The False Claims Act has undergone many changes over the years, but it is still essentially the same idea – when an individual shows the courage and initiative to turn in their employer for wrongdoing and they put together a case that is compelling, the government provides compensation for relative to the successful legal action that follows.
The compensation that is available to those who file a successful whistleblower lawsuit is typically a percentage of the judgment or settlement that results. The original whistleblower lawsuits were related to the military, and government contractors continue to be a target of many of these cases, but today many are also filed against pharmaceutical companies and medical facilities that are perpetrating Medicare fraud. Some whistleblower lawsuits are filed under the False Claims Act on behalf of the government and the American taxpayer, where others are filed under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and are filed against public companies that perpetrate securities fraud, safety violations, tax evasion, and more.
If you have become aware of illegal activity within an organization and believe that you can take action to protect the government or the American taxpayer by calling it to the attention of the authorities, there is a highly specific process that must be filed. By working with an experienced Philadelphia whistleblower attorney you can improve your chances of having your case accepted by the government and put yourself in the best possible position to be rewarded. Call the attorneys at Bochetto & Lentz today to discuss the best way to move forward.
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