If somebody else has filed a lawsuit similar to yours, your False Claims Act case is subject to dismissal and you may get nothing. You need experienced whistleblower counsel.
To prevent “parasitic” lawsuits, the False Claims Act is subject to a “first to file” rule. This means that if someone else filed a similar action before you – another whistleblower, the Department of Justice, or even just a Government administrative action – your right to claim may be disqualified. And since cases can be under seal for years, there may already be a case that you do not know about and cannot know about.
Has somebody else filed a lawsuit similar to yours? Your False Claims Act case is subject to dismissal. You may get nothing. Whistleblowers should know that it is important to have an experienced Medicare Fraud lawyer who can advise you about risks and possibilities of previously-filed litigation. Bothwell Law Group whistleblower attorney Roswell Georgia, Mike Bothwell, can help you work to file a robust False Claims Act complaint quickly, and keeps its finger on the pulse of national litigation trends, giving you the best shot at knowing whether your case is in a new area of concern.
Select a False Claims Act Lawyer with a Well-Respected Reputation for Working Well With Other Whistleblowers and Their Attorneys
Even more critically, if your case is one of several filed against the same defendant, Bothwell Law Group Mike Bothwell is prepared to cooperate with other whistleblowers and their attorneys. Our history of mutual cooperation with Government authorities/counsel has earned our firm a well-respected reputation. Bothwell Law Group whistleblower lawyer Georgia has experience representing both first filed cases and as subsequent filers, and has been able to negotiate agreements among whistleblowers to maximize our clients’ rewards.
Consult with a Qui Tam Lawyer who Understands How to Qualify
The team at Bothwell Law Group, led by qui tam lawyer Mike Bothwell, knows when a qui tam case is sufficiently similar to invoke the first to file rule, under what circumstances the first to file rule may not apply, and various ways to attack the issue, so that even if you are not the first to bring a claim, you may still have a case. If there is even the possibility that another person has filed a whistleblower claim before you, it is imperative that you have experienced counsel. Call or click for a free evaluation with our experienced False Claims Act attorneys Georgia.
“In no event may a person bring an action [under the False Claims Act] which is based upon allegations or transactions which are the subject of a civil suit or an administrative civil money penalty proceeding in which the Government is already a party.” 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b)(5).