Preparing for a meeting with False Claims Act attorneys is a big item on your to-do list if you think you may have a whistleblowing case. It’s important that you carefully prepare before you walk into the office. Read on to learn what you can expect from the meeting and how you should plan for it.

What Do False Claims Act Attorneys Do?

Everyone knows there are many different types of lawyers. There are real estate attorneys and trial lawyers, tax attorneys, and criminal attorneys. Then there are False Claims Act lawyers. Knowing what this segment of the law is about will help you understand how to prepare for your meeting.

The truth is we live in a world where people are willing to cheat to make money. The government doesn’t like it when people try to trick them. In fact, the government will give you a reward if you bring them information about a fraud being committed against them by your company. They will pay a percentage of the recovery in a False Claims Act suit; also known as whistleblowing.

There are several different types of false claims suits:

• Health care fraud
• Medicare and Medicaid fraud
• Department of Defense fraud
• Construction contract fraud
• Government loan fraud

There are also different ways of committing the fraud, from charging for things never provided to a patient in a clinic but billing Medicare or Medicaid, to using inferior materials on a government contract. There are many different ways people in various industries commit the crimes.

False Claims Act procedures include a lot of variables. It’s important you have an experienced attorney who focuses solely on this type of law.  The only way the government will intervene and take on the case you present is if the information crosses the threshold of truth and evidence. When the potential for gain is possibly millions of dollars, you need an attorney who has been in these particular trenches and knows how to take on the situation without looking back.

What Do I Bring with Me to Meet My False Claims Act Lawyer?

The reward in whistleblower cases ranges from 15% to 30% of the recovery, so the potential for millions is real. It won’t come easy. But with proper preparation, you help your attorney do everything within the law to present the case to the federal government.

Here are some things you can do to help make the case:

• Keep some notes. Don’t keep them at work. Detail where documents are stored. Note where the computer files are saved. You can’t take the proof with you, but you can explain exactly where it is. The government will investigate anonymously, and your notes give them a road map.
• Now is the time to name names. You need to list every person involved or have knowledge of the fraud. Are they friendly to the crime or justice? Do they still work there or have they been fired. The details are the breadcrumbs.
• Talk about the big guys and what they do. Detail how the structure of the corporation under accusation works.
• This detailed journal is where you list all the rules and laws you think were broken. Don’t be afraid to write it out. If you know things that might hurt the case or if you have a history of your own that is questionable, you need to tell that as well. If the case gets blindsided because you withheld something embarrassing, there are no second chances. Each instance of whistleblowing is limited to the first person who brings it to the government, known as the original source.

False Claims Act Attorneys Will Work to Protect You

There can be a real fear of retaliation when you consider bringing a False Claims Act to court. The law provides protection against these things. It is illegal for you to lose your job or put up with harassment. You can’t lose wages or recognition and promotions as a result of being a whistleblower.

Having an attorney who is familiar with the fear and retaliation common in these cases is valuable. Knowing your rights and having the legal backup to stand up for them is powerful. It is not uncommon, though, for it to be quite frightening at the same time. A False Claims Act attorney is an advocate who walks alongside you during this time.

If you think you may have knowledge of a False Claims Act fraud, you need to speak with an attorney. Contact the skilled False Claims Act attorneys at Bothwell Law Group by calling 770.643.1606 today.