December 11, 2015
December 11, 2015 – The results are in. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released its statistics on the False Claims Act (FCA) recoveries for fiscal year 2015 in a recent announcement. Though total recoveries for qui tam cases are down from 2014’s record high, 2015 stands out as a winning year for whistleblowers in qui tam cases in which the government has declined to intervene. Total recoveries remain over $3.5 billion for the fourth year in a row.
The False Claims Act empowers whistleblowers who uncover fraudulent practices in public programs to file a lawsuit on the government’s behalf. Whistleblowers, also referred to as “relators,” are rewarded with a portion of the government’s recovery, and may also recover any damages resulting from retaliation against them. As the statistics in the 2015 report show, the False Claims Act continues to be the most effective tool used to uncover and prosecute fraud against the government.
Of note, in 2015 the total dollar value of whistleblower awards for cases in which the government declined to intervene has surpassed the total whistleblower awards in cases where the government has taken over litigation. This is a first time event, and is evidence that whistleblowers and their attorneys are both willing and able to successfully litigate and resolve False Claims Act cases even where the government steps aside.
At Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, LLP, our lawyers are well versed in the application of the False Claims Act. If you are aware of a company or individual engaging in unlawful conduct to purposefully increase the claims paid for with public funds, there are remedies recognized by the government. Please contact us to report violators defrauding the government.
Our Results
Historic settlement for over 1,300 survivors of clergy and adult abuse within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, marking a pivotal moment for justice.
A Philadelphia jury awarded a record verdict against ExxonMobil for failing to warn about cancer risks due to benzene in its petroleum products.
Confidential settlement for the wife of a Rhode Island man who died of mesothelioma cancer after exposure to window glazing compound contaminated with asbestos.
That’s the first question everyone asks. The truth is it’s impossible to know. But we can tell you this. Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel has what it takes to fight against big corporate interests and win. That’s why we’ve recovered more than $1.3 billion for clients like you.
