Whistleblower Attorneys in Gresham

Are you aware of any individual or company that is defrauding or has defrauded the federal government?

You can try to put a stop to it by filing a whistleblower claim under the federal False Claims Act. However, it is easy to say that someone who knows about fraud should step forward and take legal action to put a stop it. The truth is that people who do this could be putting their jobs and careers on the line. This is why having skilled legal representation throughout this process can be crucial. The Gresham whistleblower attorneys at Rizk Law can handle this entire process on your behalf. We can also fight back if your employer retaliates against you for exercising your right to blow the whistle on government fraud. This is why you should consider meeting with one of our experienced attorneys for a free legal consultation. We can explain the legal process and what we can do to protect your rights and pursue compensation you may be owed for coming forward. There is no obligation to take legal action and this meeting is completely confidential. This means there is no risk to you in meeting with us.

One of the advantages of filing a whistleblower lawsuit is that you could be entitled to a portion of the funds that are recovered in your case. These are the funds that were illegally obtained through fraud. Our Gresham whistleblower attorneys will work to recover the maximum amount of compensation allowed under the law. We want you to be rewarded for coming forward and doing the right thing.

Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form or call us at 503.245.5677.

What is Government Fraud?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions about government fraud. One of the reasons you might need to meet with a lawyer is to discuss what you know and whether this actually is government fraud. If you try to pursue a case on your own without discussing it with an attorney first, you may not actually have grounds for a False Claims Act claim. You could end up going through the stressful process of filing a claim without really having a chance of success.

When you meet with us, we can review your situation to determine if government fraud is happening. Government fraud essentially means that someone or a company or other entity is taking steps to illegally obtain money from the government.

The False Claims Act outlaws various activities that defraud the government of money, such as:

• Sending the government a fraudulent bill, such as for services that were never completed
• Creating false records to get the government to pay you for a product or service
• Failing to send property to the government when the government is entitled to said property
• Setting up a conspiracy to try to get the government to provide payment for a fraudulent claim
• Buying government property from someone who does not have the right to sell you said property
• Using a fraudulent record to avoid paying the government money it is rightfully owed

Fraud occurs in many different industries, but some of the most common include:

Government Contracting

Fraud often occurs with contracts for national defense and infrastructure improvement, like highway improvement projects. In these situations, the government pays a private entity to build or improve something. Unfortunately, companies and individuals in these industries often engage in fraud. This could include:

• Sending bills to the government for goods or services that were not provided
• Overbilling for a good or service
• Using equipment from equipment from countries that do not have U.S. trade agreements
• Inflating prices on a government contract to try to obtain more money
• Using incorrect pricing information during contract negotiations to try to obtain more money
• Billing the government twice for a service that was only provided once
• Sending kickbacks to the government to try to get a contract approved
• Sending goods to the government even though they were not properly inspected

Pharmaceutical Industry

Drug companies make a profit by quickly getting new medications out onto the market. However, because there is so much pressure to get drugs onto the market, companies have motivation to cut corners and commit fraud.

Some examples of fraud in the pharmaceutical industry include covering up the risks of a drug, marketing drugs for uses that have not been approved, and bribing health care providers to get them to use certain drugs.

Government Health Care

Medicare and Medicaid are government insurance programs, which means they are funded by the government. Unfortunately, health care providers engage in fraud to try to get more money from the government. This can include:

• Sending bills for services that were not provided
• Sending two bills for the same service
• Billing for a service when it was only partially provided
• Prescribing services for a patient even though those services are unnecessary

Mortgage/Banking

Inflating property values or claiming income you do not have to get approved for a loan are just a couple of examples of fraud involving mortgages and banking. Other examples could include treating money from family members as a gift to try to get approval

There are many different examples of government fraud. However, even if you think you know about government fraud, you could greatly benefit from meeting with a Gresham whistleblower attorney to discuss your situation. The consultation is 100 percent free and you do not have to move forward with legal action.

Contact Rizk Law right now by calling 503.245.5677.

Legal Process for a Whistleblower Lawsuit

If you are aware of government fraud, you should take action quickly to put a stop to it. Under federal law, whistleblower lawsuits must be filed within six years of fraud, or within three years of the date the government knew or should have known about fraud occurring. If the deadline that applies to your claim passes, you will no longer have the right to file a whistleblower lawsuit.

In these lawsuits, the government has the option of joining your case. If that happens, and the case proves fraud occurred, you may be able to recover 15 to 25 percent of the funds recovered by the government. If the government does not get on board, you may be entitled to 25 to 30 percent of the recovery.

If you decide to work with our attorneys, we can get the legal process started for your case. The first step is filing a qui tam lawsuit under seal. This helps protect you because the government is the only other party that has access to the allegations or knows about the lawsuit. The party you are accusing of fraud will not know about it for at least 60 days.

While the case is under seal, the government will review the complaint and decide if it wants to join the lawsuit. If the government gets on board, it will take control of the lawsuit, which could mean that your participation will be severely limited. The government can even decide to make a settlement and there is nothing you can do about it.

If the government does not get on board, you can decide whether or not you want to move forward. Either way, after the 60 days, the complaint will be sent to the party you are accusing of fraud. The other party has 20 days to respond.

Our Gresham whistleblower lawyers have detailed knowledge of this process and what you can expect. We can keep you informed and work to build a robust case. Despite the limitations that come with the government being on board, we will work to try to get the government to join your case. With the government on your side, you might have an advantage and a greater likelihood of success in this process.

Schedule your free, no obligation legal consultation right now. Call 503.245.5677.

Contact a Gresham Whistleblower Lawyer for a Free Consultation

The government needs brave people to come forward to help stop government fraud. The government just does not have the ability to discover every instance of government fraud that is happening in various industries.

However, being a whistleblower is risky, which is why having a trusted attorney advocating for you can be very important. Our Gresham whistleblower lawyers can advocate for your best interests and also help you pursue remedies if your employer fires you or retaliates against you in some other way. We will also work to build a strong case to try to recover the highest percentage of the recovered funds as possible.

Your consultation with our attorneys is entirely free and confidential. You do not have to take legal action just because you meet with us. There is no obligation on you after this consultation. You decide what you want to do after we review your situation and explain what we can do for you.

Call our firm at 503.245.5677 or fill out a Free Case Evaluation form.