WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIMS

Choosing to come forward with evidence that an employer or company may be committing fraud against the government is a brave and honorable act. Whistleblowers play a pivotal role in the detection, investigation and prosecution of fraud against the government. According to Taxpayers Against Fraud, more than 80 percent of cases pursued under the False Claims Act are initiated by whistleblowers. The False Claims Act also protects and reimburses whistleblowers for their courage and integrity in coming forward with evidence of corporate wrongdoing and/or fraudulent conduct and for participating in the process of pursuing a false claims act case in court.

Qui tam lawsuits can be brought against any organization, even government entities, that violate a law or regulation. Pharmaceutical fraud has become the most common type of fraud pursued under the False Claims Act.  A recent Public Citizen study graphically illustrates how pharmaceutical industry fraud against the government has reached epidemic proportions, “endanger[ing] public safety and rob[bing] the government of increasingly scarce state and federal resources.” According to the new study, the worst offenders include some of the biggest companies -- GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Eli Lilly, which have paid $14.8 billion in penalties stemming from 121 settlements between 2006 and 2010 alone. The study also found that former drug company employees turned whistleblowers who filed qui tam actions were an essential component in the largest number of federal settlements over the past 10 years.

Other common types of fraud are government healthcare fraud, defense contractor fraud and real property fraud. If you are aware of any corporate wrongdoing, or any possible fraudulent activity, we encourage you to contact a lawyer immediately.

If you have seen or are aware of any potentially fraudulent behavior that could be costing the government money, you have the right to expose it. No matter who you are, whether you are a high ranking official within a company, an employee or even a bystander who becomes aware of corporate misconduct or potential fraud, it is extremely important that you seek knowledgeable representation should you decide to go through the process of a qui tam case. Filing a qui tam fraud lawsuit, such as against a pharmaceutical manufacturer, is complicated and requires legal professionals with experience in dealing with the companies that perpetrate the fraud.

At Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, we have dedicated ourselves to public safety and public health advocacy for over two decades. The firm has litigated over 5,000 significant catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death product liability cases. One particular group of cases we handled against a major pharmaceutical company spawned a subsequent investigation into that company by U.S. and Federal agencies.   

After years of taking on high-profile cases against major pharmaceutical companies, our firm has established a sophisticated system for conducting thorough investigations into company wrongdoing. Representing whistleblowers is a continuation of our legacy of seeking the truth, obtaining justice and holding Big Pharma and other major companies accountable.

Qui Tam / Whistleblower Cases and other Categories of
Federal Pharmaceutical Industry Settlements