Doing the right thing might feel good but it isn’t always easy and can result in some unpleasant consequences. While whistleblowers are a vital part of our democracy and play a role in ensuring that corruption and underhandedness is punished, whistleblower retaliation is common. In fact, of those who have reported some form of wrongdoing at whatever level, 22% indicated that they have experienced retaliation as a result of their actions. In such circumstances it is important to secure the services of a whistleblower lawyer who can assist you in whistleblower retaliation cases.
Whistleblowers may be involved in a variety of different forms of cases. For example, those who knowingly submit, or cause another person to submit, false claims for payment of government funds, under the False Claims Act,are liable for up to three times the government?s damages. In addition they are also liable for civil penalties of between $5,500 and $11,000 for each false claim. ?Relators? or ?whistleblowers? are people who sue under the False Claims Act and they are eligible for 15 to 30% of the total amount recovered. On average about 100 such cases under this Act are heard every year. The government joins about a quarter of these cases. Whistleblower retaliation settlements may amount to over $100 million, but these are only a small proportion of all cases. Most average about $10 million in settlement.
Retaining a whistleblower lawyer will ensure that your rights are protected and that you are able to claim for any retaliatory action that you might experience. Whistleblower law firms can help you file your claim quickly, since only the first whistleblower in a case qualifies for a claim. Legal professionals can also help you gather and organize the evidence you will present to strengthen your case.
Being a whistleblower can be a very stressful experience but each whistleblower is crucial to cutting down on corruption and fraud in society and ensuring that those responsible are brought to task. According to the U.S. Department of Justice statistics, more than $39 billion has been recovered by the federal government since 1987 in cases brought under the False Claims Act. More than $4.2 billion in awards have been made by the government to whistleblowers under that statute, including approximately $3.6 billion since 2001.