There are federal and state laws that protect whistleblowers or those who report instances of alleged wrongdoing to the government or authorities from being retaliated against. Furthermore, those bringing a Texas whistleblower lawsuit could be entitled to recover a portion of a reward obtained by the government.
An employee who becomes aware of instances of fraud will naturally be concerned about what to do next. The laws in place at the state and federal level are designed to encourage such a person to come forward with their allegations both due to potential rewards and existing protections for whistleblowers. Many whistleblowers in Texas are motivated by the desire to do the right thing, but could still benefit from speaking to an attorney who has a background in helping whistleblowers.
At every stage of a potential case, a whistleblower should be informed about their rights and know what is involved in bringing a claim. Since a possible whistleblower award could be reduced if the information the employee has was already shared in public forums or other cases, engaging a Texas whistleblower attorney early on can help to jumpstart the research process and determine whether or not it’s the right next step.
Whistleblowers should know that their employers cannot discriminate against them or harass them for legally protected activity as a whistleblower. However, many employers try to take advantage of employees in this position and count on their lack of knowledge as a reason to proceed- don’t let this happen to you.
Filing a Texas Whistleblower Lawsuit
The Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention could affect your ability to bring a Texas whistleblower lawsuit.
The Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act targets instances of Medicaid fraud. Filing a qui tam lawsuit might be the only way for a whistleblower to expose potential Medicaid fraud. A person bringing a Texas whistleblower lawsuit could be entitled to rewards if Medicaid funds are recovered due to their assistance and information. Most cases brought under the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act occur when a party has inside knowledge about the submission of fraudulent or false claims to the Texas Medicaid program.
Fines can be assessed against an individual or an entity who is accused of regularly and fraudulently violating Medicaid rules and regulations. A defendant could be ordered to pay damages as high as three times the actual harm done to the state and fines that go as high as $11,000 for every claim submitted in violation of Texas Medicaid fraud.
Rewards for Texas Whistleblower Lawsuit Plaintiffs
A whistleblower is entitled to receive compensation if his or her information leads to successful recovery of funds. This is true whether or not the government decides to get involved in the lawsuit or not. The whistleblower in any Texas whistleblower lawsuit regarding Medicaid fraud could receive between 15% and 25% of the recovery if the government gets involved in the case. In some situations, the government will decline to get involved in the case and the whistleblower will proceed on their own. If the whistleblower proceeds with the case individually, he or she could receive between 25% and 30% of the amounts recovered.
The court can reduce this award value if the whistleblower was in any way involved in the initiating or planning the fraud or if the information brought forward by the insider has already been mostly disclosed in public hearings or in the media. Consulting with an experienced Texas whistleblower lawyer is important for understanding your rights and deciding when and how to bring forward a case as a whistleblower lawsuit.
What Truly Constitutes A Whistleblower?
A whistleblower is any person who reports an act of wrongdoing by a fellow employee or employer. Since whistleblowing can be aimed at both public or private entities due to reporting violations or illegal acts, it’s important to understand the different avenues for moving forward with a Texas whistleblower lawsuit. Most whistleblower laws protect an employee who reported fraud or wrongdoing in good faith.
A lawsuit must be filed using the appropriate laws and in an appropriate timeline if the whistleblower wishes to recover money. Consulting with the right attorney can make a different in how the Texas whistleblower lawsuit proceeds.
