Whistleblowers can take action to seek compensation, penalties (paid to them) or other orders through the Court. Other orders could include apologies and reinstatement. For a body corporate it is up to $10.5 million while for an individual the penalties could be up to $1.05 million.
What is a qui tam suit?
Qui tam lawsuits are a type of whistleblower lawsuit that is brought under the False Claims Act, a law that rewards whistleblowers in successful cases where the government recovers funds lost to fraud. Qui tam lawsuits have helped to recover billions that have been stolen from the US Treasury and taxpayers.
What rights do whistleblowers have?
Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation for disclosing information that the employee or applicant reasonably believes provides evidence of a violation of any law, rule, regulation, gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
Who was the whistleblower in the Novartis settlement?
In an exclusive interview, the man behind a $678 million whistleblower settlement says “drastic action” was needed to shake up the pharmaceutical industry. Oswald “Ozzie” Bilotta, the former sales representative for Novartis behind the $678 million settlement the company just signed with the Justice Department.
What did the whistleblowers say about the drug company?
In their lawsuit, the whistleblowers said the drugmaker’s conduct “has cheated the federal government out of millions of dollars that should not have been paid, thereby enriching [the company] and subjecting patients to unapproved, unsafe and potentially ineffective uses of H.P. Acthar Gel.”
What was the biggest whistleblower settlement in history?
The Justice Department announced a $678 million settlement with the company over improper inducements it made to doctors to prescribe 10 of the company’s drugs, including the anti-hypertension drug Lotrel. The deal represents the biggest whistleblower settlement under the federal anti-kickback law, Bilotta’s lawyer said.
Where can I find a whistleblower retaliation law firm?
These cases were handled by a variety of law firms. Call our experienced whistleblower retaliation lawyers today for a confidential consultation at 202-262-8959.
