Massachusetts has some of the best consumer protections laws in the nation. If you have been injured or have a problem with a local company, call my office for a free consultation. Call 978-457-9090 today !!
Medicare fraud is a growing problem throughout the United States. Many states, including Massachusetts, have laws that protect people who report such fraud.
If you have information concerning a company that is defrauding the government (whether Medicare fraud or some other fraud), you can file a lawsuit on behalf of the government, and if successful, you may be entitled to a percentage of the money recovered. A person who reports such fraud is sometimes called a whistleblower or qui tam relator. The ability to recover such money is authorized under a provision of a law called the False Claims Act.
If we file a lawsuit, The U.S. Department of Justice will investigate our claim and then decide if they want to participate in pursuing the claim. If the Department of Justice decides to participate in the claim, the Department of Justice will take over the handling of the claim.
If you believe you have discovered fraud at your place of employment, you should try to collect as much evidence or documents as possible concerning the fraud. The collection of evidence or documents must be done legally.
If you cannot collect documents, you should take detailed notes on the practices you are observing; including such information as : dates, times, the names of people who know there is fraud being committed, save any emails that may relate to the fraud and also write down any billing information that is fraudulent. Remember, if a lawsuit is filed, it will be up to you and your attorney to prove the fraud, therefore having documentation is critical!
If you have attended meetings where the fraud was discussed, you should write down the details of these meetings, including when/where they took place, what was said, who said it, who was present at the meetings, and what documents exist that will prove what was said at the meetings.
When writing down notes, they should be intended to be sent to your attorney, as communication between you and your attorney is protected by the attorney-client privilege.
Please keep in mind that the first person to file a claim about the fraud is the one that will get any recovery. If a lawsuit has already been filed, using the same information you are providing, you cannot also recover any money. Therefore it is extremely important to contact an attorney as-soon-as-possible and to NEVER discuss your suspicions with any co-workers. If you’ve collected the evidence, please call my office to discuss your potential claim – the consultation is free!
The Law Office of Patrick F. Bull is based in Haverhill Massachusetts and primarily practices personal injury and criminal defense law. If you need legal advice, feel free to contact my office for a FREE consultation.