Protecting Whistleblowers & The Injured

Can you receive compensation for a railroad qui tam action?

| Oct 2, 2020 | False Claims Act Qui Tam

As a railroad worker, you may be able to command a premium for the wages that you earn. Job security and a decent income are hard to come by, so a great position with a stable company can make you very reticent to take any action that might put your job at risk.

Unfortunately, if your employer engages in inappropriate or illegal practices, such as billing the government for repairs or maintenance that they don’t perform on railway infrastructure, you may have no choice but to take steps to alert the appropriate authorities about the misbehavior of the company that employs you.

After all, those business practices could put not just employees but also the public at risk. One of the ways to take action involves bringing a qui tam lawsuit on behalf of the government against your employer.

Successful qui tam claims can be compensated

In a qui tam action, you file a claim in court against your employer on behalf of the government. It’s important to understand that the government, not you is actually the plaintiff. Under the False Claims Act, employees who know of company misconduct involving charges have the right to initiate civil proceedings against their employer.

If the courts rule in your favor, it is likely that the company that employed you will have to repay the money they previously received. Thanks to the whistleblower rules in the False Claims Act, those who bring successful qui tam actions against their employers can receive between 15% and 30% of the amount recovered in legal proceedings. Getting help with a qui tam claim can increase your chances of success and ensure you have protections from potential employer retaliation.

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