Whistleblowing & Qui Tam
More and more employees and executives are stepping forward and alleging wrongdoing, claiming that their employer committed fraud or violated government laws regulating financial reporting and other corporate governance issues. To clarify, these laws run the gamut from federal and state statutes protecting employees in various industries to securities laws like the Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd Frank Acts. These laws are extensive and many carry big fines, penalties and criminal liability. Moreover, they have the potential for significant monetary awards for whistleblowers. Because of this, you will need an experienced whistleblower attorney to successfully wade through these complicated laws.
Qui Tam Lawsuits and the Role of a Whistleblower Attorney
Qui tam lawsuits are a subspecialty of whistleblower actions. Moreover, they permit an individual to pursue a lawsuit for the government and potentially recover a large monetary award for his or her efforts. Specifically, qui tam lawsuits prevent fraud against the government and recover damages resulting from such fraud. Furthermore, these lawsuits are often pursued under the federal False Claims Act. However, there are similar state laws that provide the basis for qui tam actions and the potential for large recoveries for successful individual whistleblowers. The guidance and assistance provided by an experienced whistleblower attorney is needed when you have knowledge of fraud against the government that may give rise to a qui tam action.
The Sabine Pilot Doctrine
In addition to federal and state statutes governing whistleblowers, the Texas Supreme Court created the Sabine Pilot doctrine. This important Texas law provides that an employee who is fired for refusing to perform an illegal act that carries criminal penalties can sue his or her former employer for wrongful discharge.
We went to trial on a Sabine Pilot whistleblowing case back in 1992. Since then, we have gone all the way to trial on other whistleblowing and qui tam cases. When you face these issues, you need an experienced whistleblower attorney who has successfully litigated difficult and highly specialized cases.
Find an Experienced Whistleblower Attorney at Rogge Dunn Group
At the Rogge Dunn Group, you won’t find just one such whistleblower attorney – you will find a team of them. As a result, the Dallas employment lawyers at Rogge Dunn Group will provide you with the experience and perspective of true trial lawyers who have successfully handled whistleblowing and qui tam cases from the investigative stage all the way through trial. To learn more about the whistleblower attorneys at Rogge Dunn Group, visit their attorney biographies here:
To contact a whistleblower attorney at Rogge Dunn Group, click here.