Wytheville, VA Whistleblower Lawyer & False Claims Act/Qui Tam Attorney

As a Wytheville, VA whistleblower lawyer, attorney Mark Hurt has successfully recovered millions of dollars for the United States government and substantial compensation for whistleblowers over the more than two decades of legal practice.  If you are aware of fraud against the US or state governments, we invite you to contact our firm to learn about how litigation can be initiated against individuals and companies for wrongdoing, and the protections offered by the law against illegal retaliatory action against whistleblowers.

Call our firm today for a free case evaluation and to learn about how whistleblower cases work, and the types of compensation to which you may be entitled as a whistleblower.  In the interim, we urge you not to discuss the facts of your case with anyone else, as only the first whistleblower is entitled to compensation in False Claims Act cases.

Our Representation of Whistleblowers in False Claims Act Cases

At The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, we have recovered millions of dollars for the United States Treasury and hundreds of thousands of dollars in awards to clients for reporting fraudulent activity against the government.

In a typical False Claims Act case, a whistleblower will be aware of some type of fraud against the federal government, such as government contractor fraud or overbilling to Medicare.  If such a claim is reported to our offices, as a whistleblower lawyer, firm founding attorney Mark Hurt will want to conduct an investigation into the validity of the allegations.  If it appears that fraud has occurred, there are procedures under the False Claims Act governing the initiation of litigation against the alleged wrongdoers.

In addition to the federal False Claims Act statute, many state governments have adopted similar anti-fraud statutes designed to promote the reporting of government fraud.

What is the False Claims Act?

When an individual learns that an employer or another company is defrauding the federal government, the federal False Claims Act authorizes a private citizen to bring a lawsuit against the party committing such fraud to recover money for the government. This Act authorizes an award to the whistleblower of up to 30% of the amount recovered.

False Claims Act cases (also referred to as “Qui Tam” actions) are typically challenging, as they often involve a complex litigation process and procedures.  However, as an experienced Virginia False Claims Act attorney in Wytheville, Mark Hurt has successfully prosecuted a Medicare whistleblower case that resulted in a recovery of $6.85 million.   If you become a client of The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, you can rest assured that we will tenaciously fight for full accountability, justice, and any compensation to which you may be entitled as a whistleblower.

What Types of Whistleblower Cases Does The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt Handle?

At The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, we handle all types of whistleblower, qui tam, and other fraud actions, including (but not limited to):

• Whistleblower Protection Act Claims
• False Claims Act Government Contractor Claims
• Whistleblower Retaliation Claims
• Glass Ceiling Discrimination Claims
• Equal Pay Act Claims
• Medicare Fraud
• Medicaid Fraud
• Insurance Fraud
• SEC Fraud
• EB-5 Investment Fraud
• Accounting Fraud
• Investment Adviser Fraud
• Ponzi Schemes
• Securities Fraud and Market Manipulation Schemes
• Insider Trading
• Unregistered Broker-Dealers
• Fraud Claims Against States Under Applicable Law in Certain Jurisdictions
• Other Fraudulent & Deceptive Practices.

Can My Employer Punish Me For Whistleblowing?

No, they cannot punish a whistleblower for taking certain legally-protected actions.  However, just because a company cannot legally fire or retaliate, this does not mean that they will not do so, as whistleblowers are often the subject of illegal termination or retaliatory action.

Under federal retaliation laws, employers and other parties are prohibited from taking a broad range of retaliatory actions against whistleblowers, including acts designed to dissuade a worker from engaging in protected whistleblowing, including:

• Terminating a whistleblower;
• Demoting an individual;
• Suspending a whistleblower;
• Harassing an individual or subjecting them to a hostile work environment;
• Placing a whistleblower on administrative leave;
• Constructively discharging an employee;
• Threatening to take adverse action for reporting wrongdoing;
• Suing a whistleblower (as a means of retaliation)
• Making a whistleblower’s identity public (i.e., “outing” a person); or
• Discriminating against an individual for whistleblowing.

If an illegal retaliatory action is taken, a whistleblower will have a separate cause of action against the company for all appropriate compensation.

What Types of Remedies Can Be Awarded in Whistleblower Retaliation Cases?

Federal and state law provide robust remedies to compensation for illegal whistleblower retaliation, including some or all of the following:

• Lost Wages and Benefits
• Prejudgment Interest (in some cases)
• Emotional Distress
• Damage for Harm to a Reputation
• Reinstatement
• Lost Future Earning Potential
• Punitive Damages. Punitive damages are not designed to compensate a person for the economic damages they suffered (such as lost wages), but rather to punish the wrongdoer (such as a company that illegally fires a person for whistleblowing), and to send a message to other potential companies that they will be held accountable if they engage in similar conduct).

When retaliatory action is taken against a whistleblower (such as termination or demotion) we will do everything we can in seeking full compensation for our client.  In particular, if compensation for punitive damages is applicable, we will urge a jury to award significant damages as punishment for outrageous retaliatory action that may have been taken.

Do The Right Thing! Call Our Office to Schedule A Free Consultation With An Experienced Wytheville Whistleblower Lawyer to Learn How To Report Fraud Against the Government.

If you are interested in exposing fraud, we invite you to call our office to schedule a free consultation.  We accept False Claims Act and similar cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you will never owe us a fee unless compensation is recovered.  If compensation is recovered, our fee is awarded by the court based upon the False Claims Act regulations (or the regulations of any other governing act).

As an experienced Wytheville whistleblower retaliation lawyer, Mark Hurt is committed to seeking the maximum damages for whistleblowers and zealously advocating for victims of retaliation so that all workers can speak freely without fear of reprisal.

Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation to get started.

Client Review

“Words can’t begin to explain how appreciative I am for the services that the Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt provided. I live out of state, so I was concerned about being present for a ticket I got for reckless driving. But, after speaking with Brooke about it, I felt relieved and confident that it would be taken care of in the most professional way possible and I was 100% right! Thank you so much for your kindness and professionalism in which you handled my case.”
Shana Graham

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