The provision governing time limits is complicated, and some otherwise promising cases have been dismissed because of a court's interpretation of what time limit applies. Do not discuss your lawsuit with anyone except your lawyer. Qui tam lawsuits are filed under seal, meaning they are not available to the public. The seal is not lifted until after the federal government investigates the charges contained in a lawsuit and decides whether to intervene and the court orders the seal lifted. Be sure you want to file a lawsuit and know the potential consequences before you file it.
People take great personal and professional risks when they blow the whistle on fraud.
It can be very stressful. But if the qui tam lawsuit is successful, the financial reward provisions of the False Claims Act can help compensate for the risks. Whistleblowing also can give a person great personal satisfaction at having stopped wrongdoing. Before filing a qui tam lawsuit, be sure to discuss with your attorney both the pros and cons of doing so as well as how strong your case is and how likely you are to win. Filing a qui tam lawsuit sets in motion a government investigation that the whistleblower has no control over and won't be able to stop even if the lawsuit is dropped.