To file a qui tam case, a whistleblower must have original knowledge, information, or evidence about actions like overbilling, misuse of funds, fraudulent services, and other abuses.
Some key points to consider include:
Information you hear, or read, in the media or from another public source does not usually constitute valid basis for whistleblower litigation. The purpose of a qui tam action in Florida is to help the government detect and correct a fraud with the help of individuals who have direct, valuable access to the source of the fraud.
Information made public earlier, in a legislative, legal, or media setting, does not usually qualify for a whistleblower action unless the relator was the original source of the information.
If an earlier whistleblower action has been filed with clearly similar information, a second qui tam lawsuit on the same event is prohibited from going forward under a first-to-file rule. The first-to-file rule is often used by defendants to bar whistleblower claims.
Our qui tam lawyers offer experienced legal advice on the validity of a potential legal action, and your best options to proceed.