Learn More About False Claims Act Law in Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington, and the twelfth largest city in the state. It is situated on Bellingham Bay, which is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia. It lies west of Mount Baker and Lake Whatcom (from which it gets its drinking water) and north of the Chuckanut Mountains and Skagit Valley. Whatcom Creek runs through the center of the city. The Census Bureau estimated that Bellingham's population was 78,905 in July 1, 2008. The boundaries of the city encompass the former towns of Fairhaven (now home to the southern ferry terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway System), Whatcom, Sehome, and Silver Beach. Nearly half of all residents of Whatcom County live within Bellingham.

What is false claims act law?

The False Claims Act ("FCA") allows a private individual with knowledge of past or present fraud on the federal government to sue on behalf of the government to recover compensatory damages, civil penalties, and triple damages. The FCA has become an important tool for uncovering fraud and abuse of government programs. The FCA compensates the private whistleblower, known as the relator, if his or her efforts are successful in helping the government recover fraudulently obtained government funds.

The FCA contains an ancient legal device called the "qui tam" provision which is shorthand for the Latin phrase:

qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur
he who brings a case on behalf of our lord the King, as well as for himself

The False Claims Act allows a private individual with knowledge of past or present fraud on the federal government to sue on the government’s behalf to recover compensatory damages, civil penalties, and triple damages.

Answers to false claims act law issues in Washington

How do I know if I have a False Claims Act case?

A False Claims Act violation occurs when a person or entity deceives the Federal Government to improperly obtain...

How Does a Qui Tam Case Work Procedurally?

Assuming you have a case, after assessing the fraud and conceptualizing it in terms the government can relate to,...

What do I do if I have Uncovered Fraud?

If you believe you have discovered fraud at your workplace, you should try to assess the magnitude of the fraud and...

What if my Claims Have Already Been Publicly Disclosed?

If the qui tam action is “based upon” the public disclosure it may be not be allowed to be brought. Public...

Should I Tell my Employer or Anyone Else About the Fraud?

Before you raise concerns about the alleged fraud with the employer, it is important to talk with your qui tam...

What is the Likelihood of Winning my Qui Tam Case?
The likelihood of winning your qui tam case depends on a number of factors that are different for every case. The...
What are Possible Consequences of Bringing a Qui Tam Action?

Filing a qui tam suit can put the relator at significant personal and professional discomfort. There are several...

What can I do about a patent marking that is improperly on a product?

The law provides that whoever falsely marks a product with either a patent number, the words "patent" or "patent...

What can be done to report tax fraud to the IRS?

The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 made significant changes to the Informants Reward Program under the False...

What can be done about health care fraud?

Health care fraud is a type of white-collar crime that involves the filing of dishonest health care claims in order...