The term qui tam is actually an abbreviated form of the latin phrase “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro seipse,” which means “he who sues for the king as for himself.” Whistleblower is another term used to describe the same type of claim. When an employee gets wind of their employer’s illegal business practices, they have the opportunity to file a qui tam claim against them, and are usually awarded a large portion of the settlement that the government receives.
Whistleblower vs. Qui Tam Claims – Is There a Difference?
Whistleblower and qui tam claims do essentially the same thing; they allow employees to file lawsuits against their employers for fraud or other illegal practices. Many times, especially in the healthcare industry, companies engage in fraudulent advertising to increase popularity of a product. Pharmaceutical companies are largely guilty of committing this type of fraud. Creating false or untested uses for a certain drug, or offering physicians large amounts of money (kickbacks) to recommend and prescribe certain drugs is very much illegal, and equally as dangerous.
Fraudulent billing is another problem for health programs such as Medicare. It is estimated that close to 10% of all medicare charges are indeed fradulent. Commonly, this fraud occurs in the form of :
- Billing multiple times for one service
- Charging for treatment that was never performed
- Charging for expensive equipment when cheaper equipment was purchased
- Charging for services that are actually free
Qui Tam Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia
If you currently work for a company that you believe is defrauding it’s employees, customers, and/or government, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. The qui tam lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are specifically focused on earning significant compensation for whistelblowers who aim to end their associates illegal and potentially harmful business practices.
You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia. Let the Mininno Law Office team work hard to earn you the full an fair compensation you deserve.
Today, we are reporting on the Stratford Nursing & Convalescent Center located in Stratford, New Jersey. The latest published report shows all of the violations found during the routine inspections for the two year period between November 2008 and October 2010. The Stratford Nursing & Convalescent Center had 33 cited nursing home violations on the two combined inspection dates. The facility’s citations included safety code violations, life safety code standard violations, and others related to abuse and neglect. The level of violations were mainly rated as being pattern or widespread violations, with at least four considered to cause immediate jeopardy to the residents health or safety. Stratford’s ratings are a sure cause for concern, and it is quite clear that immediate corrective action needs to be taken. The facility’s noncompliance with one or more standards has caused, or is likely to cause, serious injury, harm, impairment, or death to a patient or resident. 
White House aides have provided that President Obama is strongly opposed to placing caps on damages for injured patients, but would be open to utilizing other avenues of resolution, such as “health courts” or special arbitration systems. 
It is important that nursing home staff be fully trained in how to deal with the special needs of nursing home patients so that physical abuse does not occur. It is also important that a patient’s family be aware of the signs of abuse. Some of the more obvious signs are bruising, cuts, unexplained marks, broken bones, and a variety of injuries in various stages of healing. It is also important to listen to the patient. A resident’s report of violent behavior, such as being hit or mistreated, must be investigated. Sometimes, a nursing home patient’s sudden change in behavior can be a sign of nursing home abuse or neglect and should absolutely be investigated. 
As medical malpractice lawyers, we find that those who accuse medical malpractice claims of being frivolous do not understand the extent of the damage done to people’s lives when negligent doctors make irreversible mistakes. Tort reform would only serve to harm those who are already victims of their health system, and reduce liability for those companies that, by merit of their missions, should be working for their consumers, not against them. 
One way to prevent bed sores from forming is to have a staff that is properly educated. Educational programs about bed sore and pressure ulcer prevention should be made mandatory for all levels of health care providers. They should also be made available for patient families so that they can make sure nursing home staff members are giving their loved ones the care they need and deserve. Patients who have the appropriate mental capacity should also be given instructions so that they can be advocates for their own proper care. 
As New Jersey and Philadelphia DePuy hip recall lawyers, we are telling our clients that they should give their own orthopaedic surgeon the benefit of the doubt and listen to what the surgeon has to say about their options. Of course, we are also recommending that all patients get a second, independent medical opinion from another orthopaedic surgeon regarding the nature and extent of their current condition, whether or not they have 
It is particularly important for loved ones to carefully monitor the staffing of nursing home patients with decreased mental awareness. These patients can be particularly vulnerable to bed sores and pressure ulcers. These nursing home patients have a unique set of circumstances that must be taken into account by caregivers at a long term care facility. A patient with a decreased mental awareness may not have the appropriate level of sensory perception to be aware of the beginning of a pressure ulcer or bed sore. Also, these patients, even if aware, are not always able to verbalize what they are feeling, or take the necessary steps to prevent the bed sores from occurring. 
During litigation, Dr. Kifuji testified (in return for immunity from prosecution) that she had been fooled by the children’s parents, Carolyn and Michael Riley, who lied about symptoms and mental conditions in order to collect federal disability checks for their offsprings’ alleged behavioral and mental disorders. Many questioned why, after indications that the Rileys could be harming their children, Dr. Kifuji didn’t do more to protect the youngsters.