The Situation: The False Claims Act ("FCA") imposes treble damages on defendants, as well as mandatory penalties per false claim. Because alleged false claims often involve much smaller amounts—for example, in cases with a...more
In the high-stakes realm of False Claims Act (FCA) litigation per-claim penalties can reach daunting levels that dwarf even treble damages. A recent ruling from the Eighth Circuit Court provides valuable guidance on the...more
On February 8, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota ruled that a $487 million False Claims Act (FCA) damages award entered last year against Precision Lens and its co-founder violated the Eighth Amendment’s...more
There are multiple components to the risk defendants must consider when faced with going to trial for a matter involving the False Claims Act (FCA). Setting aside the incalculable impact that litigation can have on business...more
On Friday, January 13, the Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari in eight cases: U.S. ex rel. Schutte v. SuperValu Inc.; U.S. ex rel. Proctor v. Safeway, Inc., Nos. 21-1326, 22-111: These consolidated...more
Having previously examined the falsity, materiality, and scienter elements of the False Claims Act (FCA) in our FCA Fundamentals series, we now turn to what damages can arise from violations of the False Claims Act...more
Key Points The volume of new False Claims Act (FCA) case filings remained high in 2021, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) collected more than $5.6 billion in settlements and judgments — the second-largest annual total in...more
A defendant who violates the FCA can be liable for treble damages plus a civil penalty of $5,500 to $11,000 (adjusted for inflation) for each false claim. Meanwhile, FCA lawsuits often involve tens of thousands of alleged...more
In late December, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued its decision in Yates v. Pinellas Hematology & Oncology, P.A. The appellate court affirmed the district court’s imposition of damages and...more
Former Theranos CEO Convicted of Defrauding Investors - Elizabeth Holmes, founder and former CEO of blood testing start-up Theranos, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy and three counts of wire fraud for her...more
The False Claims Act authorizes civil penalties between $10,781 to $21,563 per false claim, as well as three times the amount of damages which the government sustains (i.e. treble damages). The Eighth Amendment provides that...more
On June 30, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced an interim final rule almost doubling per-claim penalties under the False Claims Act (“FCA”). The FCA still imposes treble damages for government losses in...more
As required by last November's Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, the Department of Justice on June 30 released an interim final rule making inflationary adjustments to civil monetary penalties under its jurisdiction, including...more
As anticipated, the DOJ follows the RRB’s lead, nearly doubling FCA penalties. In accordance with Section 701 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA), Public Law 114-74, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) published an...more
By August 1, 2016, all federal agencies must adjust their civil monetary penalties, including penalties required by the False Claims Act (“FCA”), to account for inflation. Last month, the Railroad Retirement Board, which...more
A little known federal agency, the Railroad Retirement Board (“Board”), which administers retirement-survivor and unemployment-sickness benefit programs for railroad workers, published an interim final rule on May 2, 2016...more
The penalties are potentially astronomical for entities with FCA exposure. In addition to treble damages, the False Claims Act (FCA) provides for mandatory penalties for each false claim submitted “of not less than...more
On August 31, 2015, highway contractors Trinity Industries, Inc. and Trinity Highway Products, LLC (collectively, Trinity) appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit a $663,360,750 final judgment entered...more
Last month, in U.S. ex rel. Drakeford v. Tuomey, No. 13-2219, (4th Cir. July 2, 2015), the Fourth Circuit affirmed a False Claims Act verdict against a nonprofit hospital in Sumter, South Carolina. In an area of the law where...more
On July 2, 2015, the Fourth Circuit affirmed a $237,454,195 judgment against Tuomey Health Care System (Tuomey) for violations of the Federal False Claims Act (FCA), which liability arose from violations of the Stark law....more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently upheld the judgment against Tuomey Healthcare System, Inc. (Tuomey), in a qui tam False Claims Act case predicated on Stark Law violations. The district court in the...more