I commented on the success of serial whistleblower Cecilia Guardiola in her most recent False Claims Lawsuit (FCA) against a healthcare provider. Since 2007 she has secured at least four settlements totaling more than $43 million against healthcare companies; her cut of the settlements is estimated to be about $7.7 million.
“While there are of course exceptions, most whistleblowers reach the decision to file a qui tam lawsuit when they believe that their complaints or concerns have not been taken seriously by their employer,” I explained in the article.
The success of these types of repeat whistleblowers underscores the need for companies to take compliance seriously.
“To the extent possible, employers should make efforts to provide appropriate feedback to individuals who raise compliance concerns so that those individuals will have confidence that their concerns have been taken seriously by the company,” I said.
The full story, “Whistleblowing Compliance Pro Secures 4th FCA Settlement,” was published by Law360 Healthcare Authority on January 14 and is available online (subscription required).