U.S. ex rel. Jajeh v. John J. Stroger Hosp. of Cook Cnty. — Oct. 2015 (Summary)

FALSE CLAIMS ACT

U.S. ex rel. Jajeh v. John J. Stroger Hosp. of Cook Cnty.
No. 13-cv-4728 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 30,  2015)

The United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois dismissed a physician’s claims under the False Claims Act for fraud and retaliation brought against a hospital that previously employed the physician. The physician alleged that his former supervisor at the hospital disbursed funds from NIH issued research grants in an illegal manner and in violation of NIH policy. The physician also alleged that after he made complaints to the hospital and the FBI about the alleged improprieties, his former supervisor retaliated against him by suspending the physician’s nurse practitioner and restricting the physician’s job duties. The hospital contended that the physician’s claims were barred by the False Claims Act statute of limitations. The court agreed, holding that the physician had not filed either his fraud or retaliation claims within the applicable statute of limitations period.