U.S. ex rel. Singh v. Bradford Regional Med. Ctr. — Sept. 2013 (Summary)

QUI TAM

U.S. ex rel. Singh v. Bradford Regional Med. Ctr.
Civil No. 04-186 Erie (W.D. Pa. Sept. 30, 2013)

The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania granted a physician qui tam relators’ fee application and ordered a medical center to pay attorneys’ fees and expenses based on the mandatory fee shifting statute in the False Claims Act.

The medical center did not argue that the amounts were unreasonable, but instead requested that the amounts be reduced based on hardship and/or other inequities.  The court denied the request, stating that the argument is not sufficient to permit the court to lower the award.

Also, the court denied the reduction even though another company was involved in the litigation with the medical center, since that company had yet to incur liability as it did not settle any claims for alleged violations of the False Claims Act.