By If you are in the position where you are considering seeking counsel from a health care law defense attorney, then there could be several things happening. Those could range from:
* receiving notice of Medicare fraudulent billing
* receiving notice of investigation from the OIG or HHS
* investigation into CLIA violations
* being accused of TRICARE fraud or abuse
* being included in a False Claims Act or anti-kickback suit
* being included in a sweep of investigating violations of compounding pharmacies or toxicology laboratories
* being named in a lawsuit resulting from a medical business acquisition
* several other health care-related possible situations requiring legal counsel
Should you be in the initial stages after becoming aware of these accusations then you likely will want to seek a legal team which can help you. Here are a few action steps which you can take while choosing counsel, although the advice of your legal team will supercede these points if you are instructed to do so:
* stay calm
* organize all of your documentation in terms of legal notices, subpoena letters, and any other notices of legal action
* only speak with your legal team and then let them instruct you regarding with whom you may or may not speak about the legal actions against you or your company
* ensure that you have the ability to access the necessary documentation to support your side of the case, but ask your legal team about the legalities of accessing this documentation before doing so as you do not want to violate any state or Federal laws while obtaining documentation, although you may have other objectives you discuss with your attorneys
* discuss with your legal team about the objectives you want to achieve such as simply getting the accusations dismissed
* understand that there may be more than one way to achieve your outcome, so let your lawyers guide you accordingly
Again, these are just the basics. Your situation may be more sensitive due to the nature of the purported violation(s), so be sure that you act in accordance with all Federal, state and local laws. While no one wants to be named in any sort of investigation or lawsuit which could result in fines, incarceration and/or devastating impact on your business the above suggestions may help you be able to weather the storm as your legal team helps you toward a possible favorable outcome.
