What to Expect When You Hire a Medical Fraud Attorney
Being investigated for medical fraud is stressful, so you should hire an experienced attorney to help you through this time. If you're not sure what to expect when you hire a medical fraud attorney, then don't worry. Much of what you should expect is outlined below.
What to Expect When You Hire a Medical Fraud Attorney
Deep Knowledge of the Law
Attorneys spend many years studying the law and their area of specialization. Therefore, your attorney should understand the regulations regarding medical fraud in your state and jurisdiction very well. They should be well-versed on the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act and the Texas False Claims Act. The Texas Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law are both important for your attorney to be knowledgeable on, too.
An attorney with all the appropriate knowledge should be able to determine the right defense strategy for your situation. Click here to learn more about healthcare fraud investigations and get in contact with an attorney who has the right expertise.
Help with Deadlines
Legal cases often come with a lot of paperwork to do and various deadlines that must be met throughout the case. Your attorney shouldn't just be willing to build your case; they should be willing to help you fill out complex legal paperwork and meet any deadlines that must be met. If your attorney doesn't assist with paperwork and meeting deadlines personally, then somebody at their law firm may step in to assist you.
Protection from Other Lawyers
You shouldn't speak to the other side without your attorney present. It's better if you avoid personally speaking to the other side at all. Your attorney may protect you from other lawyers attempting to contact you during the case. They may also direct the other side to speak to somebody else regarding the case if the other side is looking for information.
Knowledge of the Local Court System
Your attorney will typically be familiar with the court system in your jurisdiction. They should understand how proceedings are usually handled in the local courts, and they may have a wide network of contacts within the court system that may be helpful to your case. Your lawyer may be able to contact appropriate experts who can weigh in on your case. Plus, your attorney may be highly reputable among the people who work in your local court.
Devotion to the Cause
Your attorney is there to help you no matter what the circumstances are. If you didn't commit medical fraud, then they'll be devoted to proving this. If there's a lot of evidence to prove you knowingly committed medical fraud, then they'll do everything they can to get you the least harsh punishment possible for what you've done.
If there's nuance involved, like if you were working in a practice where medical fraud occurred, but you didn't involve yourself in it, then they may build a strategy around proving that you aren't liable for the actions of other people working at the practice.
Availability
It's no good if you can only rarely get in touch with your lawyer when you have a question or concern regarding your case. When you hire an excellent lawyer, you should expect a high level of availability. You should be able to email or call and receive a swift response, especially in emergencies such as a subpoena.
Expect fast response times from a dedicated attorney, and expect your attorney to act quickly when you need them to. Always ask your attorney about their preferred method of communication, their average response time, and their ability to have a colleague assist you when your regular attorney is unavailable.
Confidentiality
You can trust your attorney not to share information you share with them due to attorney-client privilege. They can only disclose information, including sensitive information, with your permission. Your attorney also cannot be forced to testify against you.
Your attorney may advise you to let them share certain information, so you can move your case along and come to the best possible resolution, and it's often best to take their advice. However, they cannot force you to let them disclose anything to anybody.
A Fitting Defense Strategy
A great attorney knows that they must approach every case with a different strategy. Arguing that there's a lack of evidence or that you were unaware your actions were fraudulent are two commonly used strategies in medical fraud cases. However, if another strategy would be more appropriate, then expect your attorney to discuss it with you and put it into play, if appropriate.
When you hire an attorney to defend you against medical fraud allegations, then you should expect them to be available, highly knowledgeable, and reputable. They should be able to offer advice and help you with anything legal you need assistance with, and they should do everything they can to help your cause.