A sample of cases handled by the attorneys of Hirst and Chanler LLP include:
Whistleblower and False Claims Act Cases
A fraud case against Halliburton Company subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root, based on a whistleblower's information that the firm defrauded the Department of Defense in its construction practices at Fort Ord, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery against the company.
A fraud case against Tenet Healthcare, Inc., based on a whistleblower's information that the company defrauded the Medicare program by performing unnecessary heart surgeries at Redding Medical Center. The multimillion dollar recovery against the company is the largest in a medical necessity fraud case and also the largest recovery against a single hospital in Department of Justice history. The case is the subject of a book, Coronary (Simon and Schuster, 2007) by New York Times journalist and author Steven Klaidman.
A fraud case against Rain and Hail Insurance Services, Inc., based on allegations that the company falsified documents and inflated claims in administering an agricultural insurance program. The multimillion dollar recovery against the company was the largest in the history of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
A fraud case against Hughes Electronics Corporation for defrauding the United States under a Department of Defense contract, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery against the company.
A fraud case against the California Department of Education, based on a whistleblower's information, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery against the state agency.
A fraud case against the Regents of the University of California (UC), based on a whistleblower's information, for submission of false and duplicative claims, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery against UC.
A fraud case against Horizon West, Inc., for fraudulent billings in its operation and management of nursing homes, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery against the company.
A fraud case against Catholic Healthcare West, based on a whistleblower's information, for submitting false claims in its billings, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery against the company.
A fraud case, based on a whistleblower's information, against OrthoLogic Corp. for fraudulently selling medical devices not approved by the FDA, which resulted in a million dollar recovery against the company.
A fraud case against River Garden Farms and its farm manager for defrauding the United States in an agricultural subsidy program, which resulted in a settlement of several hundred thousand dollars.
Environmental Cases
A case against PepsiCo, alleging that the company violated California's Proposition 65 law by selling soda contaminated with lead, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery, the largest in the statute's 20-year history.
A case against PG&E, in which the company was sued for punitive damages for wrongfully igniting a fire in the El Dorado National Forest. In addition to the multimillion dollar payment, the largest in United States Department of Agriculture history in a fire case, PG&E agreed to deed 1000 acres of its property to a wilderness area within the forest.
A case against Ashland Chemical Company for not providing adequate warnings about toxic chemicals in its products, which resulted in a $1.1 million recovery.
A case against several nail polish makers that failed to warn about the presence in their products of toluene, a toxic chemical known to cause birth defects. The lawsuit resulted in the companies paying penalties and removing the chemical entirely from their products.
A case against 10 leading manufacturers of ceramic dishes, which resulted in companies paying $2 million and agreeing to reduce the amount of lead in their products.
A case against Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative for igniting a fire in the Plumas National Forest, which resulted in a multimillion dollar recovery against the company.
Other Cases
A case under the Controlled Substances Act against Grab Bag Distributing, which resulted in a jury verdict for the largest civil penalties ever awarded under the Act against the company and its owner.
A case against a Sacramento, California, landlord for allegations that he sexually harassed numerous low income tenants, which resulted in the recovery of penalties and funds for each of the women.
A case under the Controlled Substances Act against Safeway that resulted in payment of penalties and implementation of nation-wide changes in the handling of controlled substances by all Safeway pharmacies.
A case against Cigarettes Cheaper under the Consumer Product Safety Act for selling defective and unsafe cigarette lighters, which resulted in the company paying penalties and being required to pay for the cost of future inspections, inspect each lighter, and obtain certification from its suppliers that the lighters comply with federal safety standards.
The information in this website is not intended to be legal advice. We recommend that anyone not currently represented by an attorney who is reading this page to understand the law involved in False Claims Act or other cases seek experienced counsel to evaluate, file and pursue, if appropriate, any potential case on your behalf.
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