City of Atlanta Pays $1.8 Million in Fraud Case

As reported by the AJC, the City of Atlanta has agreed to a $1.8million payment in a case involving fraud allegations.

The City of Atlanta did not admit liability as part of the settlement reached with the U.S. Departments of Justice and Labor over federal subsidies to employers that provided on-the-job training after the Great Recession. According to the article, The Justice Department’s False Claims Act investigation found that Atlanta’s workforce agency paid out job training funds while failing to provide required services. Investigators think the city subsidized employees who were ineligible, did not receive training, or received inadequate training, the settlement agreement states. The City of Atlanta (or its agents) apparently also did not assess clients to determine what help they needed. The article further notes that “[f]ederal officials stated as part of the settlement agreement that it did not intend to launch civil investigations into 58 current workforce development agency employees. But the settlement does not release the city from administrative sanctions or free individuals from criminal prosecution. The city also agreed to fully cooperate with federal investigator.”

In addition to the above, City of Atlanta liability (through its agents or employees) can be premised on most legal theories that are available in private causes of action in Georgia such as breach of contract under O.C.G.A. § 13-1-1 or O.C.G.A. § 51-1-1 or O.C.G.A. § 51-1-11, damage to realty under, conversion, nuisance, numerous negligence theories, gross negligence, negligence per se, premises liability, negligent security, medical malpractice, breach of a non-delegable duty, principal and agent liability, partnership and joint venture liability, bailor and bailee liability, and others.

A lot of litigation has stemmed from the City of Atlanta’s involvement in owning and operating the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, along with the Atlanta Airlines Terminal Corporation (or AATC). Due to the unique legal structure of the Airport, there are many situations in which the City of Atlanta may be liable for serious injuries that occur in and around the Airport. Other times, AATC may be the liable entity. Still other times, one of the Airlines that operate out of the Airport or another third-party company may be the liable entity. The factual basis for determining legal liability for serious airport injuries is sometimes very fact intensive and it can take quite a while to uncover the legal relationships, contractual agreements, and other factors that ultimately determine which legal entity is liable for an injury at the airport. One should never presume who is liable, even if they are dealing with a specific entity and they have been told that the entity is liable. Often, this is not the case and the injured party finds out too late and cannot sue the correct parties in time because the statute of limitations (or the time in which you must sue or lose the right to do so) has passed.

Attorney Robert J. Fleming has been handling excessive police force cases, automobile accident cases, personal injury cases, premises liability and nuisance lawsuits against the City of Atlanta for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of the City of Atlanta and/or its employees and subcontractors for more than 20 years at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and within the city limits of Atlanta, Georgia and its surrounding areas. If you have been seriously injured and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.