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A Michigan contractor can record a timely and otherwise valid construction lien and still face a statutory barrier because a required sworn statement was not provided. The consequences depend on whether the claimant is a contractor or a subcontractor. The missing form generally does not invalidate the lien, but it can prevent payment or lien-enforcement…

If you practice medicine in Southeast Michigan — whether in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Royal Oak, or anywhere across Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, or Washtenaw County — you already know that patient privacy isn’t just good practice. It’s federal law, backed by state statutes, and enforced with real financial and professional consequences. Yet HIPAA compliance remains…

In a significant published decision, the Michigan Court of Appeals has held that a short-term rental guest is an “invitee” of a condominium association while using common elements maintained by the association. The decision, Letvin v Village at Grand Traverse Commons Condominium Association, Michigan Court of Appeals Docket No. 376558, was issued on July 13,…

A construction lien is one of the most powerful collection tools a Michigan contractor has. It attaches directly to the property you improved, and it can force payment when a slow-paying owner or a general contractor higher up the chain will not return your calls. The problem is that a lien may not work if…

You’ve seen something that doesn’t sit right — a pattern of billing for services never rendered, a diagnosis code that doesn’t match the chart, a supervisor who tells you to “just code it this way.” You’re not naive about what it means to raise your hand. You’re wondering whether raising it could cost you your…

You’ve made the decision to come forward. Your attorney has prepared the complaint, gathered your disclosure statement, and filed your case in federal court under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733). And then — nothing happens. No hearing date. No defendant response. No public record you can point to. For many whistleblowers, this…

Szura & Delonis, PLC Two federal laws often get invoked in health care fraud cases, and they get confused constantly as well. The Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) both regulate financial relationships between physicians and the people or entities they refer patients to — but they work differently, require different proof, and carry…

Most Medicare and Medicaid fraud isn’t uncovered by a dramatic government raid. It’s uncovered because someone inside the organization — a coder, a biller, a nurse, a compliance auditor, an office manager — noticed that the numbers didn’t match reality, and eventually said something. If you’re staring at a billing pattern that feels wrong and…

You know something is wrong. Maybe you’ve seen billing codes that don’t match the chart, or a “consulting agreement” that only exists to reward referrals, or a hospice enrolling patients who plainly aren’t terminally ill. Before you take the leap of filing a qui tam lawsuit under the federal False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§…

Navigating HIPAA compliance doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At Szura & Delonis, PLC, we help Michigan healthcare practices determine when a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is required to protect PHI and avoid penalties. What Triggers a BAA Requirement? Covered entities—such as health plans, clearinghouses, and providers transmitting health info electronically—must execute a BAA before sharing…