Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

THE MONEY DOESNOT BELONG TO WALMART IT BELONGS TO DEBBIE — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:58:12 GMT

WHAT WALMART DID TO DEBBIE IS WORNG THEY SHOULDN'T COLLECT THE LAWSULT MONEY WALMART MANEGMENT OR OTHER EMPLOYEES WERN'T IN THE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT SO THE MONEY DOESN'T BELONG TO THEM. DEBBIE IS THE VICTUM IN THE ACCIDENT AND SHE SHOULD BE IN TITLE TO HER MONEY FOR DAMAGES THAT LEFT HER BRAIN DEAD.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Part of the evil empire — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:41:01 GMT

I like shopping at wal-mart, it saves me a lot of money on groceries, prescriptions and stuff. Walmart is one of the major providers of jobs to this nation. If walmart were to shut down tomorrow, you all would complain that the evil company put all those people out of their jobs. The toys and other stuff that contain the chemicals you talk about are also sold at Fred Meyers, Albertons, All the malls, and even most of the "mom and pop" store we go to to buy stuff. Why is nobody boycotting the other stores? Walmart is the 2nd biggest corperation that gives to charity below Bill Gates. Think about it!

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Eliyahu — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:29:36 GMT

I guess Wal-Mart is having a hard time understanding that just because they have the right to do something, that doesn't mean that it's a good idea to do it. Sam Walton would have been so ashamed and furious to see this done by the retail empire he created...

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

BrianW. — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:21:37 GMT

I went to my local Wal-Mart on Sunday, and in the absence of a floor mgr.(they apparently don't have to work on Sundays) told the head cashier about the above story - and that I would not be supporting their company any longer, at least until this decision is rescinded. None of the cashiers knew ANYTHING about this story, but were genuinely dismayed to hear about it. I knew when I left that it would be all over the store in minutes (I'm going to do this in every Wal-Mart I drive by from now on).

I went back in yesterday to pick up my last prescription Blood Pressure meds (already ordered) and repeated my statement to the customer service person, who said she would pass it on to the store mgr. "immediately". She apparently did so - as I was shortly afterwards followed to the pharmacy by a young woman who I noticed at the last moment had a "mgr." badge on, as she flashed me an incredibly dirty up-and-down look and vanished thru an employees only doorway.

Guess my Sunday revelations made her Monday considerably more difficult in the employee-relations department!

Hope Lower-Level Mucky Mucks (aptly nicknamed) reconsider their incredibly bone-headed decision to beat up this poor maimed woman further. This boycott thing may be getting some traction. I certainly hope so. Wal-Mart has seen the last of me, and anyone else I can actively convince to shop elsewhere.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

I. Morris — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:43:35 GMT

This is disgusting. I have never heard of such evilness. I WILL NOT shop at Walmart again, and I MEAN THAT.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Justin — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:40:54 GMT

Wal-Mart is the worst company. Any person who goes to Wal-Mart and puts ANY money in their pocket should feel a share of their guilt since they support them.

Yes, it is legal what they are doing. I think if it is the rule then they should do it. Then they should take the money they would have spent on the extra PR firm they just had to hire to take on this subject and given it right back to her. Wouldn't that have made sense???

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

phobos_anomaly — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:23:07 GMT

I have been reading everything I can locate about this case since I first heard about it back in november. I've heard the hype, and after talking to walmart media relations this morning, I have heard both sides. This is a clear cut case of corporate greed. They know what they are doing is wrong, and whats more is that walmart doesn't care. here are some quotes from the conversation I had this morning.

Walmart "its our policy to recover money in accordance to our health plans to ensure our current employees have the best possible care"

Walmart:"while the events are tragic, we have an obligation to our shareholders and employees to recover any and all money"

me: "does that mean walmart goes after everyone that gets injured and requires medical care?"

walmart: "no, we do not pursue everyone"

me: so whats the deal with this case?

walmart: "Due to the excessive amount of money, walmart felt that it needed to recover most of it. The court ruled that only what remained could be taken so we didn't leave the woman in debt to us"

me: "you sound as though she should be grateful for that or that you did her a favor by only taking what remained"

walmart: "no comment"

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

pdxgw — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:19:33 GMT

I am disgusted. I will not be returning to Walmart. And I will make sure that this is circulated.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Kelley — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:21:31 GMT

This is clearly a sad story, and I feel for this woman's situation, but this is not a story of how WalMart is evil. If they did not collect on this money, future (and past) employees could claim they set a precedent, and prevent them from collecting on any future settlements. The settlement should have paid medcal expenses AND punitive damages.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Dave — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:33:09 GMT

I feel sorry of the added pain that Wal-Mart subjected Debbie and her family to. Now that Wal-Mart won, maybe Wal-Mart will see fit to give the family a FREE Grant of $500,000 to show Debbie she was a VALUED employee. Or they might have already taken the route of having a life insurance policy on Debbie so Wal-Mart can collect even more upon her death.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Dwtintx — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:53:00 GMT

Deb, I totally appreciate your comments. That was one of my first reactions as well. Can we lay off the lawyers, please? Also, regarding chyna823's comment, Wal-Mart probably had its lawyers review the terms of its health plan, and the lawyers said something like, "If you desire to take this action, your contract says X. Whether you choose to take this action is up to you." And then evil Wal-Mart did what it always does. You can bet the lawyers did NOT make the decision regarding this woman. Maybe their lawyers might have some qualms working for that company, but we don't always have the ability to be so selective with regard to our clients.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

km — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:44:52 GMT

I agree Stef. It was reassuring to see I wasn't the only one who WASN'T surprised that Wal-Mart did this. Really, what does anyone expect from the source of all evil?

It can be tough to make an effort to buy locally--especially if you live in a rural area. Stories like this, though, prove that sometimes it's worth the effort to know where your money is going.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Stef — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:19:30 GMT

"We all really need to boycott Wal Mart and stop going there! I seriously am not stepping foot in there again!"

I am not trying to be snide, but with all the information that is out about how detrimental stores like Wal-Mart (and Target, and Meijer) to our economy, to our environment, even to our bodies(the crap is loaded with toxic chemicals, they refuse to remove recalled toys from their shelves), the fact that they sell GUNS! and refuse to carry emergency contraceptives, why would anyone be shopping there?

This is so sad, and if there are big-box shoppers out there, I would say the time to use your voice is now. But why would this behavior be so shocking from one of the most evil empires?

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

www.pbs.org/.../view

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Deb — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:14:33 GMT

I'm curious as to what evidence you have for your assertion that the legal team that won the award of $700,000 for this poor woman are "an example of bloodsucking attorneys." Do you know how long that litigation lasted, what kinds of evidence and expert witnesses were required to prove up the case, how much motion practice the defendant(s)' attorneys engaged in, how long the litigation process lasted, or whether there was writ practice along the way? Do you know what the original retainer agreement provided? What was the contingency fee arrangement, assuming it was a contingency fee? How much money did that law firm have to advance to finance the litigation?

Believe me, I am not at all arguing that there are not greedy attorneys out there, but unless you know something specific about the course of the litigation here, I think it's unfair to blithely and entirely without support assert that you know that for a lawyer or firm to recover $283,000 for this specific lawsuit was necessarily "bloodthirsty" or illegitimate.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

maeby — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:55:34 GMT

they know they're assholes. they dont care. they're very rich because of it.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

M.A.P. — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:05:39 GMT

The 417,000 is only pocket change to Wal Mart. I can understand being fair to all enrolled in their health care plan, but why not just make a gift/donation to the family of this money. The Shank family obviously needs this money much more than Wal Mart. That would be the ethical thing, but we are talking about Wal Mart.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

chyna823 — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:55:25 GMT

Jeez. There's following the rules, and then there's having some heart and common sense. Unbelievable--how do those lawyers sleep at night?

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Seriously — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:07:38 GMT

We all really need to boycott Wal Mart and stop going there! I seriously am not stepping foot in there again!

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Treespeed — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:39:58 GMT

As if we needed any more convincing that Wal Mart is pure evil.

re: Wal-Mart Going After Disabled Woman's Insurance Settlement

Sue — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:39:21 GMT

Poor lady :( And I hope Walmart will reconsider after the bad press on this. It's just too bad that it has to come to that. Honestly, what is WM thinking? "Oh sure, if we let Debbie have her money then ALL our employees will go get in tragic accidents just for the cash..."