Wal-Mart Sues Disabled Employee to Recoup Medical Costs

[MilesColtrane]

This story made me fucking ill.

Here are a few pertinent paragraphs cobbled together:

------------------------------------------------

Eight years ago, (Debbie) Shank was stocking shelves for the retail giant and signed up for Wal-Mart's health and benefits plan.

Shank suffered severe brain damage after a traffic accident... that robbed her of much of her short-term memory and left her in a wheelchair and living in a nursing home.

Two years after the accident, Shank and her husband, Jim, were awarded about $1 million in a lawsuit against the trucking company involved in the crash. After legal fees were paid, $417,000 was placed in a trust to pay for Debbie Shank's long-term care.

Wal-Mart had paid out about $470,000 for Shank's medical expenses and later sued for the same amount. However, the court ruled it can only recoup what is left in the family's trust.

Jim Shank, 54, is recovering from prostate cancer, works two jobs and struggles to pay the bills. He's afraid he won't be able to send their youngest son to college and pay for his and Debbie's care.

"Who needs the money more? A disabled lady in a wheelchair with no future, whatsoever, or does Wal-Mart need $90 billion, plus $200,000?" he
asked.

-----------------------------------------------

The whole story, if you can take it.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/25/walmart.insurance.battle/index.html?eref=rss_us

[islandmkl]

1. accountants & executives versus public relations, common sense & good will....

SCORE: corporation - 100

individual - 0

[MilesColtrane]

3. I know that corporations are designed to be amoral profit sharks,

their only purpose is to constantly swim ahead and make money.

But for fucks sake, isn't there a warm-blooded, decent human being with a conscience anywhere in the hierarchy of Wal-Mart?

[MNDemNY]

2. Sounds like they had a lousy lawyer.

Money damages should have been over and above any Medical costs. Reminder: Don't pick your attorney from the friggin yellow pages, or TV ad!