Walmart sues brain-damaged mother of US soldier killed in Iraq for $470,000

[Royal_Rodents]

UPDATE:

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/to...-disaster.aspx

"After fighting all the way to the Supreme Court, retailing behemoth Wal-Mart announced yesterday it would drop its claim to the settlement a former employee received after a horrific traffic accident. The change of heart came just as the funds, all $270,000 that remained, were being prepped for transfer to the company’s coffers. Unfortunately, it comes way too late to save any shred of goodwill in the minds of consumers.

The case involves 52-year-old Deborah Shank, who worked as a night-shift shelf stocker until a run-in with a tractor-trailer left her permanently brain-damaged and wheelchair bound. Although the story has been in and out of the news since December, things picked up when Wal-Mart won its suit against the family a few weeks ago.

This spurred MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann to award the company his “Worst Person in the World” award for four straight nights—starting with this tirade last Thursday. The blogosphere absolutely erupted over the story’s injustice. No wonder, given that this stokes all those passionate anti-corporatism and anti-globalization feelings bloggers often harbor.

Because of its already tattered image, this was an especially bad move for Wal-Mart. Even more infuriating is how, as public pressure grew to a fever pitch, Wal-Mart’s PR hacks continued to resist calls for change. The company needs to be smarter than this. Otherwise, all efforts to change the public’s perception of it will fail; as will efforts to attract the urban and suburban shoppers that remain the company’s last untapped opportunity here in the United States.

Sure, hyping up edgy new blogs, rolling out private-label organic coffees, making its stores more energy efficient, and going upscale with sushi and $500 wine are steps in the right direction. But if Wal-Mart wants to be seen as cool, à la Apple, Google, or Starbucks, it really needs to stop acting so maliciously. Yesterday’s statement, in which the company offers a feeble apology for “any additional stress” it placed on the Shanks, won’t help matters much. Nor will its lukewarm efforts to expand healthcare coverage amongst employees.

Embarrassingly, this bad publicity comes as the company unveils its big “Earth Month” campaign that will showcase its sustainability efforts. A big advertising push will play up Wal-Mart’s role in making eco-friendly products more affordable and accessible.

In the meantime, shares continue to trend higher as investors enjoy the company’s position as the retailer of last resort for embattled consumers. Given that we've yet to reach the full depths of this recession, Wal-Mart's stock price has room to run.

On average, analysts are looking for earnings per share to ring in at $3.40 this year. Assuming the market awards the company a premium closer to Costco, which is also benefiting from a weak consumer but gets the whole corporate social responsibility thing, I’m looking for shares to trade at 19 or 20 times this estimate—moving prices into the upper $60s over the next few months.

Eventually, as consumers regain their footing, come out of survival mode, and become more selective, the folks down in Bentonville will need to come to terms with their corporate attitude problem. Otherwise, shoppers will prefer the guilt-free experience they get at Costco and Target."

they only did this cause they relized that $270,000 is nothing compared to the losses that they would take if they took the money.



."[/QUOTE] they should give her a fake check ."[/QUOTE]

i am abosoultely speech less.

[Ginevive]

I can see where it is an issue of, reading up on the policy beforehand and understanding it. But if she had to pay it back.. that sounds more like a loan, than insurance. Wow I am glad that my company has a great insurance policy! I read the thing with its fine print.. I think that everyone should do this.
And lawyers.. will be lawyers. Not to offend anyone here who is one or knows one. But they don't always work for the greater good; they are often in it for the $$.

[Monty]

and thats why i dont shop at walmart. i dont like how they flaunt peoples disablities. yea its a great opportunity for people with disablities like that, but to make it the only focus kinda makes me sad especially in my area. i mean i go into a walmart and i actually feel bad for people i mean they have a guy who has als stocking shelves. they have a guy with one arm ringing the register. and they have a lady who can barely move greating people in my area and its kinda crazy in my opinion. but you know what if they can do it they might as well. but if something that bad happens to someone dont take adavantage of them

[Nate]

they should give her a fake check she may not know the difference.

was that supposed to be funny?

hahaha <-- fake laugh.

[rabernet]

they should give her a fake check she may not know the difference.

That was such a distasteful comment. As someone who works with the physically and mentally disabled, I'm deeply offended by that comment.

[Morph Addict]

Wow, I feel for this lady, and her family like nothing I have felt in the past few years... This sounds wrong but I have to say that as extreme as this case is, Walmart is not in the wrong... They are contractually obligated to "follow their contract"... I am SOOOOOO happy they decided to drop the case, but honestly they would have kept winning, because its "iron clad" so other people can't fake a situation like this. Walmart DID PAY $477,000 so lets not forget that they did try in the first place. Think of it this way, would you rather the lady died because Walmart didn't front the $477k? Well, that might have saved a lot of the recent problems, but the son would still be dead, and the husband would still be out a wife. The only thing wrong here is some corporate TITAN! wanted their money back. And it was a lot of $ to begin with.

Ps. I don't agree with WALMARTin the slightest, but what they did was totally legal, and honest.

[420 boa]

you people have wild animals like I do. The strong eat the weak.

[frankykeno]

they should give her a fake check she may not know the difference.

This wins the dubious prize of the most thoughtless, waste of keystrokes post ever seen in my opinion.

you people have wild animals like I do. The strong eat the weak.

Do NOT equate my ownership of snakes with anything to do with your mindset with regard to the disabled!

[Mikkla]

How can it cost 470 000 dollar to go to the doctor??!
You must be so afraid of getting sick! Medical treatment is allways for free here, it dont matter if your rich or homeless...

[Monty]

the usa you have to pay for medical care