Despite compassionate decision, Wal-Mart always will be evil empire to some
So the evil empire Wal-Mart paid out a $500,000 (I guess technically their insurance company) to an employee that worked there approx. 4 months? So Wal-Mart does provide insurance to it’s employees? Then I take it some choose not to participate. When I hear about Healthcare reform I’d love to know how many people “Choose” not to participate.
That distinction is not heard by the Wal-Mart haters. I agree with the editorial that changes could be made to the system. An insurer should have the ability to recover some or all of it’s cost, when there is liability as in this case. However it should be directed at the responsible party not the injured. The editors suggest reform citing too much money spent in the courts fighting over who should pay. Do the editors really for one second believe the Lawyers, one of the most powerful groups in the land, allow all of those attorney fees to simple go away?
John Bayer
Millstadt, Ill.
Agreed. The problem is that most company provided policies allow for this type of recovery.
WalMart was well with their legal rights to go after the money. But there is legal and there is moral/doing the right thing.
Let’s say Walmart did get the money back. The family does not have the resources for the long term care of their mom/wife. They can’t afford out of pocket home care, so they would be forced to but her into a government run home that is paid for, subsidized by…anyone, anyone…that’s right you and I. So, while Wal-mart gets thiers, the rest of us get the ole screw-gie.
These days more and more people are living paycheck to paycheck, the slightest increase in their expenses would send them to bankruptcy. Remember, many of us are one major medical event away from bankruptcy. Isn’t it wonderful to live in the world’s most prosperous country?
Wal-Mart did this strictly for the good publicity and that’s all. According to this particular plan they wer entitled to their money back. How much? who knows? This not a totally uncommon plan. It used to be very rare but not so much any more. They need some good press and they got it relatively cheaply.
Mr. Bayer, I ferverently hope you find yourself in that ex-Walmart employee’s position. Walmart does nothing that doesn’t increase it’s bottom line.
Let’s see. The Shank family has their lives destroyed. The trucking company actually involved in the accident paid a six figure settlement to the Shanks and their lawyers. Walmart suffered bad publicity and dropped a legitimate claim to recover expenses for a non job related accident. And the attorneys for all parties collect hefty fees at each step of the process.
Sounds like the tort system is working exactly as designed. Lawyers write the laws, argue the laws, judge the laws, and live well off the profits.
Those using the Shank tragedy to advance their Walmart bashing personal agenda should feel sick every time they look in the mirror.
Gotta love the title.
“Despite compassionate decision…”
What compassionate decision?
The only reason Wal-Mart dropped the case was because it was publicized. When Wal-Mart filed the suit, they were following the rules. Wal-Mart also did not want to lose $X dollars. Wal-Mart dropped the case because they understood that if they went through and got their money, they would lose in the long run because some people would stop shopping there because of the misunderstood negative aspect of the situation.
Wal-Mart chose the path of most profit and that was to “be nice.” Now every media story on this case ends with Wal-Mart being compassionate and loving. How nice. I think I will go shop there. Not.
Wal-Mart being compassionate? No! It’s a business decision. Take economics.
Over the next 2 years the projected cost of the Wal-Mart health care crisis will grow to over $2 billion a year by 2010 and will cost taxpayers an estimated $9.1 billion over the next 5 years.
Either pay a decent wage which allows employees to see a doctor… or provide employer health care…..Is it any wonder 5 Walton family members are on the list of Forbes top 10 wealthiest Americans every year?
Good Grief: Wall-Mart was an INNOCENT party….Why should they pay l red cent. and not get that cent back when their case was adjudicated. Is it Wal-Mart’s fault that her attorneys, chosen by her, did not ask for enough to pay Wal-Mart back for Moneys they ADVANCED to her, plus enough to take care of her future needs?
It is beyond my comprehension that they would “just write it off”. Contrary to what some of you think, That was not good publicity. It was just the opposite. It means they think legal contracts mean nothing. If they mean nothing when it is to their advantage,, what does it mean when it is to my, or others adavantage. Will they honor those according to the contract? Or do contracts mean nothing to them? Do they just shoot from the hip and figure it out later?
The woman may have IRS problems now, How does the explain getting a “giftt” and not paying taxes on it?
Garrison, you want to be believable, take pictures. If Wal_Mart has a health crisis with their employees, post a few pictures of their assoc ates laying in the aisles waiting for help. I haven’t seen any in Marion, Harrisburg, Carmi,, or anywhere else. They look as healthy as as others to me. I ‘d like to see your pictures. If you are “Money Motivated”, I’ll give you $10.00 per picture to send me some. Want my address?
johnh…. Please cut Garrison some slack. He’s terribly frustrated by the fact the unions have not been able to force Walmart employees to join up against their will. He’s also frustrated by the few numbers of people who will join his bashing of Walmart for providing people with part time, low skill, and entry level jobs in addition to the higher paying jobs throughout the corporation.
How dare people exercise their free will without Garrison’s approval? How dare people like the Walton/Lauries get wealthy from a corporation that functions so well it dominates the marketplace? How dare people choose not to pay higher prices elsewhere to subsidize unions and loose management?
Garrison, not sure what your hang up on Wal Mart is but I find your statement relating to Wal Mart insurance a little hard to believe. How interesting it is to use words such as “Wal Mart health crisis”, instead of giving explanation and back up proof to what you say. Folks like you used to accuse Wal Mart of not having insurance and after having publically been proven wrong now have to attack it with misleading statements and half truths.
I would believe if you took the time to look, you would find Wal Mart pays wages that are comparable to any other retail business such as theirs. We have a Wal Mart in our town of 5000 and when taking applications, over 1500 from the town and county were there to seek jobs. Many of the current employee’s are long term and seldom have I heard worker criticism of the company other than the usual worker gripes. Most people that I know working there are not unhappy with wages or insurance.
If you are unhappy about the lack of unions, I say tough. Wal Mart is more than competitive with their pricing and a part of that is due to a lack of unions. There are two sides to the union argument and one side is to look at the Auto and Steel industry. Labor and benefit cost have helped drive steel production overseas and the Auto company struggles are also in a large part a result of high labor and benefit cost.