Walmart drops effort to seek reimbursement for the cost of caring for a former employee
Wonderful news for the family of Deborah Shank: Wal-Mart is dropping its controversial effort to collect the moneys they paid for her medical care and treatment following a car accident in 2000.
According to the The Wall Street Journal, the retailer said in a letter to the Shank family on Tuesday that "Ms Shank's extraordinary situation had made the company re-examine it's stance" and that the case had made Wal-Mart revise its rules to "allow for flexibility in individual cases."
Wal-Mart had been widely criticized in newspaper editorials and on cable news programs for its claim to the funds, which it made in a lawsuit that was upheld by a federal appeals court.
As noted in an eariler post, Shank, 52, who paid her health insurance through Wal-Mart where she worked stocking shelves, lost much of her memory and her ability to communicate and walk following an accident between her minvan and a tractor trailer in May 2000, and now lives in a nursing home. Walmart was seeking reimbursement for the moneys they paid for her care after she received a settlement from the trucking company involved in the accident.
"I would just like to let them know that they did the right thing. I just wish it hadn't taken so long." Debbie Shank's husband, Jim, said, upon hearing of Wal-Mart's reversal.
Yep, Wal-Mart, it was a good thing thing to do.
Read more here and here.
Showing posts with label Debbie Shank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Debbie Shank. Show all posts
Friday, March 28, 2008
Wal-Mart vs. Debbie Shank
Readers might recall CNN's recent story about Debbie Shank, who is being sued by Wal-Mart for nearly $470,000 in medical expenses. If not, here is a brief overview, followed by a link to a petition that's been created by friends and supporters of the Shank family:
Shank, 52, worked as a shelf stocker at Wal-Mart when, seven years ago, she suffered severe injuries to her brain from a car accident; Shank now uses a wheelchair and lives in a nursing home.
After Shank and her husband, Jim, were awarded about $750,000 in a lawsuit against the trucking company at fault in the accident, Wal-Mart demanded reimbursement for all the money it had paid for Debbie's medical bills - plus interest and legal fees. The Shank's didn't notice in the fine print of Wal-Mart's health plan policy that the company had the right to recoup medical expenses if an employee collects damages in a lawsuit.
Last week, a Republican judge ruled in favor of Wal-Mart, and the US Supreme Court refused to hear her case. According to The Huffington Post, "the ruling will completely clean out (and then some) the trust that was set aside for Debbie Shank's long-term care. "
If you would like to support the Shank family in their efforts to persuade Wal-Mart to reverse their decision, then consider signing this petition and forwarding a link to friends.
Further details here, here and here.
Readers might recall CNN's recent story about Debbie Shank, who is being sued by Wal-Mart for nearly $470,000 in medical expenses. If not, here is a brief overview, followed by a link to a petition that's been created by friends and supporters of the Shank family:
Shank, 52, worked as a shelf stocker at Wal-Mart when, seven years ago, she suffered severe injuries to her brain from a car accident; Shank now uses a wheelchair and lives in a nursing home.
After Shank and her husband, Jim, were awarded about $750,000 in a lawsuit against the trucking company at fault in the accident, Wal-Mart demanded reimbursement for all the money it had paid for Debbie's medical bills - plus interest and legal fees. The Shank's didn't notice in the fine print of Wal-Mart's health plan policy that the company had the right to recoup medical expenses if an employee collects damages in a lawsuit.
Last week, a Republican judge ruled in favor of Wal-Mart, and the US Supreme Court refused to hear her case. According to The Huffington Post, "the ruling will completely clean out (and then some) the trust that was set aside for Debbie Shank's long-term care. "
If you would like to support the Shank family in their efforts to persuade Wal-Mart to reverse their decision, then consider signing this petition and forwarding a link to friends.
Further details here, here and here.
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