When Missouri Wal-Mart employee Deborah Shank was left brain damaged after a tragic collision with a semi-trailer truck seven years ago, her Wal-Mart health care plan paid her initial medical bills. As it became evident that Deborah would need a lifetime of professional care for her debilitating condition, her family resorted to drastic measures to cover expenses. The Shanks successfully sued the trucking company responsible for the accident, and created a special trust to pay for Deborah's future, ongoing medical expenses.
Any hope of financial security for Deborah's care was crushed, however, when Wal-Mart sued the Shank family for $470,000 - the amount it paid in medical expenses, plus the company's legal expenses and attorney's fees. The retailer's demands will completely drain the settlement money from Deborah's trust and force her to rely on public assistance for her medical and living expenses.
As Wal-Mart publicly touts its new health care plan and pays big dollars for holiday public relations campaigns in attempts to bolster its bad reputation, this story once again exposes the company's poor business practices and total disregard for the health and welfare of its employees.
Wal-Mart Watch launched a fundraising drive to help support Mrs. Shank, and pledged to match all donated funds dollar-for-dollar. Click here to donate now. For more information on the story of Deborah Shank and Wal-Mart, read the Wall Street Journal article that brought the story to national attention last week and watch Jim and Chris Shank on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet.
The Shanks' story is a reminder this holiday season that Wal-Mart's low costs come with a very high price paid by American families like the Shanks every day.