Wal-Mart bows to pressure, does the right thing.
Wal-Mart Watch reports, “After years of hounding Debbie Shank and her family, Wal-Mart says it will finally do the right thing.” The Shank family, about whom ThinkProgress reported on earlier today, will be allowed to keep the money they won from the trucking company responsible for Debbie’s injuries. Jim Shank released this statement:
I am grateful that Wal-Mart has seen their error and decided to rectify it. I just wish it hadn’t taken them so long, this never should have happened. I sincerely hope no other family ever has to go through this.
My thanks go first and foremost to my lord and savior Jesus Christ for the strength to bear up under all this. Thanks also to the citizens of the United States - it wasn’t me who made this happen, it was the outcry of the people, and if there’s a lesson in this story it’s that ‘we the people’ still means something.
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This is all because of public pressure on WalMart. Shows what can happen when progressives take on the bastards, even if they have money behind them.
And hats off to Keith for bringing it to the attention of so many of us.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:03 pmhey thanks for voting everybody.
If I win the poll at the end of the month I get a featured article/interview in a prominent magazine and I will definately use it to talk about the war and what we need to do as citizens to stop the shit
vote if you haven’t yet. thanks again
April 1st, 2008 at 8:11 pmIn this case, whatever gets this man through his personal tragedies is perfectly fine. If his belief in the flying spaghetti monster helps him cope, good for him.
He’s not trying to convert you, he’s not trying to make policy that we all have to live with… he’s just trying to live.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:17 pmsorry, my last comment came out wrong. What I meant to say was even if believes in the flying spaghetti monster or the blue plate or the slinky to credit for Walmart’s change of position (I won’t say “heart), then he’s entitled, don’t you think?
April 1st, 2008 at 8:19 pmMaking fun of Jesus freaks help me cope. I’m entitled.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:24 pmHats off to K.O. and other media outlets that expose slave like store’s treatment to the Shank family. Throwing a bone to the Shank family does not excuse Walmart for their mistreatment to that family. Sam Walton would roll over his grave on this type of treatment to the Walmart employees.
Walmart: Lower prices with lower ethics.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:39 pmIt was the lost of money and customers that brought Wal Mart to change it’s policy in Mrs. Shank’s case. I have heard so many people say they wouldn’t shop at Wal Mart. Now this company says it had a policy and for years put this family through hell, even knowing they lost their son in Iraq. All these signs as people say We Support Our Troops and here a young man gave his life for All Americans Freedoms yet this is how his Mother is treated. Now one can only wonder how a once policy got changed? It’s wasn’t to benefit Mrs. Shank it was greed and the lost of customers that changed the policy.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:40 pmKeith you have a fan for life. I’m glad you made it your mission to give them hell every night.
People need to make a socially conscious decision not to shop there anymore. Who we buy from makes such a difference, so many Mom and Pop stores have disappeared because of them.
Biloxi, you are right Sam would roll over in his grave not only because of this but the fact that his children are using their money in the political arena. Something he felt very strongly about.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:51 pmNow put pressure on those health insurance companies!
April 1st, 2008 at 9:17 pmthe man’s personal religeous beliefs are of no concern, but he definitely
should be lauded for this awesome statement:
“…if there’s a lesson in this story it’s that ‘we the people’ still means something.”
hear hear!!!
April 1st, 2008 at 9:34 pm.
gooderservice Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
sorry, my last comment came out wrong. What I meant to say was even if believes in the flying spaghetti monster or the blue plate or the slinky to credit for Walmart’s change of position (I won’t say “heart), then he’s entitled, don’t you think?
No offense, but I thought the first version was clearer.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:39 pmFreedom Rebel, what is sad is that the Walton family are not involved in the interest of Sam Walton’s empire that he created. The family has allowed the shareholders and board of directors to control Walmart. I read Sam Walton’s book sometime ago on how he created Walmart. And his passion for the creation of Walmart was for interest of the consumers and employees. As you can see now, the almighty dollar and power has become more important to the Walton family than the consumers and employees.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:16 pmI’m sorry? “thanks first and foremost to my Lord and Saviour”?
That would be the one who’s “dad” just killed a kid with diabetes?
I’m going to PUKE!
Your “lord and SAVIOR”?!!!
The doctor’s and nurses don’t count. The lawyers efforts don’t matter that much. The public pressure had NO bearing on your result? I am so sick of this supersitious garbage!
April 1st, 2008 at 11:35 pmWell, it’s a start, but it’s not enough. There’s still more that they can do to help this woman, and there’s more that they should so. As I have noted elsewhere, what they were trying to get from this woman was equal to less than one half-hour’s profits. They can do more.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:36 pm“My thanks go first and foremost to my lord and savior Jesus Christ for the strength to bear up under all this. ”
Well, why don’t you ask where was Jeebus when the accident happened? Why didn’t he prevent it? It rather looks like Jeebus wanted to punish you, or maybe test your faith.
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:00 amWhether one believes in J.C. or not is irrelevant. The fact remains that Wal-Mart FINALLY did the right thing. I still do not shop there and try to persuade everyone else to not shop there. The best thing to happen to Wal-Mart is for the employees to get organized with a Union. Then maybe the employees would be fairly treated as humans and not as merely “workers.”
Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:46 am——
ManBearPig Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Oh no another Jeezbus freak..
——-
5th Estate Says:
April 1st, 2008 at 11:35 pm
I’m sorry? “thanks first and foremost to my Lord and Saviour”?
That would be the one who’s “dad” just killed a kid with diabetes?
I’m going to PUKE!
Your “lord and SAVIOR”?!!!
The doctor’s and nurses don’t count. The lawyers efforts don’t matter that much. The public pressure had NO bearing on your result? I am so sick of this supersitious garbage!
——
bernarda Says:
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:00 am
“My thanks go first and foremost to my lord and savior Jesus Christ for the strength to bear up under all this. ”
Well, why don’t you ask where was Jeebus when the accident happened? Why didn’t he prevent it? It rather looks like Jeebus wanted to punish you, or maybe test your faith.
——
Luckily for Jim Shank, liberals are tolerant. ;)
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:42 amGreat for them but this does nothing to help the hundreds of thousands of other folks each year who have to pay back to insurance companies benefits they received from their policies as a result of recovery from a third party. The federal government does the same thing with SS and medicare benefits when recovery is made against a third person. Laws allowing “subrogation” must go. The law today views monies paid from insurance policies as the money of the insurance company rather than the money of the beneficiary of a trust. This view means that the Plaintiff in a law suit may make the dreaded “bouble recovery” of his medical bills or other covered expenses if the Plaintiff is allowed to recover both the benefits of his own insurance and from a third party. Ignored today is the idea that the benefit was paid for by the Plaintiff out of a trust established for his benefit. Ignored is the fact the Plaintiff is denied the benefit of the deal he paid for, the insurance, simply because someone else (the third party) made a similar deal for the benefit of people he injured - liability insurance. Heaven forbid if we view the Plaintiff as the beneficiary of two trusts! Lord knows you simply can’t be the beneficiary of two different trusts! It just can’t happen. One trust must pay the other trust so only one insurance company pays benefits. Geez, you don’t think this type of policy is meant to discourage people form suing for damages in addition to their medical bills do you? Remember we are not a litigious society because people can resolve their differences in a civil manner under the law, we are a litigious society because every lawsuit is frivolous simply because it is a lawsuit and nobody ever has any reason to sue anyone. The Courts are just window dressing, not actually meant to be used by the public - didn’t you know?
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:10 amOh no! Walmart broke its rules which were designed for the fairness of all associates. What’s next, breaking its rule about paying the minimum wage possible? Breaking the rule about not providing health insurance, but forcing all the workers to sign up for Medicaid, SCHIP, or state run minimum care plans? Breaking the rule about selling shoddy versions of common products for cheaper than other chains? Breaking the rule about exporting US jobs overseas by ensuring that its contracts demand prices so low manufacturers cannot afford to pay the minimum let alone a living wage?
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:11 amOK Daryll, this one’s for you buddy. Congratulations.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:24 amThat family was touched by his noodly appendage.
April 2nd, 2008 at 11:45 amShe should be thanking FSM.
I’m glad Walmart gave in on this. It was the right thing to do. It took far too long, granted, but at least (for once!) they let this woman keep the money she so desperately needs.
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:13 pm