Comments on: Wal-Mart Still Plans to Take Money from Brain-Damaged Woman

By: Nicci Milner

Nicci Milner — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:17:03 +0000

Is there a charity or an address where one can send donations to the Shank couple? This is just deplorable on the part of Wal Mart, but not surprising I guess.
If there is no charity for them at this point, is there something CNN can do to set one up? If you've had 1.8 million emails and if each one of those people donated a mere $10, this could change everything for them.
I look forward to a reply or a posting somewhere.

Thank you,

Nicci Milner

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:16:08 +0000

I concur with thoughts of many on this issue. I too will boycott Wal-Mart and have already sent my friends and family an email of this story.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:15:33 +0000

I honestly do not see how the Waltons can face each day or sleep at night. They have to be just people made of STONE. There are obviously lots of lessons this family needs to learn about the world and why we are here instead of $$$$$. Learn to GIVE, CARE, HELP, LOVE, HAVE COMPASSION and actually mean it. The Waltons are in a great position to help and yet they chose the route of greed. So sad!

By: Peter May

Peter May — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:15:18 +0000

I am without words to describe my disgust for these callous, mean spirited "businessmen." In addition to her injuries, this poor woman lost her son in Iraq, a war I'm sure the Wal-Mart management supports.

Her injuries have caused her to lose short term memory, so every time she asks about her son, she must be told again that he is gone. It is as if she is hearing it for the first time over and over again. I cannot imagine the pain that must cause.

If these idiots do not come to their senses, grab a bit of humanity and stop this outrage. Now irony strikes home. Just now, CNN aired a piece on this story followed by a very nice ad for Target.

Wal-Mart executives, you cannot be this cold and you certainly cannot be this stupid!! Your shareholders cannot be pleased to watch this on CNN night after night. Make it go away! Do the right thing for heaven's sake!! We shouldn't have to tell you this.

By: David

David — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:15:12 +0000

The lawyers are the only ones who will benefit from the settlement awarded to the family. If I remember, you said the family's lawyer received $360,000 in fees, and Wal-Mart wants $400,000. Where's the justice and humanity in that? We've shopped regularly at Wal-Mart since it came to Canada. No more. It's too easy to ignore opportunities like these to make real choices - to consciously reflect on whether this represents the values we want to live and encourage in the world. We'll pay a little more and shop somewhere else.

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:14:49 +0000

Anderson: Please keep the Debbie Shank/Wal-Mart story in the light. I will NEVER step into a Small-mart store again. Where can we contribute to the Shanks?

Bob
Indiana

By: Ray in Hawaii

Ray in Hawaii — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:14:36 +0000

Anderson,
I watch your show daily, and have already stated that I am in the "Shanks" position.
This is the real Health Care / Insurance / Legal Dilemna ........

Almost all situations like Debbie's and mine must go to trial. If Medical Care exceeds a million dollars or more, ( which is easy today when one surgury can cost 300 -400 k ), and future care can easily cost 100k or more – per year of life remaining,
How does one justify the Trial Lawyers cost of 40 to 50%,
AND,
if it is a hugh award to cover these expenses, People are outraged that the settlement was TOO BIG and HUGE ! ( Even if it might be legitimate. )
So – How might you propose to solve this mess Anderson ?
Ray in Hawaii.

By: rosmuc

rosmuc — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:14:10 +0000

Where can I send a donation to this family? I was always uncomfortable shopping at walmart due to their poor employee practice, but this has pushed me way beyond uncomfortable to outright digusted! please post the address for donations. and please boycott walmart

By: Ron

Ron — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:13:58 +0000

Yes this is tragic but no one has mentioned whether the family negotiated the original settlement with the trucking company or if they had a lawyer.

If they had a lawyer and the lawyer knew about the payback to the health plan, and didn't negotiate a large enough settlement to cover it then they should be suing the lawyer.

If they didn't have a lawyer then what can we say.

There is no such thing as "just this one exception" to ignoring the payback requirement. Everyone from here on will expect the same thing, and soon the plan folds.

By: Gideon Ifianayi, Chicago, IL

Gideon Ifianayi, Chicago, IL — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:13:57 +0000

I Should mention I'll be returning some of the things I bought at Wal-Mart tomorrow!!!

By: Iranian Ajax

Iranian Ajax — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:13:48 +0000

Wal-Mart is a terrible corporation. No ethics whatsoever.

Iranian Ajax

By: David

David — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:13:41 +0000

WOW! I will drive out of my way, even with the high price of gas, to avoid shopping at Wal-Mart. NEVER again will I step foot in one of their stores. I hope others will hear this story and help send a message to this company; " We've had enough of your greed, take it somewhere else". You make me feel sick!

By: Marlene Linville

Marlene Linville — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:12:45 +0000

I don't know how the owner of wal-mart can sleep at night knowing what they are doing to this woman & her family. First her life was taken away, now wal-mart wants to take away the money that it is now costing to take care of her.
Shame on you wal-mart ! ! ! And if you cared at all, you would not be telling everyone that it is the right for the INSURANCE company to collect what is legally theres. Instead, it surely would'nt put a dent in your pocket to go ahead and pay the insurance company the money it is wanting to take from the Shanks family, instead, it would make people look up to the owner of wal-mart , for doing such a good deed, and actually, showing people that they DO have feelings.

By: Mandy, Marietta, OH

Mandy, Marietta, OH — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:12:44 +0000

Why is CNN the first place to air this family's story? Maybe other networks did, but tonight is the first I had heard of it.

Anyway, I think everyone knows that Wal-Mart is quickly destroying the heart America. They have such a monopoly on everything! My husband is a farmer, so we hear the horror stories from farmers, flower growers and such. One poor soul was ecstatic to get a contract to supply Walmart's flowers for one season a few years back. One part of the contract stated that they would return flowers that died. This honest man thought, "Sure, if my flowers die, of course they should return them." Little did he realize, they didn't WATER them! So, they didn't sell, and Walmart got their money back. The rich get richer. The poor get poorer.

Sadly, the Shanks' story is one of many. God bless America and to hell with Walmart!

By: Doug in Houston TX

Doug in Houston TX — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:12:43 +0000

Typical Wal-Mart.

I had pretty much stopped shopping there because almost all their merchandise comes from China. After seeing this report I am done with Wal-Mart. I will not spend another dime with them.

Keep up the good work.

Doug

By: Robert

Robert — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:12:37 +0000

I work at Walmart, and I have more of a reason to disagree with how Walmart treats its workers. In this case however, I believe Walmart is correct. First of all the mentioning of her son does nothing to the story but show emotional support for the mother, and distracts from the story. It should not be mentioned.

If she did not agree with the medical coverage terms, she should have not signed up for it and look somewhere else.
They should have made sure when they settled, they checked with the medical coverage books that WalMart provides its workers every year.

Walmart will let the flood gates open if they allow a pass for her.

By: Rod Gaston

Rod Gaston — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:06:39 +0000

My wife and I commend you for airing this heartfelt story about this Walmart brain damaged employee.

We will never shop there again. I sent them an email informing them that we will share this story with our huge Church group.

Keep up the fine job. We enjoy your show.

By: Susan Breeland

Susan Breeland — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:06:34 +0000

I fired Walmart years ago and do not go into the store......and I will do everything I can, after hearing about what they are trying to do to Debbie Shank, to share the story and her plight that Walmart has caused.

This can be considered undue harrasment of the helpless soles. Our Lord has put Debbie Shank where she is for a purpose, and maybe the purpose is to "Wake Up America" to the REAL Walmart!!

A friend of mine was a former employee of Walmart when his terminal cancer struck him, and I know he was not treated fairly either, but he is no longer here to see this.
I just hope this really hits the stockholders of Walmart and makes them wake up to the "real world".

Never again to darken the doors of Walmart, and will share this story with everyone I know.

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:05:57 +0000

Walmart has a wonderful return policy.
I heard on CNN today that there were nearly 2 million pageviews on the Shank lawsuit article. May I suggest that the next 2 million people who read this find something in their home to return to Walmart. We can then write to Walmart that the reason for our returns is due to the way they handled The Shank family.

By: passive resistance!

passive resistance! — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:05:47 +0000

Here is an idea that could turn the tables on Walmart via 'PASSIVE RESISTANCE' go to Walmart, shop as you normally would or would not, then when you get to the register at the front of the filthy store (literally) tell them you have changed your mind and you will not purchasing anything from Wal-Mart from this point forward due to how they have mistreated the Shank family! If enough people (hopefully millions) do this they will have to pay we much more than the settlement amount just to RESTOCK THE SHELVES!!!