Gettingfamous

Wal-Mart announced Tuesday it had reversed its decision to seek reimbursement from the Shanks for the more than $470,000 in medical expenses it had paid for Deborah Shank.

Deborah Shank is former employee of Wal-Mart that was left permanently disabled from a car accident eight years ago. Wal-Mart's health plan had just recently moved to collect some of the settlement money she won in a lawsuit against a trucking firm.

Wal-mart announced:

"We have decided to modify our plan to allow us more discretion for individual cases, and are in the final stages of working out the details," Wal-Mart's statement, released Tuesday, reads. "Wal-Mart will not seek any reimbursement for the money already spent on Ms. Shank's care, and we will work with the family to ensure the remaining amounts in the trust can be used for her ongoing care."

Wal-Mart ended its statement with an apology

"for any additional stress this has put on the Shank family."

Jim Shank, Deborah's husband, released a statement in response:

"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."

Wow, this is a surprise move. Maybe tides are a changing.

(source: MSNBC)