Wal-Mart Opposes Workers Comp Disability For Shot And Beaten Police Officer

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Workers Independent News

By Doug Cunningham

Wal-Mart is opposing a former Arkansas police officer Jimmy Singleton’s efforts to win permanent disability workers comp payments after he was beaten and shot on duty. Ken Harper is Singleton’s attorney.

: “I think it’s a terrible case for them to try to get involved in. Here we have an officer who was just doing his duty, actually putting his life on the line. He’s beaten, shot and left for dead on the side of the road. And the treatment that officer Singleton has received from the Arkansas Worker’s Compensation Commission I don’t think has been a whole lot better than the treatment he got that night, to be honest with you.”

The case is being heard by the Arkansas Supreme Court.



Read more: http://www.laborradio.org/node/8929

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This story is not copyrighted and may be shared.

[Art_from_Ark]

1. What's Wal*Mart got to do with this?

:shrug:

[aspergris]

2. I had the same question n/t

[Scairp]

3. Maybe the original poster can tell us

What does Wal-Mart have to do with this case?

[sandnsea]

4. They, and Tyson, filed friend of the court briefs

http://walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/wal_mart_vs_officer_jimmy_singleton/

[aspergris]

6. ok. that makes more sense.

I'd like to read the friend of the court brief itself before I come to a conclusion
I'm all about primary sources.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. From the Northwest Arkansas Morning News

"Harper said the "big boys" are interested in the case because they fear the Court of Appeals' rulings will set a precedent that will allow more people to collect on disability claims."

http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/06/28/news/062908lrinjuredofficer.txt

:wtf: Filing a "friend-of-the-court" brief to try to deny disability benefits to a cop disabled in the line of duty is just plain wrong.

[BrotherBuzz]

16. Them "big boys" paid big dollars to buy those judges, and they demand they stay bought

You know what I mean, Vern?

[Art_from_Ark]

22. Yes, I know what you mean

Not surprised at all about it. But I am a little surprised the NWA Morning News published that article.

[Sub Atomic]

23. I really hate comments and sentiments like yours

for the sole reason that I know that's the (unfortunate) way our system works and there's (in all honesty) not much we can do about it.

I truly weep for our country.

:sadwave:

[JI7]

26. they are scum

[ashling]

5. Omaha Steve: Please explain

your link doesn't tell us anything. Though this rings ture, what does wall mart have to do with it. I am inclined to distrust this source from the lack of info. there.

Here is a better link:
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/06/28/news/062908lrinjuredofficer.txt

[Dr.Phool]

7. From the link provided by Sandnsea.

Wal-Mart Vs. Officer Jimmy Singleton

Wal-Mart is now fighting to keep disability benefits from non-employees and well as employees.

Former Pine Bluff Police Officer Jimmy Singleton was shot in the ankle and knocked unconscious from a blow to the head in 2003 while patting down a suspect. Today he suffers frequent migraines, and the bullet remains lodged in his ankle making it difficult to walk or stand up for long periods of time. For the past 4 years he’s been waging a nasty court battle to receive disability benefits.

So where does Wal-Mart come in? To flex it’s political and legal muscle, and push the Arkansas court to set a Wal-Mart-friendly precedent by denying him benefits. Both Wal-Mart and Tyson, Arkansas’ largest employers, “tendered friend-of-the-court briefs with the state Supreme Court this month arguing his claim should be denied.”

In addition to being completely shameless treatment of an officer wounded in the public service, this looks to be another horrible business decision for a company who continually struggles with its public image. We’ll see what happens when Wal-Mart’s PR people catch wind of this disaster-in-the-making.

(snip)

[downindixie]

9. wal-mart needs to mind its own business here! But

America is corporate America! Now they are joining together to cut the citizens throat!

[Dr.Phool]

10. I've boycotted Wal-Mart for years. Now, I'll never buy a Tyson product.

[dysfunctional press]

11. same here.

fuckwads.

[anitar1]

17. yes, Dr phool, I have not bought a Tyson product since they

backed Clinton. and have never shopped at WalMart.Tyson's fowl are truly foul.

[B3Nut]

28. We don't allow Tyson products in the house

due to the way they treated their WI workers. I avoid Mal-Wart like the plague...they're a threat to the independent grocers my employer serves. I'm so glad we're finally getting a Costco in Madison...much nicer joint than Sam's....ugh. I have yet to go into a Mal-Wart that isn't depressing, even the fancy new one they built (which I stuck my head in one day out of curiousity...meh.)

Wal-Mart and Tyson trying to block a first-responder's disability claim...spread this one around, folks...

[daleo]

12. Getting the police (as a community) ticked off at you

Doesn't seem like a good business move, to say the least.

Police Radio: "Emergency - holdup at Wal-Mart!"
Officer 1: "Let's get a coffee first."
Officer 2: "Good idea."

[zeos3]

13. Another way for them to keep their expenditures to a minimum

only they seem to have adopted Bush's pre-emptive strike philosophy since this does not concern one of their own employees but could set a bad precedent (ie people wanting to be fairly compensated for being injured on the job)

I forwarded this to my cousin (a cop) and some officer friends.

[Hannah Bell]

14. this isn't the first time they've filed amicus in labor cases. & i think they fund

defense costs for some cases they're not involved in, too.

wm is seriously hard-core.

[CK_John]

15. In Arkansas Wal Mart is the government, but they have usually been less obvious. This let it

all hang out makes me believe they no longer care who knows. IMO, this is a sign of their coming market meltdown.

[anitar1]

18. Because Wal Mart is part of bush world. n/t

[crimsonblue]

20. don't forget Tyson

They basically run all of northwest Arkansas.

[pepperbear]

19. this needs to be watched quite closely. if a company like wal mart can sway a state supreme court,

....we're in trouble.

[brentspeak]

21. This SHOULD be a headline story on every network news program

But something tells me we won't be seeing it.

[happygoluckytoyou]

24. at least they offered him a great price on a CHINA-MADE wheelchair!!!

[Omaha Steve]

25. Sorry I didn't reply to questions earlier

I posted this just before I went to bed. It looks like the bases are now covered.

[fasttense]

27. Corporate welfare Queens just can't stand it when

someone else might get in on the action.

[BreweryYardRat]

29. Oh, that's just fucking lovely. n/t