Everyone knows Walmart is. It is the world's largest company by revenue in 2020 and the largest non-governmental employer. It is also thought to be the most frequently sued private personal injury claims defendant in the United States. (Wal-Mart recently changed its name to Walmart for some reason after we wrote this page.)

Walmart gets sued nearly 20 times a day, close to 5,000 lawsuits each year. Many of these lawsuits have been brought by Walmart's employees, bringing employment discrimination and wage and hour claims, mostly involving overtime. Our law firm handles only serious injury and wrongful death personal injury cases. This article is about personal injury tort claims against Walmart. Can you sue Walmart if you are a customer and suffered an injury as the result of their negligence? Most likely, you can.

Why a Wal-Mart specific page? Wal-Mart is a big defendant. There are some aspects about suing Wal-Mart and fighting this company in court that are different from dealing with other companies. It does not reflect any particular animosity towards Wal-Mart. A quick survey of our law firm shows almost all of our lawyers and paralegals shop there. But it is the rare big large company that is even-handed when it comes to claims and litigation.

Wal-Mart is no exception to that rule. Wal-Mart has a reputation in accident claims for being particularly aggressive. In some ways, the company is like their shoppers. Wal-Mart wants to get the best deal that it can. But, in this case, Wal-Mart getting the best deal means not giving the victims that it hurts and kills by its negligence reasonable compensation for the harm it causes. That is not justice.

How Does Walmart Handles Claims? How does Walmart handle claims against it? They fight them. How does that work? Walmart has set up a subsidiary called Claims Management, Inc. act as its own third-party insurance adjuster. Claims Management manages, values, and tracks Walmart accident claims. It does all of the legwork on processing claims, getting information from the victims, trying to get recorded statements, and so forth. You will feel like you are dealing with a separate company that might give you the feeling that you are dealing with a third party who might treat you more fairly. Ultimately, you are dealing with Walmart. Where are the Big Walmart Settlements as Opposed to Verdicts? Walmart has good lawyers. Any big settlement with Walmart will have the tightest confidentiality clause you have ever seen?

Generally speaking, it is easier to fight against a large corporation than it is to fight an insurance company. Why? Because insurance companies often have in-house counsel -- paid attorney employees -- to challenge their claims. Even big companies need to hire lawyers. This makes settling claims before a lawsuit is filed more advantageous. Big companies often do not want to have their reputations besmirched by being the subject of many lawsuits. The corporate image also acts as an incentive to settle cases more quickly.

Walmart seemingly cares little about these things. It acts a lot like an insurance company. It does not fear its reputation will be tarnished by litigation (unless maybe someone really famous is involved). It is not particularly concerned about legal fees.

The one way Walmart's policy in injury cases is different from an insurance company is that it fights harder. The company aggressively challenges personal injury lawsuits even when it makes economic sense to settle the claim. This is probably to discourage the filing of lawsuits. But it has not worked.

But win or lose, this retail giant desperately wants to make plaintiffs' lawyers feel like they have been in a fight. Getting documents from them in litigation is always World War III. Wal-Mart has been sanctioned by judges around the country for not producing documents and frustrating legitimate fact-finding by the plaintiffs' attorneys.

Can Walmart be beaten in an accident claim? Absolutely. The deciding factor in most lawsuits against Walmart or any other defendant in this country is the facts. The side that should win usually does win.

That is the good news. The bad news that in the average settlement on a Walmart claim is that you are going to have to fight to get what you deserve. Most Walmart settlement offers will be for far less than fair value. Getting fairly compensated is likely going to require that you retain a personal injury lawyer.

Below are summaries of some successful verdicts and settlements around the country. We did not pull these at random, so please do not think these are a representative sampling or that they can tell you by themselves the value of your or your client's case, even if you have similar facts.

Where are the big Walmart settlements as opposed to verdicts? Walmart has good lawyers. Any big settlement with Walmart will have the tightest confidentiality clause you have ever seen?

March 2020 Florida: $266,100 Verdict: A woman suffered (unspecified) permanent injuries after slipping and falling on a Walmart’s wet floor. She claimed that Walmart failed to maintain safe premises and failed to warn of hazardous conditions. The woman sought compensation for pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, medical bills, and lost wages. Walmart claimed no knowledge of the hazard. The jury found the woman 65 percent liable and Walmart 35 percent liable. They awarded a $266,100 verdict.

A woman suffered (unspecified) permanent injuries after slipping and falling on a Walmart’s wet floor. She claimed that Walmart failed to maintain safe premises and failed to warn of hazardous conditions. The woman sought compensation for pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, medical bills, and lost wages. Walmart claimed no knowledge of the hazard. The jury found the woman 65 percent liable and Walmart 35 percent liable. They awarded a $266,100 verdict. January 2020 Florida: $572,988 Verdict: A woman slipped and fell on an unknown substance in a Walmart grocery aisle. She suffered permanent injuries. The woman claimed the company failed to maintain safe conditions. Of course, Walmart denied liability, arguing that the woman’s negligence caused her injuries. The jury found the store 100 percent liable and awarded the woman a $572,988 verdict

A woman slipped and fell on an unknown substance in a Walmart grocery aisle. She suffered permanent injuries. The woman claimed the company failed to maintain safe conditions. Of course, Walmart denied liability, arguing that the woman’s negligence caused her injuries. The jury found the store 100 percent liable and awarded the woman a $572,988 verdict February 2019 West Virginia: $16,900,000 Verdict: Plaintiff, a 52-year-old grandmother, was shopping at her home town Walmart with her granddaughter in the shopping cart. Store security had caught a known shoplifter and detained him near the back of the store. The shoplifter then attempted to flee from security and ran plaintiff over on his way out knocking her over and the shopping cart with the granddaughter fell on top of her. Plaintiff suffered major abdominal injuries which internally damaged her intestines requiring numerous surgeries, over 20 hospitalizations and leaving her permanently dependent on a feeding tube. Plaintiff hired a personal injury lawyer who sued Walmart, claiming that its security staff was negligent in attempting to detain the shoplifter who had run from them on previous occasions. Walmart denied any wrongdoing and blamed the shoplifter. The jury awarded $16.9 million, the largest verdict in the history of West Virginia.

Plaintiff, a 52-year-old grandmother, was shopping at her home town Walmart with her granddaughter in the shopping cart. Store security had caught a known shoplifter and detained him near the back of the store. The shoplifter then attempted to flee from security and ran plaintiff over on his way out knocking her over and the shopping cart with the granddaughter fell on top of her. Plaintiff suffered major abdominal injuries which internally damaged her intestines requiring numerous surgeries, over 20 hospitalizations and leaving her permanently dependent on a feeding tube. Plaintiff hired a personal injury lawyer who sued Walmart, claiming that its security staff was negligent in attempting to detain the shoplifter who had run from them on previous occasions. Walmart denied any wrongdoing and blamed the shoplifter. The jury awarded $16.9 million, the largest verdict in the history of West Virginia.

June 2019 Colorado: $583,040 Verdict: A man on crutches requested for an electric cart while at Walmart. As he sat in the cart, the back support collapsed, causing him to fall backward. His knee also became caught on the cart’s handlebars, preventing him from falling onto the floor. The man suffered soft-tissue spinal injuries. He claimed that Walmart should have known of the defective carts and failed to warn customers of the hazard. Walmart denied responsibility, arguing that the man’s injury was pre-existing. The jury found Walmart 75 percent liable and the man 25 percent responsible. They awarded a $583,040 verdict.

A man on crutches requested for an electric cart while at Walmart. As he sat in the cart, the back support collapsed, causing him to fall backward. His knee also became caught on the cart’s handlebars, preventing him from falling onto the floor. The man suffered soft-tissue spinal injuries. He claimed that Walmart should have known of the defective carts and failed to warn customers of the hazard. Walmart denied responsibility, arguing that the man’s injury was pre-existing. The jury found Walmart 75 percent liable and the man 25 percent responsible. They awarded a $583,040 verdict. June 2019 Washington : $325,000 Settlement: Here is rare exception to the "good Walmart settlements don't get reported" rule. A 70-year-old man slipped and fell on water leaking from a mini-refrigerator at a Wal-Mart. He suffered leg and ankle fractures that required multiple surgical procedures. The man claimed that the mini refrigerator had been leaking for several hours and that Wal-Mart failed to clean it up. This case settled for $325,000.

: $325,000 Settlement: Here is rare exception to the "good Walmart settlements don't get reported" rule. A 70-year-old man slipped and fell on water leaking from a mini-refrigerator at a Wal-Mart. He suffered leg and ankle fractures that required multiple surgical procedures. The man claimed that the mini refrigerator had been leaking for several hours and that Wal-Mart failed to clean it up. This case settled for $325,000. May 2017, New Jersey: $25,000 Settlement: A boy was with his mother shopping at Walmart store #2109 in Millville, New Jersey when he tripped and fell over snow shovels left on the aisle floor. He sued Walmart for negligently allowing a dangerous condition to remain on the property and failing to warn and sought damages for “unspecified injuries” resulting from the trip and fall. Walmart settled the case out of court for $25,000.

A boy was with his mother shopping at Walmart store #2109 in Millville, New Jersey when he tripped and fell over snow shovels left on the aisle floor. He sued Walmart for negligently allowing a dangerous condition to remain on the property and failing to warn and sought damages for “unspecified injuries” resulting from the trip and fall. Walmart settled the case out of court for $25,000. July 2016, Ohio: $81,500 Verdict: A 51-year-old woman was shopping at Walmart and was pushed backward and fell while pushing a shopping cart as a pallet jack/pallet being pushed down the same aisle by a Walmart employee struck her cart. She claimed that she suffered disc herniations with chronic radiculopathy; a partially torn rotator cuff; and other soft tissue injuries. Walmart admitted liability but dispute the alleged damages. Walmart rejected plaintiff’s $110k settlement demand, and a jury awarded plaintiff $81,500 in damages.

A 51-year-old woman was shopping at Walmart and was pushed backward and fell while pushing a shopping cart as a pallet jack/pallet being pushed down the same aisle by a Walmart employee struck her cart. She claimed that she suffered disc herniations with chronic radiculopathy; a partially torn rotator cuff; and other soft tissue injuries. Walmart admitted liability but dispute the alleged damages. Walmart rejected plaintiff’s $110k settlement demand, and a jury awarded plaintiff $81,500 in damages. July 2016, Missouri: $6,000 Settlement: A minor was with her parents at a Walmart in Raytown, Missouri and she slipped and fell on a wet floor and suffered non-specified injuries. Her mother filed suit on her behalf and the case was promptly settled for $6,000.

A minor was with her parents at a Walmart in Raytown, Missouri and she slipped and fell on a wet floor and suffered non-specified injuries. Her mother filed suit on her behalf and the case was promptly settled for $6,000. May 2016, Pennsylvania: $17,500 Arbitration Award: The plaintiff was walking on the sidewalk in front of his local Walmart store when he tripped on an elevated edge of the concrete and fell and hit his face and head. He allegedly suffered a maxillofacial fracture, 3 lost teeth, a cervical strain, and multiple contusions and abrasions. He sued claiming Walmart failed to maintain the condition of the sidewalk and negligently created a tripping hazard. Walmart denied that any hazardous or dangerous condition existed on the premises and argued that the plaintiff failed to watch where he was walking. An Arbitration Board in Allegheny County awarded plaintiff $17,500.

The plaintiff was walking on the sidewalk in front of his local Walmart store when he tripped on an elevated edge of the concrete and fell and hit his face and head. He allegedly suffered a maxillofacial fracture, 3 lost teeth, a cervical strain, and multiple contusions and abrasions. He sued claiming Walmart failed to maintain the condition of the sidewalk and negligently created a tripping hazard. Walmart denied that any hazardous or dangerous condition existed on the premises and argued that the plaintiff failed to watch where he was walking. An Arbitration Board in Allegheny County awarded plaintiff $17,500. February 2016, New York: $59,000 Settlement: A 13-year-old girl suffered an overdose of her prescribed prednisone after a Walmart pharmacist mislabeled the prescription bottle which caused her to take more of the medication than prescribed by her physician. The overdose caused temporary hair loss, vomiting, muscle cramping and shaking putting her in the hospital for 2 days. The case was settled for a total of $59,520, $30,000 of which was put into an annuity for the benefit of the minor.

A 13-year-old girl suffered an overdose of her prescribed prednisone after a Walmart pharmacist mislabeled the prescription bottle which caused her to take more of the medication than prescribed by her physician. The overdose caused temporary hair loss, vomiting, muscle cramping and shaking putting her in the hospital for 2 days. The case was settled for a total of $59,520, $30,000 of which was put into an annuity for the benefit of the minor. March 2013, Texas: $199,112 Verdict: A 42-year-old clerical worker slipped and fell while walking in the meat department of an El Paso Walmart. She was taken by ambulance to a local emergency room where she was treated for disc herniations and bulges as well as a sprained right ankle, an annular tear and a torn ligament in her right knee. She sued Walmart and claimed the employees had washed the concrete floor with a mechanical scrubber that had been excessively filled with soap and used an incorrect mop. Plaintiff also claimed that the Defendant failed to place wet floor signs. Defendant denied liability, claiming the floor had fully dried at the time of the fall and argued the Plaintiff’s disc injuries were pre-existing conditions. An El Paso jury found Defendant liable for Plaintiff’s injuries and returned a $199,112 verdict.



Our lawyers handle Walmart serious injury and wrongful death personal injury claims. Our focus is on serious injury and wrongful death claims. We do not handle smaller cases and we do not handle employment class actions. If the injuries are not very serious, you can always fill out a contact form and we will forward it to a lawyer handling these cases in your area (if we know one).

We are lawyers who sue Walmart. If you have been injured as the result of the negligence of this company, we may be able to help you. You can get a free Internet consultation. If we think you have a claim, we will call you to discuss your legal rights and options.