An ankle injury can happen anywhere, even if you’re doing a relatively safe and simple job at Walmart. You could trip over a pallet, a misplaced box, or even over your own feet and suffer severe ankle pain as a result. Your injury may leave you feeling more than a little helpless, especially if you can’t work during your recovery. The pain is one thing, but when it’s coupled with the stress of making ends meet while not being able to work, that ankle injury ends up having an outsize negative impact on your life. You do have options, though. If you hurt your ankle while working at Walmart, consider contacting a workers’ compensation attorney for help with filing a claim. If your claim is successful, you can spend your time off focusing on healing rather than panicking over how to pay your bills. You may have been feeling helpless, but you have the tools to improve your plight. One of America’s Supercenters Walmart, which now has 11,695 stores, was established in Arkansas. The very first Walmart Discount City Store was opened in 1962, though Sam Walton, the founder, had a variety store since 1945. Walmart’s growth was rather swift; in five years, it had amassed 24 stores in Arkansas. By 1975, there were 124 stores across several states. The company has since swelled to 2.3 million employees worldwide (in 2016). It also has the claim to fame of being the world’s largest company by revenue, with over $480 billion in revenue in 2016. Sam Walton may not have realized what he created when he opened that first store, but it’s hard to imagine him not being proud of his legacy. How an Ankle Injury Could Affect Your Ability To Work If you’re a cashier, an ankle injury could leave you unable to complete one of the most straightforward parts of your job: standing for long periods of time. Considering that doing that would be difficult for a cashier, it would be even more difficult for a stock person, who has to stand up for long periods of time and lift items all day. Of course, an ankle injury could affect mobility for any job at Walmart. Even if you’re a regional manager for Walmart, an ankle injury could make it difficult for you to be mobile enough to do your job if it involves a task such as inspecting stores. Where Workers’ Compensation Comes In At Walmart, the average employee is paid $9.33 per hour, according to Glassdoor. Since a severe ankle injury can take up to four months to heal, you could stand to gain $6,344 or more to cover the period you’ll be away from work. The Walmart workers’ comp claim is meant to allow you to recover from your injury without worrying about survival, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. Moreover, a successful claim is almost certainly within reach-- especially if you hire a workers’ compensation attorney. Why You Should Hire an Attorney Your injury may be bad enough to where you really need the money from your workers’ compensation claim, and it’s important to be able to fully recover from your injury to avoid long-term issues. It’s not just about not being able to work now-- it’s about not having to limit yourself in the work you find later. To recover, you need time off from work, and you need the money to be able to facilitate this lifestyle shift. Your claim may have a much higher chance of success if you hire an attorney for your case. A workers' compensation attorney will be able to collect evidence and give his or her full energy to arguing on your behalf. Consider having someone on your side to help you win; your future might depend on it. Additional Resources What to Do When Injured Working at Walmart Tips for Filing Workers' Compensation for an Ankle Injury *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Walmart, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
