Types of Lawsuits Against Wal-Mart
(Taxonomy and Pricing)

The information compiled by the Wal-Mart Litigation Project is organized by type of case into a taxonomy, or set of categories. Each category includes all the material we have on file concerning that particular type of suit (e.g., slip and fall involving coat hangers on the floor). The information packets offered for sale by the Project contain summaries of the following types of materials:

• Verdicts and Settlements Against Wal-Mart

• Opinions and Appellate Rulings

• Complaints / Petitions

• Miscellaneous Documents

• Defense Verdicts

To obtain an information packet for a particular category simply do the following:

• Find the category that is most closely related to your case.
  (see "How to Use the Taxonomy," below)

• Note the number of items and price indicated next to that category heading.

• Choose your method of payment and method of delivery.

• Contact the Wal-Mart Litigation Project with your request.

Methods of Payment and Delivery

Check: Prepayment is required. Make payable to Lewis L. Laska and mail to: 901 Church Street, Nashville TN 37203. Please indicate the category listing you are requesting an information packet for, and include your name, address and telephone number. If Federal Express delivery is needed, please include your Federal Express account number.

Credit Card: We accept MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Call, fax or e-mail your card number, expiration date, name on the card and address to mail the information, as well as a phone number where you may be reached. If Federal Express delivery is needed, please include your Federal Express account number. To place an order by phone call 615-255-6288. Our fax number is 615-255-6289.

How to Use the Taxonomy

The Wal-Mart Litigation Project has identified over one hundred different types of known lawsuits against Wal-Mart.

Here is how to understand "Types of Cases Against Wal-Mart." Imagine that you are a Wal-Mart customer. You first park your car and walk through the parking lot, onto the sidewalk, and through the front doors. Looking at the listing of cases you can see there have been lawsuits involving each of these activities; for example, customers have been injured by automatic doors. Now continue shopping. As you proceed down the aisle way all manner of injuries can occur, notably slipping and falling on wet substances (including products) on the floor. Next, consider the fact that thousands of customers are injured each year by falling merchandise. As you, the imaginary shopper, continue you may encounter falling shelves, chairs or benches that collapse, falling signs, and injuries caused by Wal-Mart employees pushing carts or pallets. Continue to pretend you are a shopper and you can visualize situations where Wal-Mart security personnel falsely accuse you of theft. Finally, you may have an unhappy experience with the items you purchased, including mis-filled prescriptions from a Wal-Mart pharmacy, or defective goods such as toys or electrical appliances.

Now assume you are a Wal-Mart employee (or ex-employee) and feel you have been mistreated by the company. The "Types of Cases Against Wal-Mart" lists all kinds of wrongs alleged against the company, primarily discrimination of some sort.

Finally, other persons such as vendors (suppliers) and employees of vendors have asserted claims against Wal-Mart; for example, contract disputes. And various regulatory agencies, such as the EEOC, have brought suit against Wal-Mart for violating various laws.

The taxonomy and price list, which begins below, is organized according to general category headings that include more specific sub-headings.

Wal-Mart Litigation Project
Taxonomy and Price List

Prices Updated as of October 1, 2002

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Outside the Store (7 items, $60)

PREMISES LIABILITY - Parking Lots (9 items, $80)

Parking Lots-Assaults, Abductions (11 items, $90)

Parking Lots - Ice in Parking Lot (16 items, $110)

Parking Lots- Uneven Surface and Protrusions (16 items, $135)

Parking Lots- Debris in Parking Lot (3 items, $30)

Parking Lots- Improper Parking Lot Design or Marking (11 items, $90)

PREMISES LIABILITY - Sidewalks (11 items, $100)

PREMISES LIABILITY - Improper Crowd Control (in process)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Entering the Store (2 items, $20)

Entering the Store - Falling Ice (in process)

Entering the Store - Doors and Doorways (16 items, $140)

Entering the Store - Entranceway Floors and Floormats (21 items, $160)

Entering the Store - Doors and Doorways - Tracked-in Water (32 items, $200)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Aisle Ways (29 items, $200)

Aisle Ways - Water or Residue From Mopping or Floor Cleaning (12 items, $100)

Aisle Ways - Slippery Product on Floor (93 items, $200)

Aisle Ways - In-Store Consumable Food on Floor (18 items, $160)

Aisle Ways - Out-of-Store Consumable Food on Floor (14 items, $120)

Aisle Ways - Unknown Substance on Floor (59 items, $200)

Aisle Ways - Packaged Product on Floor (14 items, $110)

Aisle Ways - Unpackaged Product on Floor (13 items, $100)

Aisle Ways - Clothes Hanger on Floor (5 items, $60)

Aisle Ways - Ceiling or Air Conditioning Water Leak (3 items, $40)

Aisle Ways - Store Maintenance Items Left in Aisle Ways by Employees (8 items, $70)

Aisle Ways - Ropes and Hoses Intentionally Placed on Aisle Ways (4 items, $50)

Aisle Ways - Pallets or Dollies Left in Aisle Ways (14 items, $110)

Aisle Ways - Loose or Buckled Carpeting (4 items, $45)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Merchandise (2 items, $25)

Merchandise - Falling Merchandise (87 items, $200)

Merchandise - Merchandise Protruding (1 item, $15)

Merchandise - Merchandise Being Moved or Shoved by Employees (38 items, $200)

Merchandise - Merchandise Posing a Hazard While Being Examined (5 items, $40)

Merchandise - Merchandise Posing a Hazard While Being Examined - Exploding Merchandise (in process)

Merchandise - Merchandised Being Loaded Into Customers' Vehicles (2 item, $20)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Shelving and Racks and Displays (3 item, $30)

Shelving and Racks and Displays - Falling Shelving (12 items, $100)

Shelving and Racks and Displays - Falling Racks (11 items, $80)

Shelving and Racks and Displays - Protruding Racks and Hooks (2 items, $30)

Shelving and Racks and Displays - Falling Displays (8 items, $60)

Shelving and Racks and Displays - Displays Improperly Positioned (4 items, $40)

Shelving and Racks and Displays - Vegetable Produce Displays (1 item, $15)

Shelving and Racks and Displays - Water/Condensation From Vegetable/Refrigeration/Freezer Displays (6 items, $55)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Chairs and Wheelchairs (in process)

Chairs and Wheelchairs - Cafeteria Chairs or Booths (in process)

Chairs and Wheelchairs - Chairs Used by Customers to View Merchandise Samples (1 item, $15)

Chairs and Wheelchairs - Chairs and Benches in Dressing Rooms (1 item, $15)

Chairs and Wheelchairs - Wheelchairs Used by Customers (1 item, $15)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Restrooms (9 items, $80)

Restrooms - Water on Floor (4 items, $40)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Shopping Carts (2 items, $30)

Shopping Carts - Pushed by Employees (14 items, $120)

Shopping Carts - Overloaded (4 items, $45)

Shopping Carts - Defective (4 items, $45)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Falling Signs and Fixtures (2 items, $25)

Falling Signs and Fixtures - Falling Signs and Displays (1 item, $15)

Falling Signs and Fixtures - Pylons and Rope-Off Devices (1 item, $15)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

PREMISES LIABILITY - Checkout Counters (3 items, $30)

Checkout Counters - Merchandise Left by Other Customers (in process)

Checkout Counters - Merchandise Mishandled by Checkout Employee (2 items, $30)

DUTY TO CUSTOMERS

INTENTIONAL TORTS AND NON-PREMISES LIABILITY (3 items, $30)

False Imprisonment (48 items, $200)

Defamation (14 items, $140)

Outrageous Conduct (13 items, $120)

Invasion of Privacy (6 items, $55)

Assault Upon Customer by Employee (7 items, $60)

Assault Upon Customer by Customer (2 items, $30)

Employee Falling Upon Customer (1 item, $15)

DUTY TO EMPLOYEES (7 items, $50)

Discrimination (5 items, $50)

Discrimination - Against Persons of Color (21 items, $200)

Discrimination - Against Aged Persons (8 items, $70)

Discrimination - Against Disabled Persons (22 items, $200)

Discrimination - Against Religion (1 item, $15)

Discrimination - Against Women (12 items, $95)

Discrimination - Sexual Harassment (24 items, $200)

Retaliation for Taking Medical Leave (2 items, $30)

Retaliation for Filing Workers' Compensation Claim (6 items, $45)

Wrongful Denial of Workers' Compensation (5 items, $50)

Wrongful Denial of Unemployment Benefits (in process)

ERISA (22 items, $200)

Wrongful Termination (29 items, $200)

Malicious Prosecution (4 items, $45)

Wrongful Wage Withholding (10 items, $90)

DUTY TO THIRD PERSONS (Non-Customers) (6 items, $50)

Employees of Contractors (11 items, $90)

Employees of Trucking Companies (4 items, $40)

Negligent Sale to Minors (1 item, $15)

Negligent Sale to Minors - Sale of bullets (4 items, $45)

Motor Vehicle Accidents Involving Wal-Mart Vehicles (13 items, $120)

DEFECTIVE GOODS AND SERVICES TO CUSTOMERS (4 items, $40)

Fraudulent Sales Tactics (2 items, $30)

Unfair Trade Practices (1 item, $15)

Pharmacy Malpractice (12 items, $120)

Food Poisoning or Impure Food Service (2 items, $30)

Vending Machine Malfunction Causing Injury (in process)

Automotive Repair Service (5 items, $50)

PRODUCTS LIABILITY AND WARRANTY (5 items, $45)

Products Liability - Toys (1 item, $15)

Products Liability - Packaged Foods (in process)

Products Liability - Power Tools (in process)

Products Liability - Ladders (3 items, $25)

Products Liability - Chairs (2 items, $30)

Products Liability - Electric Blanket (in process)

Products Liability - Electrical Appliances (8 items, $75)

Products Liability - Jewelry (in process)

Products Liability - Cosmetics (2 items, $30)

Products Liability - Clothing (2 items, $30)

Products Liability - Hunting Goods (in process)

Products Liability - Camping Equipment (in process)

Products Liability - Sporting Goods (5 items, $55)

Sporting Goods - BB Guns (in process)

Products Liability - Automotive Products (4 items, $50)

Products Liability - Hardware (Non-Ladders) (2 items, $30)

Products Liability - Live Animals (1 item, $15)

Products Liability - Bicycles (3 items, $40)

CONTRACTS (11 items, $85)

Contracts - Vendor (10 items, $90)

Contracts - Leases (15 items, $125)

Contracts - Construction (14 items, $130)

Racketeering (in process)

Intellectual Property (2 items, $30)

Intellectual Property - Patents (1 item, $15)

Intellectual Property - Copyrights (6 items, $55)

Antitrust (1 item, $15)

REGULATORY ACTIONS (5 items, $45)

Internal Revenue Service (1 item, $15)

Environmental (1 item, $15)

NLRB (3 items, $40)

Land Use (10 items, $90)

SEC (1 item, $15)

FLSA (3 items, $25)

LITIGATION TACTICS & DISCOVERY (20 items, $200)

Scope of Discovery (10 items, $80)

Discovery Abuse (4 items, $45)

Sanctions (10 items, $145)

Remand & Removal (24 items, $200)

Expert Witnesses (1 item, $15)