Walmart Workers’ Comp: What You Should Know (2026)

How Walmart Handles Injury Claims

Many companies work with third-party insurance companies to handle their workers’ compensation claims. However, Walmart is such a large company that it handles its own claims.

Claims Management, Inc. (CMI) is the administrator that handles Walmart workers’ comp claims, but many people don’t realize that CMI is actually a subsidiary of Walmart. That means CMI may be biased toward your employer when handling claims.

Who Can Receive Benefits?

Walmart employees are eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. That includes full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary employees. If you receive a W-2 tax form from Walmart, you’re probably covered by the company’s workers’ comp policy.

However, if you’re a contractor (or receive a Form 1099 from Walmart), you’re probably not eligible.

Injuries Covered on the Job

Like other workers’ comp policies, Walmart workers’ comp insurance generally covers injuries and illnesses caused by work duties. These are some common examples:

• Trips, slips and falls
• Injuries caused by handling products
• Forklift accidents and other warehouse-related injuries
• Injuries caused by heavy machinery

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, so you don’t have to prove that your employer was negligent or otherwise at fault.

Steps to Take After Getting Hurt

The steps you take after suffering a work injury can impact the success of your claim. There are some important actions to take.

Seek Medical Care Right Away

This is important for your health as well as for your eventual workers’ comp claim. If you don’t seek medical care right away, CMI may try to argue that your injury wasn’t serious.

Report the Injury to Your Supervisor

Each state has its own reporting deadline for work injuries, but you should report your injury to your supervisor or manager as soon as you can

File Your Claim

Your supervisor should give you forms to fill out to start your claim with CMI.

Benefits You Can Receive

If your workers’ compensation claim is successful, you’ll likely receive two kinds of compensation, namely medical coverage and wage replacement.

Medical Coverage

Walmart’s workers’ compensation coverage should cover 100% of the medical care stemming from your work injury or work-related illness. That includes the following:

• Visits to the emergency room
• Follow-up visits
• Surgeries
• Physical therapy
• Crutches and other necessary medical equipment
• Medications

Generally, workers’ comp should cover all of your medical care until you return to work. If your injury has left you with some form of disability, Walmart might offer a settlement to help cover the cost of your future medical care.

Wage Replacement

While you’re recovering from a work injury, workers’ compensation usually doesn’t cover all of your wages. In most areas, you can receive two-thirds of your usual wage until you return to work.

If you become partially or totally disabled as a result of your injury, you may receive ongoing compensation or a lump-sum settlement.

Settlement Payouts Explained

If your injury isn’t likely to heal in the near future, CMI may offer you a workers’ comp settlement. This is a sum of money to cover ongoing medical care, lost wages and other expenses related to your injury.

Workers’ comp cases usually only involve settlements in the case of severe injuries. CMI may make you an artificially low settlement offer just to see if you’ll accept, so you should always talk to an attorney before accepting an offer.

What to Do if a Claim Is Denied

In some cases, CMI may deny your claim on the first try. If this happens, don’t panic. You have the right to appeal, although appeal deadlines can vary based on your state.

The workers’ comp appeal process can be complex, and you often need to present evidence for it to be successful. Seeking the help of an attorney is important.

Suing a Third Party for Injuries

If a third party (someone other than you or Walmart) was involved in your injury, you might be able to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit.

For example, imagine you’re retrieving shopping carts from the parking lot when a customer hits you with their car. You may file a workers’ comp claim because you were hurt at work, but you also may be able to sue the customer who hit you.

If you have the option to sue a third party, it’s worth considering. Workers’ comp claims don’t generally compensate you for pain and suffering, but you may recover this type of compensation in a third-party lawsuit.

How a Lawyer Strengthens Your Claim

Not all workplace injuries require the help of a work injury lawyer. However, if you have a serious injury or are having trouble getting your claim approved, you should contact a workers’ compensation attorney familiar with CMI. Here’s how a lawyer may be able to help:

• They understand how to navigate CMI’s administrative process.
• They can help you gather the right medical evidence.
• They understand how to file strong appeals.
• They can spot too-low or premature settlements and negotiate fairer ones.

Most workers’ comp lawyers offer free consultations, and in many instances, you only pay if they win your case.

Need Help Navigating Your Workers’ Comp Case?

If you’re struggling to recover the compensation you deserve in your Walmart workers’ comp case, it may be time to consult an attorney. Fill out our form to start connecting with lawyers near you today.