Long Island Wal-Mart Employee Death Follow Up

According to CNN, the family of Jdimytai Damour, the 34 year-old temporary worker who was trampled to death on Black Friday while working for Wal-Mart, is suing the large retail chain.

While it certainly is not surprising, I can only hope that they focus on changing the policies of these large retail chains instead of just on monetary gain. The amount the family is suing "Wal-Mart and the mall's owner, manager and security firm" for was not disclosed as of the articles posting.

Despite earlier reports that Damour had died of a heart attack, the New York Daily News revealed that autopsy reports confirmed Damour had died from asphyxiation.

"He was in fact trampled to death in the most unfortunate way," said Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey.

Damour, who is described as a "a 6-foot-5, 270-pound giant" in the New York Daily News article, was knocked over in a frenzy of shopping at 5 a.m. on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, typically known for heavy discounts of various items including computers and TVs.

Earlier this month, a proposed "Doorbuster Bill" was described as mandating security precautions and putting the responsibility for any injuries in the fracas that can occur on the retailers.

"This is a situation that can never happen again," said City Councilman James Gennaro (D-Queens). "It's time for retailers, many of whom already take common-sense precautions, to be mandated to do so."

Damour's cousin, Ernst Damour, said he welcomed the legislation

"They should have just let them in five to 10 minutes at a time," his cousin said. "But everybody wants to be first."

I certainly hope that sweeping changes can occur in the wake of this tragic event.