Many Louisiana residents heard about the accident in New Jersey that seriously injured comedian Tracy Morgan in 2014 when a big rig collided with the limo-bus that he was riding in. Morgan’s fellow comedian was also in the limo-bus and was killed in the accident. It was subsequently found that the truck driver had been making deliveries without having slept for 28 hours.
The commercial vehicle driver was making deliveries for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. at the time of the collision. The National Transportation Safety Board said in its report that he was sleep-deprived and did not observe the traffic signs cautioning him to slow down. The NTSB also noted that Morgan and the other passengers in the limo-bus were not wearing seat belts.
As a result of the accident, Morgan suffered broken ribs, brain trauma and a broken leg, and for several weeks he was in a coma. Wal-Mart paid Morgan an undisclosed amount in a civil lawsuit. The semi-truck driver has now pleaded not guilty to the charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide and aggravated assault. If he is found guilty, he faces significant prison time.
People who are injured in accidents involving large trucks often sustain serious injuries as a result of the sheer size and weight of the commercial vehicle, and accordingly face lengthy and expensive periods of hospitalization. If it can be determined that the accident was caused by the negligence of the truck driver or trucking company, a personal injury attorney can often assist an injured victim in pursuing compensation for lost wages, medical expenses and other applicable damages.
Source: Rolling Out, “Former Wal-Mart truck driver enters plea in Tracy Morgan crash”, Mo Barnes, Feb. 2, 2016
