On June 7, Tracy Morgan’s limousine bus was hit by a Wal-Mart truck on the New Jersey Turnpike. The bus was at a “dead stop” when hit by the company’s truck going 65 miles an hour.
Three days later, Morgan filed a negligence lawsuit against the world’s largest retailer. Investigations revealed that the truck driver had been speeding and had not slept for over 24 hours. The victims case states that Wal-Mart “knew or should have known” that it was not reasonable for the truck driver to commute 720 miles before working a 14 hour shift.
Shifting the blame, Wal-Mart stated in its court filing that Morgan and his two travel companions are “in whole or in part” responsible for their injuries.
Why?
Because they “acted unreasonably” by neglecting to wear seatbelts.
Preferring to settle out-of-court, this statement by Wal-Mart is an effort to reduce or possibly eliminate some of the damages in the lawsuit.
The attorney for the passengers rejects Wal-Mart’s claim, saying it’s a “disgraceful reversal from the chain’s earlier claims to the press that it would take full responsibility for the accident.”
As a result of the accident, Morgan is still in a wheelchair. All three of the passengers are receiving treatment for brain injuries, including cognitive and speech vocational therapy.
Source: “Wal-Mart wants to settle Tracy Morgan negligence lawsuit over car accident,” The Malay Mail Online, October 1, 2014.