Comedian/Actor Tracy Morgan Sues Wal-Mart Following Last Month’s Crash

In the wake of the serious highway accident last month that nearly took the life of beloved actor and comedian Tracy Morgan (and ended the life of one of his colleagues), Morgan has filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart, the company that owns the giant truck that caused the crash. Our personal injury lawyers know what to expect with this case, for we’ve handled similar lawsuits emanating from very similar circumstances.

The lawsuit in the case named Morgan v. Wal-Mart (14-cv-4388), which will be handled in a U.S. District Court in New Jersey (where the crash took place), claims that Wal-Mart is responsible because it allowed the driver of the truck to continue operating the vehicle after a drive of more than 11 hours. As a result, the driver of the truck fell asleep, and the giant transport vehicle flew into the back of the car in which Morgan and his friends were riding.

According to the New York Times, Morgan’s attorneys have argued that because of Wal-Mart’s “gross, reckless, willful, wanton, and intentional conduct, it should be appropriately punished with the imposition of punitive damages.” The claim at hand is based on the fact that the driver of the truck that ultimately crashed on June 7th travelled more than 700 miles from his home in Georgia to a Wal-Mart distribution center in Delaware, on the 6th, at which point he was directed to continue on a Wal-Mart route.

Wal-Mart could have, and should have, given him a route closer to his home in Georgia and/or could have or should have known that when he began the next route, he had just driven more than 11 hours straight. Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle without sleeping for 24 hours, as it was determined the driver had, is toxic – doing so is as dangerous and sometimes more dangerous than driving while under the influence of alcohol. The company, the largest in the world, surely would not have allowed the driver to begin the route after finishing a bottle of vodka; as such, and for the same reasons, they should not have allowed him to drive on such little sleep. The men and women who operate transport vehicles for major companies all over the country routinely do so on far too little rest; this is a major issue that affects people all over the United States.

Just two years ago, our lawyers, along with our colleague, attorney Todd Newman, successfully handled a similar case, one that stemmed from an accident that, like Morgan’s, also took place on a NJ highway. In that incident, a family had pulled to the side of the road to assist a motorist who had accidentally driven underneath a stopped trailer truck owned by a giant corporation. Then, another trailer truck, driven by another giant corporation, flew into the back of the good citizens’ vehicle, killing a young girl and injuring many others.

We know the pain that the families of deceased and injured individuals go through; we also know that holding the responsible parties responsible for the damage can ensure that the victims never have to worry about how they’ll afford their care, and it will also decrease the likelihood that others will suffer in the same way. Teaching these giant companies a lesson about responsibility will hopefully make sure that they spend a little more time reviewing safety procedures. Wal-Mart brings in roughly $500 billion per year in revenue – they can afford to dedicate more time to safety training and oversight.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the recklessness of another, whether they are an individual or a corporation, you may have a legal right to compensation. To explore your options and schedule a free, private legal consultation, please contact our lawyers at the Law Offices of Aronberg & Aronberg by calling 561-266-9191 or e-mailing daronberg@build.simple.biz.

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