Tracy Morgan made so many people laugh on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock.
he also had a very successful stand-up career, in addition to other film
and television commitments. Everything was going great for him — until
last summer. While in a vehicle with multiple other people, Morgan was
severely injured in a truck accident that left one of his close friends with fatal injuries.
The truck involved in the accident was associated with Wal-Mart, and the
driver had not slept in 24 hours. The driver was also speeding in a zone
that was near construction. There was plenty of negligence involved in
this wreck.
In the year that has followed, plenty of lawsuits have been filed. The
family of James McNair, the man who was killed in the accident, recently
settled with Wal-Mart over the accident. Tracy Morgan, whose career has
basically been on hold since the wreck as he tries to recover, physically
and emotionally, from the wreck, has also has his lawsuit settled. Wal-Mart
recently agreed to terms with Morgan, and both sides released statements
that made the agreement seem amicable.
While all of this does bring a sense of justice and closure, it is important
to not forget about the horrible circumstances of the wreck. A tired,
overworked driver was at the helm of a speeding — and exceptionally powerful
— vehicle. These sorts of circumstances aren’t supposed to be allowed,
and the trucking industry has a long way to go to improve its safety record.
Source: Claims Journal, “Tracy Morgan Settles Wal-Mart Fatal Crash Lawsuit,” David Porter, May 29, 2015
