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Inside the 2014 Tracy Morgan Truck Crash: Perspectives from a Truck Accident Law Firm

Comedian Tracy Morgan’s 2014 collision with a Walmart truck made news from coast to coast. The beloved comic was riding in a limo bus on the New Jersey highway when a Walmart truck collided with his vehicle, killing one passenger. Morgan survived but was left with major injuries, including broken bones and a traumatic brain injury which put him in a coma for more than a week. When he awoke, Morgan was unable to talk for months.

A Houston truck accident lawyer at The Stano Law Firm takes a closer look at this tragic accident.

When Did the Accident Happen?

The accident happened on June 7, 2014 on the New Jersey turnpike, near Exit 8A in Cranbury. After being struck, Morgan’s limo rolled over and came to a rest on its left side.

A little-known fact: the accident happened in a work zone, where two lanes were shut down. Work zones are especially dangerous for motorists because all drivers must reduce their speed and be extra vigilant due to congestion.

Who Was At Fault?

The National Transportation Safety Board performed an investigation and found that Kevin Roper, the Walmart trucker, was at fault for the collision. According to CNN, he was driving a 2011 Peterbilt truck which was owned and operated by Walmart. Morgan was in a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter limo.

The main cause of the wreck was trucker fatigue. Roper had been awake for more than 24 hours before the accident and had even driven for more than 12 hours in his car before starting his shift. According to reports, he lived in Georgia but drove more than 700 miles to his job in Smyrna, Delaware.

This type of schedule is dangerous. A person needs sleep and should not be awake for 24 hours. Fatigue impairs a driver’s decision making, reflexes, and vision. For this reason, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has set maximum hour requirements for truckers. Unfortunately, the rules cannot prevent a person from staying up all night before beginning their shift.

Another factor was excessive speed. Roper was driving 65 miles per hour, well over the 45-mph speed limit in the work zone. Because of his speed, he could not stop in time and drove straight into the back of Tracy Morgan’s vehicle.

How Did the NTSB Determine Fault?

The agency relied on multiple pieces of evidence. The truck had an electronic logging device which showed the speed and braking before the accident. Modern trucks are outfitted with these devices, which often play a critical role in truck accident cases.

Why Was Walmart Liable for the Wreck?

Ultimately, Walmart settled with Tracy Morgan for the accident. Why?

The legal principle “respondeat superior” holds that an employer is liable when their employee injures someone negligently while performing job duties. Here, Roper was performing his job of driving a rig for Walmart. He was negligent because of excessive speed and because he drove while fatigued.

Under respondeat superior, an employer is automatically liable. The phrase respondeat superior translates into “let the master answer.”

The rule is grounded in the reality that employees are earning their boss money while working, so the employer should bear the burden of paying compensation to anyone who is negligently hurt. This rule serves a critical public policy: employers have deeper pockets, so they can cover a victim’s medical expenses and other losses.

Morgan and His Passengers Were Not Wearing Seatbelts

One wrinkle in the case was the fact that Morgan and his passengers had not buckled up. Walmart tried to argue that the injuries stemmed from the unreasonable decision to not wear a seatbelt. Ultimately, however, Walmart saw the light and chose to negotiate a settlement with Morgan and the family of the passenger who died. The settlement amount was not disclosed, but rumors are that it was large.

Why Walmart Settled the Case

Settlement is not unusual. For one thing, reaching a settlement allows a defendant like Walmart to determine how much they pay out. Without a settlement, Tracy Morgan and the family of the deceased passenger could have filed lawsuits, and a jury might have awarded them $100 million dollars.

Settlement helps Walmart minimize what they paid out. The settlement also provided Tracy Morgan with a benefit: he was guaranteed to receive something. After all, the jury might not have agreed that the trucker was at fault, or they could have undervalued Morgan’s injuries.

Walmart had a strong incentive to settle this case also: Tracy Morgan was a celebrity. The case brought unwanted, negative attention to Walmart and threatened to harm the company’s bottom line. Of course, most truck accident victims will not see their wreck make the evening news, but most businesses try to settle.

Call Our Houston Truck Accident Lawyers Today

The Stano Law Firm has a thriving truck accident practice. We can help anyone hurt in a collision with a tractor trailer or other heavy truck in Texas if you call 832-777-0390 to schedule a free consultation.