Tracy Morgan Settles Lawsuit with Wal-Mart

28 May, 2015

Comedian Tracy Morgan and other people injured in a crash with a Wal-Mart Stores Inc truck last year have reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum with the world’s largest retailer, court documents filed on Wednesday showed.

Morgan, who starred in the TV show “30 Rock” and the late night comedy sketch show “Saturday Night Live,” was badly injured and comedian James ‘Jimmy Mack’ McNair was killed in the June 7 accident on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Terms and conditions of the settlement with Morgan, comedian Ardley Fuqua Jr., Morgan’s assistant Jeffrey Millea and Millea’s wife, Krista, were undisclosed. The parties had a strong joint interest in keeping the information confidential, the documents showed.

“Wal-Mart did right by me and my family, and for my associates and their families. I am grateful that the case was resolved amicably,” Morgan said in a joint statement with the retailer.

Greg Foran, president and chief executive officer of Walmart U.S., said that although the company could not change what happened, it was committed to helping ensure the well-being of those hurt or affected by the accident.

“We are deeply sorry that one of our trucks was involved,” he added.

Benedict Morelli, lawyer for the plaintiffs, said the company took full responsibility for the accident.

McNair’s two children, Danita and Jamel, settled their lawsuit against Wal-Mart in January for $10 million, which will be split between them.

Morgan, 46, suffered a serious brain injury and several broken bones, and the other passengers were also injured when the limousine bus they were traveling in was rear-ended by a Wal-Mart truck when they were returning from a comedy performance in Delaware.

They claimed Wal-Mart should have known that the truck driver, Kevin Roper, had been awake for more than 24 hours before the crash and should not have been on the road.

Morgan spent months recuperating from his injuries. The comedian’s planned series for the FXX cable and satellite television channel was put on hold. The company said last year the show would be kept in the pipeline.

Federal investigators said Roper was driving about 20 miles per hour (32 km per hour) over the speed limit just before the crash.

Wal-Mart had said the injuries were caused wholly, or in part, because the survivors of the crash had failed to wear seat belts.

Roper has pleaded not guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and assault-by-auto.

Reuters 

Image Daily Beast

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