Back in June, along a stretch of New Jersey highway, actor Tracy Morgan and several of his celebrity friends were seriously and even fatally injured when a Wal-Mart truck rear ended their limousine van. Morgan, whose story has been picked up by just about every major news outlet from the East Coast all the way over here to the West Coast, suffered a broken nose, ribs and leg in the crash along with a traumatic brain injury from which he is still recovering.
As some of our Sacramento readers know, shortly after the serious truck accident, Morgan filed a personal injury lawsuit against Wal-Mart, holding them liable for the accident. It was reported by some news agencies, such as in the Washington Post, that the truck driver, who is currently facing criminal charges for the crash, had not slept in 24 hours prior to the crash. Though the personal injury lawsuit does not name the driver as a defendant, Morgan is seeking punitive as well as compensatory damages from Wal-Mart for allowing such negligence to occur.
Even though Morgan's attorney is said to have met recently with a judge to settle the upcoming schedule for court proceedings in the case, it may be months before Morgan sees compensation, especially if his lawsuit gets delayed because of the pending criminal trial of the truck driver.
Even though this particular case is taking place miles away from residents here in California, it does illustrate a key frustration often seen in personal injury cases here as well. Criminal trials that take place after a motor vehicle accident can sometimes put a hold on personal injury claims, leaving victims to fend for themselves financially against mounting medical bills.
The hope is that Morgan will not have to wait much longer for compensation, especially considering the fact that he appears to be unable to work because of his injuries.
Source: Xfinity, "Lawyer: Tracy Morgan battling severe brain injury," David Porter, Nov. 18, 2014