In June 2014, actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was severely injured in a New Jersey Turnpike crash involving a Walmart truck, which caused a chain reaction collision.
A Walmart tractor trailer struck a limousine occupied by Morgan and others. It was alleged that Walmart knew or should have known that its driver had been awake for more than 24 consecutive hours before the crash, in violation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
Morgan suffered head trauma, numerous fractures, he was hospitalized and he received treatment at a rehabilitation facility. One of the passengers was killed.
A confidential settlement was reached in his lawsuit.
The problem of truck drivers working excessive hours is not uncommon. In an I-10 crash near Tonapah, Arizona I represented a group of friends and their minor children, their van was rear ended by a tractor trailer, when their vehicle was stopped on the shoulder, it rolled over in the desert.
The early morning time of the crash, discrepancies in the truck driver’s log books and how the crash occurred strongly suggested that the driver was suffering from fatigue, and driving excessive hours.
The insurance carrier for the trucking company denied responsibility, following a lawsuit the claims of the injured occupants were settled.