Tracy Morgan is still smiling and making others smile after his truck accident in New Jersey. The American actor/comedian had been in a serious truck crash back in 2014 that endangered his physical and mental health. He also lost a close friend in it, James McNair, whom he often mourns publicly.
While he has courageously recovered from this incident, what Morgan went through is tragic. However, truck accidents in the U.S. affect thousands of others every year. As an NSC report mentions, in 2021, 5700 large trucks were involved in a fatal accident on U.S. roads.
New Jersey and St. Louis are miles apart. But the latter being a commercial trucking hub witnesses a great number of dangerous truck accidents each year. In 2022, it saw 2462 collisions, so there are a considerable number of victims too.
This is a study of what Tracy Morgan went through and what St. Louis truck accident victims can learn from it.
How Seriously Can a Truck Accident Affect Someone?
No matter his fame, Morgan was just as helpless as another individual when the Walmart tractor hit his limousine. There were both immediate effects and those that surfaced later on. It could have been just anyone else in his place, and they might have suffered the same, or maybe even worse.
These are the consequences that Tracy Morgan faced after that truck accident in 2014:
Legal Consequences
Truck accidents can be a result of several reasons. The driver’s fault tops the list, followed by driver fatigue and other numerous factors that are responsible.
These can be equipment failure, substance abuse, weather or road conditions, and so on. Based on this, the type of lawsuit is determined (civil or criminal), and thus the legal consequences.
What happened to Tracy Morgan has been attributed to the truck driver’s fault by the court. He couldn’t keep up with the slow speeds of the surrounding vehicles and crashed into Morgan’s limousine. On the other hand, Walmart’s lawyers argued the fault on Morgan’s part for not wearing a safety belt while riding the vehicle.
While Morgan did win the lawsuit and received an undisclosed settlement amount, his legal team worked hard to get this result. Hence, any victim of a truck accident in St. Louis needs adequate legal representation to file a lawsuit and handle the unforeseen complications that arise from it.
It is best to assume that the opponent is prepared to put forward whatever argument possible to counter the plaintiff’s claim and prevent the victim from winning damages. Therefore, one needs the right St. Louis trucking accident lawyer or law firm in their corner.
However, Morgan’s lawyers could not have built a solid case without the victims’ help, and the same goes for every other truck crash victim. TorHoerman Law, operating in several U.S. states, including St. Louis, mentions how one can improve their likelihood of winning a truck accident lawsuit.
They suggest victims must preserve all the expenses arising out of the accident, such as medical bills, vehicle repair costs, loss of wages, and so on. These are essential elements that can help lawyers and the victims in securing a victory in the lawsuit.
The strategies that Morgan’s lawyers had devised aren’t universal. But, the lawyers of any victim need such evidence to create a strategy that works best for the client.
Medical Consequences
Depending on the severity of the crash, the medical consequences of a truck accident in St. Louis can be more impactful than the legal ones. It is important for such a victim to seek medical attention immediately. This gets them the right treatment as well as evidence for the lawsuit, should they file one.
As for Morgan, he suffered TBI (traumatic brain injury) that causes effects like:
- Changes in personality and behavior
- Anxiety and depression
- Bouts of aggression
- Alterations in memory and cognitive functions
The accident left him in a state of coma for two weeks. As a result, Morgan mostly does not remember what happened during his treatment.
The actor/comedian suffered physically, causing him to rely on a wheelchair for several months that followed. He had broken a leg, several ribs, and his nose. He was admitted to the JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, where he received therapy to walk and speak again.
In an interview, he also mentioned how all of this damaged him emotionally, forcing him to consider suicide as a way out. He owes the institute and his physical therapists a debt of gratitude. Although, the aftermath of the accident still haunts him.
Tracy Morgan Lost A Lot But Didn’t Give Up
And this is an inspiration to every victim out there that has been in a road accident in St. Louis or some other state. No matter the ordeals, Morgan is still fortunate compared to some other victims of truck crashes.
While it won’t reverse the suffering, the damages one can gain from a lawsuit related to a truck accident can help their condition. Even if that means paying the medical bills incurred from medical treatments as a result of the truck accident.