Actor Tracy Morgan critically injured in truck accident

Many residents of California have been entertained for years by actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, who starred in shows such as “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock,” as well as in numerous movies. However, no one is immune from the possibility of a traffic accident, including beloved celebrities.

Morgan was recently traveling in a limousine van after a comedy stop in another state when his vehicle was rear-ended by a Wal-Mart semi-truck. This initial collision then lead to a chain-reaction crash involving five vehicles, including a Buick and another semi-truck. The force of the impact caused Morgan’s vehicle to spin around and overturn. Apparently, the driver behind the wheel of the Wal-Mart semi-truck did not notice the traffic slowdown in front of him. He attempted to avoid the collision, but ended up striking Morgan’s vehicle.

Morgan and one other individual were airlifted to an area hospital where Morgan remains in critical condition. Two other people in Morgan’s vehicle were also sent to the hospital with critical injuries suffered in the crash. Sadly, one other individual in the vehicle did not survive the accident.

Chain reaction crashes can be especially serious. After all, the more vehicles and hence the more people that are involved in a crash, the more likely it is that the wreck will result in injuries or deaths. However, sorting out liability in a chain reaction crash can be complicated. For example, if one car rear-ends another car, causing that car to rear-end a third vehicle, it may be possible that the driver of the car that initiated the crash could be liable to more than one party. In addition, when it comes to semi-truck accidents, the trucking company may also be held liable in some circumstances.

Those injured in multi-vehicle truck accidents should make sure they understand all their legal options. By holding all negligent parties accountable, accident victims may be able to pursue the compensation to which they are entitled.

Source: Los Angeles Times, “Tracy Morgan in critical condition after five-car accident,” Steven Zeitchik and James Queally, June 7, 2014