Walmart has faulted Tracy Morgan for not wearing a seat belt during the night of his six-car crash accident on the New Jersey Turnpike this past June. In court documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Walmart denied allegations of recklessness and negligence and claimed the injuries happened "by failure to wear an appropriate available seat belt restraint device."
The comedian, as well as others injured, are suing the retailer after Walmart truck driver Kevin Roper slammed into the 30 Rock actor's limo, sending him to the hospital with a broken leg, broken femur, broken nose, and broken ribs, and killed fellow passenger and comedy writer James McNair.
As previously reported, Morgan's lawsuit claims "Walmart was careless and negligent in the ownership and operation of its motor vehicle, which caused Mr. Morgan to suffer severe personal injuries."
"Walmart filed its official response to the plaintiffs’ lawsuit earlier today, and the company continues to stand willing to work with Mr. Morgan and the other plaintiffs to resolve this matter," a spokesperson for Walmart tells Us Weekly in a statement.
Following the accident, Morgan was in critical condition and progressed to fair condition 10 days later. On June 20, the actor was released from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and transferred to a rehab center. On July 12, Morgan was released from the rehab center to his home, where his rep told Us Weekly he'll continue his "recovery efforts … with an aggressive outpatient program."
