Tracy Morgan: ‘I can’t believe Wal-Mart is blaming me’ for injuries

Tracy Morgan is not at all happy with Wal-Mart’s accusation that the “30 Rock� star and his entourage weren’t wearing seat belts when a tractor-trailer hit his limo on the New Jersey Turnpike.

“I can’t believe Wal-Mart is blaming me for an accident that they caused,� he said Monday in a statement provided to the Los Angeles Times. “My friends and I were doing nothing wrong.�

The June 6 collision killed one of the people riding in Morgan’s chauffeured van: fellow comedian James McNair, better known by his stage name Jimmy Mack. Morgan was hospitalized in critical condition with a broken nose, ribs and leg.

Morgan and three other crash survivors sued Wal-Mart in July, saying the retail giant “knew or should have known� that Kevin Roper, the 35-year-old Georgia man who was driving the tractor-trailer, had been awake for more than 24 consecutive hours when the crash occurred.

Wal-Mart pointed a finger back Monday. “Plaintiffs’ injuries, if any, were caused, in whole or in part, by plaintiffs’ failure to properly wear an appropriate available seat belt restraint device,� it said in a court filing.

The entire rear of the Mercedes Sprinter, which wound up on its side, was smashed in during the six-vehicle chain-reaction crash.

“I just remember the impact. ... We didn’t know which way was up, which way was down. I don’t know if we flipped several times or one time,� Morgan’s driver Tyrone Gale told ABC News in June.

Morgan was hospitalized for about two weeks after the crash. He was then moved to a rehab facility, and in July he was spotted using a walker in New York City as he left a doctor’s office. The actor’s attorney said in August that Morgan was doing better but “still struggling.�

“I want to thank my fans for sticking with me during this difficult time,� Morgan’s Tuesday statement concluded. “I love you all. I’m fighting hard every day to get back.�

Wal-Mart in turn responded Tuesday to Morgan’s statement.

“As part of the ordinary course of legal proceedings, Wal-Mart filed an initial response yesterday to the lawsuit that included facts and defenses that may impact the case moving forward,� spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said, in part, in a statement. “While we were required to respond to the lawsuit, we have also taken steps to encourage settlement discussions.

“Our thoughts continue to go out to everyone involved, and we remain committed to doing what’s right.�

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