Nearly six months after the fatal crash that severly injured 30 Rock actor Tracy Morgan and killed comedian James McNair, Morgan’s lawyers have released a statement saying that the Saturday Night Live alum may never fully recover from his brain injuries.
“He’s fighting to get better, and if there’s a chance for him to be back to the Tracy Morgan he once was, he’s going to try to do that,” his lawyer, Benedict Morelli, told the Associated Press. “But we just don’t know because of the severity of the injuries that he sustained and the fact that he had such a severe brain injury.”
In July, it was reported that Morgan had suffered a broken leg and cracked ribs. Five weeks after the June 7 crash, he was spotted limping out of his New Jersey home. Reports say that he flashed reporters a peace sign and thanked his fans for their continued support. However, it seems as if his injuries may be more serious than originally suspected.
“When you have a traumatic brain injury, it takes a very long time to find out how you’re going to do and how much you’re going to recover,” Morelli said. “He’s still fighting and trying to live his life at the same time and trying to get better, and he’s just not better. We’re hoping and praying to get him back to where he was. But the jury’s out.”
The comments come in the midst of an ongoing lawsuit against Walmart, whose tractor-trailer rear-ended the limo that Morgan and his friends were in the night of the crash. The actor is seeking both punitive and compensatory damages, but the megastore is fighting, blaming the victims for not wearing seatbelts. Truck driver Kevin Roper, who has been charged with four counts of assault and one count of murder by auto, allegedly had been awake for 24 hours at the time of the crash.
Morgan was scheduled to begin production for his new FX Network television series, but filming has been postponed.