Tracy Morgan continues to make a difficult recovery after a June traffic accident left him wheelchair-bound, and now his future as a stand-up comedian may be in jeopardy.
TMZ reported earlier this month that the "Saturday Night Live" alum was still using the chair as he entered a New York City hospital for treatment.
"TMZ has learned he might not be ditching the chair anytime soon," the celebrity gossip website reported. "Morgan's injuries stemming from that crash may prevent him from ever walking again without some kind of assistance."
Morgan was badly injured with several others in a June 7 collision with a Wal-Mart truck on the New Jersey Turnpike. The crash killed one performer and
Morgan later sued Wal-Mart, claiming the company was negligent for allegedly allowing driver Kevin Roper to haul hundreds of miles while he was overtired.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, Roper was driving 65 mph in a 45-mph construction zone just before he ran into the back of Morgan's limousine. Roper has pleaded not guilty to charges of death by auto and assault by auto.
Morgan's attorney,
Benedict Morelli, told the New York Post's Page Six that Morgan's recovery process is still uncertain.
"The jury's still out," Morelli said of whether Morgan will be able to perform onstage again. "The doctors don't know the answer. I don't know the answer."
Wal-Mart, in response to Morgan's lawsuit, blamed the comedian for his injuries because he was
not wearing a seatbelt, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"By failing to exercise ordinary care in making use of available seatbelts, upon information and belief, plaintiffs acted unreasonably and in disregard of plaintiffs' own best interests," the company stated in court documents.
Morelli said Wal-Mart is trying to shift the blame to escape liability for the accident.
"After Wal-Mart told the public and their customers that they would take full responsibility, they put responsibility on my clients and the deceased — which I think is despicable," Morelli said. "Tracy is struggling and struggling and he's sitting in a wheelchair and they're blaming him. It's disgusting."