The 30 Rock star returned to the spotlight with a surprise appearance at the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, more than a year after he was seriously injured when the vehicle he was travelling in collided with a Wal Mart truck on a road in New Jersey.

He talked about the horrific crash while on stage at the prizegiving, telling the audience, "It's been a long road back; I suffered a traumatic brain injury that put me in a coma for eight days... When I finally regained consciousness, I was just ecstatic to learn that I wasn't the one who messed up."

However, the speech has been condemned by a lawyer representing truck driver Kevin Roper, who is facing criminal charges stemming from the crash.

Attorney David Jay Glassman claims Morgan's references to the crash could prejudice his client's court case, saying, "(Authorities have forgotten) Mr. Roper's constitutional rights, including the right to have his guilt or innocence decided in a courtroom, as opposed to by the national media or by way of comments made by Mr. Morgan during the nationally televised 67th Annual Emmy Awards...

"My client, Kevin Roper, who awaits indictment... his constitutional rights were discarded in favour of an unprecedented rush to judgment and material for comic relief."

Roper has pleaded not guilty to one count of death by auto, stemming from the death of Morgan's comedian friend James 'Jimmy MACk' MCNair, and four counts of assault by auto.

Morgan sued Wal-Mart for negligence and settled for a reported $90 million (£56.2 million).