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Posted on Jul 10, 20071.3 million long-haul drivers need serious medical attention. Nearly 15 percent of truck drivers in the U.S die from work related accidents as published in The Virginian Pilot. New research has shown that truck drivers are at an elevated risk including numerous health problems such as obesity and smoking. 25 percent have sleep apnea and 50 percent are smokers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering the possibility of tightening health requirements in the trucking industry. They already have requirements for diabetes and high blood pressure.
As a personal injury and accident lawyer in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), I was amazed by that first number that over 1of every 10 truck drivers will die from wrecks behind the wheel of a semi. Wow! This makes it another dangerous job in transportation right up there with railroading which has historically been one of the nation’s most hazardous jobs.
Our firm has seen a rise in accident lawsuits where the at fault driver claims to have blacked out. Then, we as the plaintiff’s attorney must get into the driver’s medical records to see if they had a sudden emergency as claimed, or negligently failed to get care for sleep apnea, diabetes, etc.
