The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently reported that over a half-million drivers are rated as 100% disabled by other U.S. agencies. The study was instigated as a result of a request by the House Transportation sub-committee because they wanted to know the scope of the problem of medically unfit truck drivers on the road. Approximately 85% of the disabled drivers have active commercial driving licenses.
The report also gives several egregious examples:
A Virginia truck driver, disabled since 1995 for numerous medical issues, including an amputated leg. The truck driver said that his doctor tested his ability to use the prosthesis by pushing the doctor around the office in a rolling desk chair. Shockingly, that doctor has since had his medical license revoked. Incidentally, the driver's truck rolled over in a 2006 truck crash.
A Maryland truck driver, disabled since 2001 because of severe lung problems, last renewed his CDL in 2007. The driver had a medical certificate from a doctor; however, that examiner later indicated that the report was forged.
A Virginia school bus driver, disabled since 1998 for multiple sclerosis, had never even undergone a CDL medical examination. However, Virginia renewed the driver's CDL in 2006. Later that year, this driver was cited as the cause of a three car collision that injured sixteen people.
A Florida bus driver, disabled since 1994 for lung problems, admitted to investigators that he occasionally blacks out. That driver continues to serve as a substitute driver.
This study only scratches the surface when it comes to the medically unfit truck drivers on the road. Given the latest reform, it could not identify drivers who are just as medically unfit, but who had never applied for disability benefits.
If you have been injured in a collision with a semi-truck, it is essential to consult with an injury attorney specializing in truck accident cases immediately. While it may seem clear that the driver was negligent, often times the reason as to why they were negligent is not. A good truck accident attorney will investigate these issues. Often times, we sue not only the truck driver, but also the trucking company for hiring that driver in the first place.
If you have been injured in an accident with a semi-truck, feel free to contact St. Louis trucking accident attorney Josh Myers. It is always free to discuss your case and there is never any fee until we recover on your behalf.
