For those who do not know, obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, causes the patient to briefly stop breathing several times while sleeping. This interferes with the restfulness of the patient’s sleep, leaving them exhausted in the morning. One study concluded that eight hours of sleep under the effects of untreated OSA is less refreshing than four hours of healthy sleep.
Amazingly, up to 90 percent of people suffering from sleep apnea are not aware they have it, the president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine told The Washington Post. From a personal injury perspective, it is scary to think that millions of Americans could be driving despite being fatigued, and not knowing why.
Some of the other horrifying side effects that can come from untreated OSA are as follows:
Truck drivers are certainly not invulnerable to OSA, and we already know how much of a danger dozing truckers pose to the public. This is why federal regulators recently proposed a rule that would require truckers to be tested for OSA, along with bus drivers and railroad workers. One study linked treatment of sleep apnea for those truckers who need it with a 73 percent reduction in preventable traffic collisions.
Treatment usually involves wearing a device at night that covers the patient’s nose and mouth and forces humidified air into the airway. This opens the airway and keeps the patient breathing while asleep. Losing weight also reduces symptoms.
If this proposed rule becomes a regulation, it could dramatically reduce fatigue-related truck accidents in this country. But truck accidents will still occur, and victims will still need an attorney’s help getting compensated by those responsible.
This proposed rule is important for the safety of both the drivers if the trucks, the companies of those who own the trucks, and pedestrians.
If drivers are getting tested for OSA and testing positive for it, they will be taken off the road which is essentially saving their life because they are not being given the chance to fall asleep at the wheel and get into a car accident.
The companies who own the trucks are decreasing their chances of a lawsuit or paying for any expenses that happened by enforcing this rule because if one of their hired drivers causes an accident or is the reason for a homicide, it can fall back on the company since their truck was the one that caused this accident.
And the pedestrians who roam the streets every day will be kept safe because they do not have to look back over their shoulder every time they cross the street wondering if the oncoming truck driver is asleep at the wheel and may hit them because he/ she suffers from OSA.
This proposed rule is important for the safety of both the drivers if the trucks, the companies of those who own the trucks, and pedestrians.
If drivers are getting tested for OSA and testing positive for it, they will be taken off the road which is essentially saving their life because they are not being given the chance to fall asleep at the wheel and get into a car accident.
The companies who own the trucks are decreasing their chances of a lawsuit or paying for any expenses that happened by enforcing this rule because if one of their hired drivers causes an accident or is the reason for a homicide, it can fall back on the company since their truck was the one that caused this accident.
And the pedestrians who roam the streets every day will be kept safe because they do not have to look back over their shoulder every time they cross the street wondering if the oncoming truck driver is asleep at the wheel and may hit them because he/ she suffers from OSA.
The Law Offices of Alvin F. de Levie have been handling a wide variety of personal injury cases for over 25 years. Alvin and his team base their business practices off of the focus they have for representing victims of negligent and wrongful acts.
They advocate for victims' rights and interests, and passionately pursues the justice and compensation they deserve under state and federal laws. Their team has settled, mediated and tried cases involving serious, life-altering personal injuries and death in courts throughout Pennsylvania, including the county courts.
If you think you have a motor vehicle, personal injury, wrongful death, construction work accident, or medical malpractice case and are seeking legal advice, get in contact with us today at (877)-777-2529.
Alvin F. de Levie is a 1973, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the Pennsylvania State University and a 1976 graduate of the Villanova University School of Law. He is an expert in Pennsylvania Law revolving around medical malpractice and personal injury.
Mr. de Levie has consistently been voted by his peers to receive Martindale-Hubbell's "AV Preeminent" 5.0 out of 5.0 rating. An AV Preeminent rating is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.
