Sleep Apnea and Increased Commercial Truck Accidents
Protect Your Legal Rights After a Truck Accident with a Doan Law Firm Truck Accident Lawyer
Sleep apnea is medically defined as a decrease in airflow due to recurring partial or complete obstruction of a person’s upper airway while he or she is sleeping. One of the results of this condition is that a person stops breathing for a moment while sleeping.
Sleep apnea can have a profound impact on a person’s life. The profound, persistent fatigue that a person with sleep apnea faces can directly his or her ability to perform some basic functions of daily living, including driving. Indeed, people afflicted with sleep apnea can face job-related problems as well. For example, sleep apnea can impact a commercial truck driver's ability to safely operate a big rig.
A considerable percentage of commercial truck accidents are the result of driver fatigue. In addition, a high proportion of fatigued truck drivers suffer from untreated and even undiagnosed sleep apnea.
If you have been involved in a semi-truck accident and suspect driver fatigue, perhaps caused by sleep apnea, you need to be proactive to protect your legal rights. This includes reaching out to a qualified, skilled truck accident lawyer, like a member of the legal team at The Doan Law Office. The Doan Law Office maintains a truck accident lawyer hotline that is staffed around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The hotline can be accessed by calling (800) 349-0000.
The Prevalence of Sleep Apnea Among Big Rig Drivers
A significant swath of the general population is afflicted with sleep apnea. 9 percent of women and an alarming 26 percent of men suffer from sleep apnea, according to the National Institutes of Health. Commercial truck drivers are thought to suffer from sleep apnea at these levels, if not even a bit higher.
A considerable percentage of truck drivers are unaware that they suffer from sleep apnea. In addition, a notable number of big rig drivers have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, but have neglected to obtain appropriate medical care and treatment.
The Truck Accident Incidence Rate Associated with Sleep Apnea
According to a recent study of commercial truck drivers undertaken by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Morris, Brigham, and Women’s Hospital, truck drivers with untreated sleep apnea are five times more likely to cause accidents due to fatigue. About 20 percent of truck accident incidents are believed to be caused by sleepy, drowsy, or fatigued rig operators. Sleep apnea represents the most common cause of excessive fatigue, including among truck drivers.
Compensation in a Sleep Apnea Truck Accident Case
A truck accident lawyer from our firm will fight to obtain fair compensation for you. The compensation awarded in a sleep apnea truck accident depends on the specific facts and circumstances of the case. With that noted, examples of losses for which our firm will seek compensation likely include:
- pain and suffering
- medical bills and expenses
- mental anguish and emotional distress
- physical disability
- physical disfigurement
- lost income
Schedule an Initial Consultation with a Truck Accident Lawyer
If you are the victim of a big rig accident, the first step in protecting your legal interests is scheduling an initial consultation with a truck accident lawyer from The Doan Law Firm. An initial consultation can be scheduled by calling our truck accident lawyer hotline at (800) 349-0000.
During an initial consultation, a truck accident lawyer from our legal team will provide you with a case evaluation. Legal counsel will also provide answers to your questions. Our firm charges no fee for an initial consultation about your truck accident case.
The Doan Law Firm Attorney Fee Promise
The Doan Law Firm makes a promise to you in a sleep apnea truck accident case. Our firm will never charge a fee for legal services unless we obtain a favorable settlement or judgment for you in your case. The fee will be an agreed, reasonable percentage of any settlement or judgment.