Legal Issues in Workplace Sleep Disorder Cases

Dr. Ramesh Sachdeva possesses a PhD in epidemiology, a law degree, and a doctorate of business administration. With more than 30 years of experience in the medical field, Dr. Ramesh Sachdeva has numerous publications and appearances to his name, including a presentation at the 2013 Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Pediatric Sleep Conference, where he spoke to the legal aspects of sleep medicine.

The medical-legal issues of sleep disorder medicine encompass three concerns: the potential for violent or harmful behavior during sleep, accidents due to exhaustion while driving or at work, and disability caused by this impairment in the workplace.

The legal cases stemming from these occurrences can be complex, due to the lack of awareness and consciousness, and difficulty proving a defendant was indeed in such a state when the incident occurred.

When it comes to cases involving the workplace where a sleep disorder is in question, the liability of an individual depends largely on the region in which the case is being heard. Precedents for sleep disorder disability cases are few, and the societal stigma attached to sleepiness--that it is a result of laziness and poor work ethic, not a medical disorder--may hinder results.

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