[wonderman]

I got started OTR with Maverick and I consider it a very good starter company. I have always respected the Maverick culture and the professional way the drivers do their jobs. Now that said I want to report the way a friend of mine is being treated at Maverick....
My friend is a trainer, Black Hat,driver of the month several times,He lives eats and sleeps Maverick.At present he has 9 students driving for Maverick that he trained( more than any other trainer at Maverick). Three weeks ago my friend got blood clots in his legs and almost died when the clots moved to his lungs, by the grace of God he survived and is recovered and recovering. The DOT has a policy where he is being pulled off the road on workmans comp for three months. As of right now as soon as he gets back he gets fired....I think that stinks. My buddy is Maverick, without professional drivers like him they have a lot of money but no soul, so much for being a Maroon Marauder.....Wonderman

[Mr. Ford95]

That is something called like a pulmonary blood clot and it is usually deadly. It's a wonder more truckers don't get it. It comes from sitting too long and not getting up and stretching to get the blood flow circulating again in your legs. The reason they might pull him off the road for them is that once you get it once, it is bound to happen again and if it happens while going down the road and kills him, that truck is out of control. Question is, have they told him that is what will happen or is he assuming?

[Sealord]

He could be down for longer than three months, I was down for a year.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - "got blood clots in his legs". Happens from too much sitting. A driver should stop and walk around every two hours to keep the blood circulating, particularly in the legs.
PE - "clots moved to his lungs". Will kill if not treated immediately. I was on coumadin for a year before doc released me. Spent a weekend hospitalized when PE was diagnosed. I did not have DVT.
Hint to newbie and veteran drivers, you health is more important than anything. Take care of yourself, stop and walk around every two hours. BOL

[bluebeetle]

My guess is that he won't be "fired" but rather will need to reapply. After a driver is off of work for so long, fmla ends and the driver has to reapply to come back to work.

Tell him to get feeling better.

[Mr. Ford95]

If he wants a better idea of how serious this is and that maybe he ought to re-think getting back behind the wheel, check out "Deadliest Catch" on Discovery Channel. The "Cornelia Marie" captain had the same deal happen to him while at sea. Last I heard he is doing better but it is not something you get away from quickly. Coworker of my wife lost his father a year ago to this very deal on a flight from the US to Thailand. He was sitting for 17 hours straight and was DOA in Thailand. It's a serious situation and he should probably be more worried about getting better before worrying about his job.

[Double L]

Would moving your legs while driving help such as tapping your foot which moves your legs or something like that and what about just setting the cruise and extend your legs out a few times back and forth or is walking the only solution to the problem?

[RebelDarlin]

For those of you who haven't seen this story or video. This 49 year old woman, died of that very thing, sitting in a hospital emergency room.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/145870

[Double L]

Oh yeah I remember that. That made me mad cause no one help her at all! :evil:

[Mr. Ford95]

As far as I know, you need to actually get up and move around. Personally, I don't know how someone can sit so long that they get a blood clot in their leg. I can sit for about 5 hours straight then I start getting really antsy. That's about how long I go out in the woods and hunt. 8)

[Double L]

I know when I sit for a long time my legs begin to fill like jello somewhat when I get out to go to the restroom or something and that is when I take the time to go walk around for a few minutes to get the blood flowing again.