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Deceased doctor conducted improper medical exams, FMCSA says

WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said Thursday afternoon it had determined that the late Dr. Paul Besdansky, formerly of Garden City, Ga., failed to conduct proper U.S. Department of Transportation medical  examinations in the period prior to his death and, as a result, commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders who currently possess a medical certificate signed by Dr. Besdansky must be immediately re-examined by a medical examiner and submit a new medical certificate to both the state agency that issued their CDLs and to their employer.

All current medical certificates signed by Dr. Besdansky, who died Oct. 26, 2013, will be invalid as of May 2, the agency said.

The FMCSA said it believed that a majority of CDL holders with medical certificates signed by Dr. Besdansky reside in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.  

The agency instructed law enforcement personnel to immediately inform the driver and FMCSA upon discovery of a medical certificate signed by Dr. Besdansky.

A spokesman for the agency said some 3,000 drivers could be impacted.

Drivers with further questions are directed to contact the FMCSA Southern Service Center at [email protected].

The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at [email protected].

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