Ambien has become a common factor in an increased amount of traffic
arrests in which drivers say they have no memory of even getting
behind the wheel after taking the nation’s most popular prescription
sleeping pill.
An alarming number of sleep-driving motorists have been driving
in an impaired, zombie-like state leading not only to an increased
amount of Ambien-related driving arrests, but an increased amount
of Ambien Lawsuits.
If you or a loved one took Ambien and have suffered
from memory loss, sleep walking, sleep driving or other harmful
side effects, contact The Rasansky Law Firm immediately.
The Rasansky Law Firm is now investigating the potentially harmful
effects of taking Ambien and may be able to represent you in an
Ambien Lawsuit against Sanofi-Aventis.
Recently interviewed in a NBC investigation on the effects of
Ambien sleep-driving related incidents, Dallas
Personal Injury Attorney Jeff Rasansky commented on Ambien's unusual side effects.
"Unfortunately it's not unusual. We get phone calls all the
time about Ambien-related driving incidents where people have no
recollection of being under the influence of Ambien or other sleep-inducing
drugs which has prompted the investigation of potential legal action
to be taken on behalf of those who have suffered as a result of
taking Ambien."
Last year, 26.5 million prescriptions of Ambien
were filled and although Ambien’s manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventis,
says Ambien is safe when taken as prescribed, a Sanofi-Aventis
mouthpiece has said that they "are aware of reports of people
driving while sleepwalking, and those reports have been provided
to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."
Even though Ambien’s current label warnings advise that
the drug should not be used with alcohol and in some cases could
cause sleepwalking or hallucinations, perhaps better warnings should
be in place alerting Ambien users to its potentially harmful side
effects.
Numerous reports of people taking Ambien after having a couple
of drinks, have awoken to find themselves in jail without any memory
of how they got there for reckless driving or worse.
A current survey being conducted by the Society
of Forensic Toxicologists reveals that among labs that conduct tests of drivers' blood samples
for two dozen states, 10 of those labs list Ambien among the top
10 drugs found in impaired drivers.
Although several of these sleep-driving incidents have occurred
when both Ambien and Alcohol were found in one’s blood stream,
it must also be noted that incidents in which no Alcohol was consumed
are equally as prevalent.
Previous research done with regard to the potentially dangerous
effects of Ambien has shed light on several bizarre and unusual
behaviors such as night-time binge eating, sleep walking and urinating
on floors in which the person is unaware of their actions or surroundings.
