Investigations

On December 18 and 21, 2018, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) suspended Dr. Kenneth Edwards and Joann Bush of Phenix City, Alabama, for their roles in a scheme to falsify DOT-mandated physical examinations of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. FMCSA issued the notices after a February 2018 indictment charged Edwards, Bush, and Andrea Daigle with multiple counts of wire fraud, making false statements, falsification of Federal records, and conspiracy.

 

Edwards, a licensed chiropractor, operated Back & Neck Rehab in Phenix City, and employed Bush as a medical assistant and Daigle as his office manager. In advertisements targeted at trucking corporations, truck driving schools, and the general public, they stated that Back & Neck Rehab performed DOT medical examinations in accordance with FMCSA safety regulations. However, the investigation disclosed that Bush and Daigle actually conducted many of the physicals, although neither one was listed on FMCSA’s National Registry or had a medical license. Furthermore, Edwards, Bush, and Daigle often did not examine the applicant’s hearing and periodically failed to perform other DOT requirements for physicals, such as urinalysis, vision tests, and health history reviews. In some cases, they wrote false entries on medical examination forms when an accurate report would have disqualified the applicant. Afterward, they used Edwards’ user name and password to electronically transmit the false results to FMCSA and certify that the applicants were medically qualified to safely operate a CMV.