LIVERMORE, Kentucky – A two-vehicle collision in McLean County took the life of 64-year-old James Heifner.
According to Kentucky State Police, 33-year-old Blake Hamilton was traveling southbound on US 431 Green River Bridge in a 2021 Ford truck hauling two anhydrous tanks. For reasons unknown, one of the two tanks dislodged during transit and veered into the northbound lanes of US 431, where it crashed head-on with a vehicle driven by 64-year-old James Heifner.
Heifner, who sustained life-threatening injuries, was transported via Air Ambulance to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, where he died from his injuries.
The driver of the Ford was not injured. An investigation into the accident is ongoing.
No further information was immediately available.
The surviving family needs to know who was responsible for securing the load to ensure all wrongdoers are held accountable
This was an entirely preventable crash. There is no question that trailers are to be securely attached to ensure they do not dislodge during transit. When a trailer dislodges and crashes into another vehicle, the parties responsible for ensuring the trailer was properly secured can be held reasonable.
It will be important to determine all parties responsible for Mr. Heifner’s death. Based on the reported facts, the most obvious party is the driver of the Ford, who clearly has a duty to ensure his load is safe and secure before and during transport, there may be additional parties that assisted in the transportation of the anhydrous tanks that bear some responsibility for this crash.
It is important to identify all wrongdoers because holding parties responsible for their negligence helps prevent the same negligence from happening in the future. It also makes sure that the surviving family is fully compensated for the unexpected passing of their loved one. While financial compensation does not provide any relief from the pain of loss, it can relieve the financial burden associated with an unexpected death and allow the family to grieve without financial hardship.
This crash was entirely preventable. Mr. Heifner was an innocent victim of others’ negligence, and while it is likely the negligent parties did not intend for this crash to happen, their actions cannot be undone. I extend my condolences during this difficult time and pray that the surviving family is provided the strength they need to endure the unexpected passing of their loved one.
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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
