A Savannah distracted driving accident attorney at Hasner Law represents people injured by drivers who were texting, browsing, or not focused on the road. If a distracted driver caused your crash in Savannah or Chatham County, you may be dealing with injuries, medical bills, and time away from work.
An experienced attorney can gather evidence, assess liability, and guide you through the legal process. To discuss your case, contact Hasner Law PC at (912) 234-2334 for a free and confidential consultation.
How Does Hasner Law Handle Savannah Distracted Driving Accident Claims?
Distracted driving cases demand more than filing paperwork. They require aggressive evidence collection before phone records disappear and surveillance footage gets erased.
Hasner Law’s attorneys have more than 100 years of combined experience in personal injury and workers’ compensation law across Georgia. Managing Partner Stephen Hasner co-founded the Georgia Injured Workers’ Advocates (GIWA), and Senior Attorney Judy Blackwell served as an Administrative Law Judge with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation for six years.
That depth of knowledge benefits every client, whether the case settles or goes to trial in Chatham County Superior Court.
Steps Our Legal Team Takes on Your Behalf
Our Savannah injury attorneys move quickly when a distracted driving accident case comes through our doors.
- Send preservation letters to the at-fault driver’s cell phone carrier to protect call, text, and data usage logs before they are deleted
- Review traffic camera footage from Savannah intersections along Abercorn Street, Victory Drive, DeRenne Avenue, and other high-traffic corridors
- Interview eyewitnesses who may have observed the other driver looking at a phone or behaving inattentively before the collision
- Handle all communication with the at-fault driver’s insurance company so you are never pressured into a recorded statement or lowball settlement
- Work with accident reconstruction professionals and medical providers to connect your injuries directly to the crash
Every case at Hasner Law operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront. The firm only collects a fee if your case results in compensation.
What Types of Distracted Driving Cause Accidents in Savannah?
Distracted driving refers to any behavior that pulls a driver’s focus away from operating their vehicle safely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) breaks distraction into three categories: visual (eyes off the road), manual (hands off the wheel), and cognitive (mind off driving). Many activities, like texting, involve all three at once.
Common Distracting Behaviors Behind the Wheel
Savannah’s mix of tourist traffic, commercial vehicles near the Port of Savannah, and busy local roads creates conditions where even a brief lapse in focus leads to a serious crash.
- Texting, scrolling social media, or reading emails on a handheld phone
- Typing a destination into a GPS or navigation app while the vehicle is moving
- Eating, drinking, or reaching for items on the passenger seat or floorboard
- Turning around to interact with children or passengers in the back seat
- Adjusting the radio, climate controls, or infotainment screen
Any one of these behaviors takes a driver’s eyes, hands, or mind away from the road. When that happens at 45 miles per hour on DeRenne Avenue or during heavy traffic near Oglethorpe Mall, the results are often severe.
How Does Georgia’s Hands-Free Law Affect a Distracted Driving Injury Claim?
Georgia’s Hands-Free Act, codified as O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241, prohibits drivers from physically holding or supporting a wireless device with any part of their body while operating a motor vehicle. The law also bans writing, sending, or reading text-based messages and watching or recording video while driving. Drivers may only use their phone through an earpiece, wrist device, mounted holder, or Bluetooth connection.
Penalties Under the Hands-Free Act
A first offense carries a fine of up to $50 and one point on the driver’s license. A second violation within 24 months raises the fine to $100 and two points. A third or subsequent offense results in a fine of up to $150 and three points.
How a Hands-Free Violation Strengthens Your Case
If the driver who hit you received a citation under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241, that violation may qualify as negligence per se. Negligence per se is a legal concept meaning the act of breaking a safety law is treated as automatic proof of negligence, without the need to separately show the driver failed to act reasonably.
You must still demonstrate that the violation directly caused the collision and your injuries. But a hands-free citation shifts the burden significantly and gives your attorney a strong foundation to build on.
How Does a Savannah Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Prove the Other Driver Was Not Paying Attention?
In most distracted driving crashes, the at-fault driver never admits they were on their phone. Police officers report what they observe at the scene, but they rarely have access to the digital evidence that confirms what the driver was doing in the seconds before impact. A Savannah distracted driving accident attorney conducts a deeper investigation.
Cell Phone Records
Cell phone records are often the strongest evidence in a distracted driving case. Through a subpoena, your attorney requests the at-fault driver’s call, text, and data usage logs from their mobile carrier. These records are time-stamped and may show a message was sent, a call was active, or data was streaming at the exact moment of the crash.
Timing matters here. Carriers do not preserve this data indefinitely. Your attorney must act fast to send a preservation notice before those records are lost.
Video Footage
Surveillance cameras at Savannah businesses, traffic cameras at busy intersections, and dashcam recordings from other drivers all serve as potential sources of proof. Our team canvasses the crash area to identify every available camera that may have captured the collision or the moments leading up to it.
A recording showing the other driver looking down at their lap or holding a device is powerful, direct evidence of distraction.
Eyewitness Testimony
Pedestrians, other motorists, and passengers sometimes observe a driver using a phone or appearing disengaged right before a crash. Our attorneys locate and interview these witnesses quickly, while details remain fresh. Their accounts add another layer of support to the digital and physical evidence in your case.
Each piece of evidence on its own tells part of the story. Together, phone records, video footage, and witness testimony build a case that is difficult for the insurance company to dismiss.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Distracted Driving Accident in Savannah?
Georgia’s modified comparative negligence law, found in O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, allows injured people to recover damages as long as they are less than 50% at fault for the collision. If you are found partially responsible, your total compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are 50% or more at fault, you are barred from recovering anything.
Types of Damages in a Distracted Driving Claim
In a distracted driving injury case, you may be able to pursue compensation for several categories of loss.
- Medical expenses, including emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, prescription medication, and future treatment related to the crash
- Lost wages from time missed at work during your recovery, along with reduced earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job
- Pain and suffering, which accounts for the physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, and reduced quality of life resulting from the accident
- Property damage to your vehicle and personal belongings
Georgia law also allows for punitive damages in cases involving especially reckless conduct. If the distracted driver’s behavior was extreme, such as watching a video while speeding through a school zone, punitive damages may apply on top of your compensatory award.
The value of every claim depends on the specific facts of the case. A Savannah distracted driving accident attorney at Hasner Law reviews all of your medical records, bills, and lost income documentation to build the strongest possible demand.
What Injuries Result from Distracted Driving Collisions?
Distracted drivers often fail to brake or steer before impact, meaning these crashes frequently happen at full speed. That force produces injuries that range from painful soft tissue damage to life-altering conditions.
Whiplash and Neck Injuries
Rear-end collisions are among the most common distracted driving accidents. The sudden jolt of impact snaps the head and neck forward and backward, straining muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Some whiplash injuries resolve within weeks, while others lead to chronic pain and reduced range of motion.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
When your head strikes the steering wheel, window, or headrest during a crash, the result may be a concussion or more severe brain injury. Symptoms like headaches, confusion, memory problems, and mood changes sometimes take days or weeks to fully appear, making prompt medical evaluation important.
Broken Bones and Fractures
The force of a high-speed distracted driving collision frequently causes fractures in the arms, legs, ribs, wrists, and face. Many of these injuries require surgery, hardware placement, and months of rehabilitation.
Spinal Cord Damage
In the most severe collisions, the impact may damage the spinal cord. Depending on the location and extent of the injury, this may lead to partial or complete paralysis, chronic pain, and permanent loss of sensation or motor function.
Prompt medical treatment and thorough documentation of every injury and symptom protect both your health and the strength of your legal claim.
Ask Hasner Law
Do I need a lawyer if the other driver got a distracted driving ticket?
A traffic citation helps your case, but it does not guarantee compensation on its own. The insurance company may still argue that you share fault or that the distraction did not directly cause the crash. A Savannah distracted driving accident attorney at Hasner Law reviews all the evidence and builds a claim that addresses these defenses head-on.
How long do I have to file a distracted driving injury claim in Georgia?
Georgia law generally gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing that deadline almost always bars your claim permanently. Speaking with an attorney as soon as possible also helps preserve time-sensitive evidence like phone records and surveillance footage.
What if I was partially at fault for the distracted driving accident?
Under Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rule in O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, you may still recover compensation if you are less than 50% responsible for the collision. Your total award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are 50% or more at fault, you are barred from recovery.
FAQs for Savannah Distracted Driving Accident Attorney
What makes a distracted driving case different from other car accident claims?
Distracted driving cases require more evidence gathering than a typical collision claim. Your attorney must prove the other driver was not focused on the road, which often involves subpoenaing cell phone records, locating surveillance video, and identifying witnesses. A standard fender-bender case may rely mostly on the police report, but a distracted driving claim needs that deeper digital and testimonial evidence to succeed.
If the other driver was using Bluetooth, do I still have a case?
Georgia’s Hands-Free Act targets handheld device use, so using Bluetooth alone does not violate the statute. However, every driver has a duty to remain attentive behind the wheel regardless of the device they use. If someone was so absorbed in a hands-free conversation that they ran a red light on Abercorn Street or failed to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, that behavior may still constitute negligence. Call logs and witness testimony may help demonstrate the driver’s attention was compromised.
What if the distracted driver’s insurance company contacts me before I hire a lawyer?
Do not give a recorded statement or accept any settlement offer before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters often reach out quickly after a crash, hoping to settle for the lowest amount possible before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Politely decline, and let a Savannah distracted driving accident attorney at Hasner Law handle those conversations on your behalf.
How long does a distracted driving accident case take to resolve?
Every case is different. Some settle within a few months through negotiation with the insurance company. Others, especially those involving severe injuries or disputed liability, may take a year or longer if the case goes to litigation. Your attorney at Hasner Law keeps you informed at every stage and never pressures you to accept a settlement before you are ready.
What if the distracted driver was working at the time of the accident?
If the at-fault driver was on the clock or performing work duties when the crash happened, their employer may also be liable under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior. This is common with delivery drivers, rideshare operators, and commercial vehicle drivers near the Port of Savannah. Hasner Law investigates all potential sources of liability to maximize your recovery options.
Take Action with a Savannah Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Today
You are reading this page because a distracted driver changed your life, and you are looking for someone who takes that seriously. Hasner Law’s Savannah office on York Street is here to answer your questions, review the facts of your crash, and explain your legal options at no cost.
Our attorneys fight for injured people across Chatham County, including neighborhoods like Midtown Savannah, Ardsley Park, and communities along the Truman Parkway and Islands Expressway. You do not have to face an insurance company alone while you are still recovering.
Call Hasner Law at (912) 234-2334 for a free consultation with a Savannah distracted driving accident attorney who knows Georgia law and the local court system. The call is free, the consultation is free, and you owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Hasner Law: Savannah Injury & Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
221 W York St,
Savannah, GA 31401
Ph: 912-234-2334
