If you were hit by a vehicle while walking in Savannah, you may have the right to pursue compensation under Georgia law. A Savannah pedestrian accident lawyer helps investigate the crash, determine liability, and handle insurance claims while you recover.
Hasner Law represents injured pedestrians throughout Chatham County, including high-traffic areas like the Historic District, Abercorn Street, and Victory Drive. The firm handles cases involving negligent drivers, unsafe road conditions, and disputed fault, and works to recover damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Consultations are free, and cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless compensation is recovered. Call (912) 234-2334 to discuss your case.
Why Do Injured Pedestrians in Savannah Choose Hasner Law?
Hasner Law Injury & Workers’ Compensation Attorneys brings more than 100 years of combined legal experience to injury victims across Savannah, Atlanta, Kennesaw, and communities throughout Georgia.
The firm’s founding attorney, Stephen Hasner, co-founded the Georgia Injured Workers’ Advocates (GIWA) and has dedicated his career to fighting for people hurt through the negligence of others.
A former Administrative Law Judge who presided over more than 500 cases at the State Board of Workers’ Compensation is also part of the team.
How the Firm Builds Your Pedestrian Injury Case
The legal team moves quickly after a pedestrian collision to protect your claim before evidence disappears. In Savannah, where surveillance cameras cover much of the Historic District and major commercial corridors, acting fast matters. The firm’s approach typically involves:
- Obtaining traffic camera footage, business surveillance video, and dashcam recordings before they are overwritten or deleted
- Investigating the accident scene to document crosswalk markings, signal timing, road conditions, and sight-line obstructions
- Gathering the police report, witness contact information, and any citations issued to the driver
- Coordinating with your medical providers to document the full extent of your injuries and connect them to the collision
- Managing all communication with the at-fault driver’s insurance company so your statements are not used against you
Insurance adjusters often start building a case against you immediately, arguing that you shared fault for the collision. Having a legal team that responds with equal speed and evidence helps preserve your claim.
Hasner Law takes pedestrian accident cases on a contingency-fee basis, and the team assists clients in both English and Spanish.
What Compensation May You Recover After a Pedestrian Accident in Savannah?
Georgia law allows injured pedestrians to seek damages from the party whose negligence caused the collision. The total value of a pedestrian injury claim depends on the severity of the injuries, the available insurance coverage, and the long-term impact on your ability to work and live your daily life.
The types of compensation that may be available in a Savannah pedestrian accident claim include:
- Medical expenses covering emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, prescriptions, and future treatment
- Lost wages for time missed from work, plus lost earning capacity if the injury prevents you from returning to your previous occupation
- Pain and suffering for the physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the collision
- Disfigurement and disability compensation if the accident caused permanent scarring, limb loss, or lasting physical limitations
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members if the pedestrian accident proved fatal
Every compensation category must be supported by medical records, employment documentation, and other evidence. The sooner you begin building that record, the stronger your position becomes when it reaches the insurance adjuster or a Chatham County courtroom.
Who Is Liable in a Savannah Pedestrian Accident?
Liability in a Savannah pedestrian accident depends on which party violated Georgia’s traffic laws or otherwise acted negligently. The at-fault driver is the most common defendant, but other parties may share responsibility depending on the facts.
Driver Liability Under Georgia Pedestrian Safety Statutes
Georgia statute O.C.G.A. § 40-6-91 requires drivers to stop and remain stopped for any pedestrian crossing within a marked or unmarked crosswalk. Several Georgia statutes work together to define driver duties toward pedestrians:
- Under § 40-6-91(a), drivers must stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian passes the driver’s half of the roadway
- Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-93, drivers must exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and give warning by sounding the horn when necessary
- Under § 40-6-91(d), other vehicles may not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk to allow a pedestrian to cross
- Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-92, pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk must yield the right of way to vehicles
A driver who violates any of these provisions may support a finding of negligence per se, meaning the statutory violation itself may serve as evidence of fault without requiring the injured person to prove additional carelessness. This legal principle frequently strengthens pedestrian injury claims filed in Chatham County courts.
Other Potentially Liable Parties
The driver is not always the only defendant. If a broken traffic signal, missing crosswalk signage, or poorly maintained sidewalk contributed to your accident, the City of Savannah or Chatham County may share liability.
Property owners who allow dangerous conditions near their entrances or parking lots may also bear responsibility. And if a commercial vehicle struck you, the driver’s employer may face a separate claim.
How Does Comparative Negligence Affect Your Savannah Pedestrian Accident Claim?
Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rule under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 reduces your compensation by your percentage of fault and bars all recovery if that percentage reaches 50 or more. Insurance companies use this rule aggressively against injured pedestrians.
Adjusters frequently argue that the pedestrian was jaywalking, wearing dark clothing, distracted by a phone, or failed to look before crossing. Each of these arguments aims to shift blame and reduce the payout.
Your attorney may counter these tactics with surveillance footage, witness testimony, crosswalk signal data, and accident reconstruction analysis that puts the focus back on the driver’s negligence.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents in Savannah?
Savannah’s walkable layout, narrow streets, and heavy tourist foot traffic create conditions where pedestrian collisions happen with troubling frequency. The mix of vehicle traffic and pedestrian activity along Bay Street, River Street, Broughton Street, and the squares of the Historic District puts walkers at constant risk.
The most common causes of pedestrian accidents in Savannah and Chatham County include:
- Drivers failing to stop at marked and unmarked crosswalks, particularly near the squares and Forsyth Park
- Distracted driving, including phone use, that prevents the driver from seeing a pedestrian entering the roadway
- Drivers making left or right turns at intersections without checking for pedestrians in the crosswalk
- Speeding through residential neighborhoods, school zones, and heavy foot traffic areas along Victory Drive
- Impaired driving from alcohol or drugs, particularly during late-night hours near River Street
Each of these scenarios reflects a driver who failed to meet the standard of care Georgia law requires toward people on foot. The evidence available in the first hours and days after the collision often determines whether liability is provable.
What Deadlines Apply to a Savannah Pedestrian Accident Claim?
Georgia’s statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is two years from the date of the collision under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. If a loved one died in the accident, the two-year period for a wrongful death claim begins on the date of death.
Government Entity Claims Require Shorter Notice
If a government vehicle, a city employee, or a dangerous road condition caused by the City of Savannah or Chatham County contributed to the accident, you must provide written ante litem notice before filing suit.
Claims against a municipality in Georgia require notice within six months under O.C.G.A. § 36-33-5. Missing this shorter notice period may bar your claim entirely.
Why Early Evidence Preservation Matters
Surveillance footage from Savannah businesses and traffic cameras is typically overwritten within days or weeks. The types of evidence that matter most in a pedestrian accident case often have a short shelf life:
- Traffic and security camera footage from nearby businesses, city cameras, and residential doorbell systems
- Physical evidence at the scene including skid marks, debris patterns, and crosswalk signal timing data
- The at-fault driver’s cell phone records, which may show distraction at the time of impact
- Witness statements from bystanders, other drivers, or nearby business employees
- Your medical records from the emergency room, follow-up visits, and specialist appointments
Acting within the first days after the accident gives your attorney the best chance of securing this evidence before it disappears.
Ask Hasner Law
How much does it cost to hire a Savannah pedestrian accident lawyer?
Hasner Law takes pedestrian accident cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no upfront fees and owe nothing unless the firm recovers compensation on your behalf. The initial consultation is free, and the firm covers all case expenses during the process.
What if I was crossing outside of a crosswalk when the driver hit me?
Crossing outside a crosswalk does not automatically bar your claim in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-92, you must yield to vehicles when crossing outside a crosswalk, but the driver still has a duty under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-93 to exercise due care to avoid hitting you. Comparative negligence may reduce your recovery, but you may still have a valid claim depending on the facts.
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit in Savannah?
The statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Georgia is two years from the date of the accident under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. If a government entity is involved, you must provide written notice within six months. Missing either deadline may permanently prevent you from pursuing compensation.
What if the driver who hit me does not have insurance?
If the at-fault driver lacks liability coverage, your own uninsured motorist (UM) policy may provide compensation for your injuries. Georgia law requires insurance companies to offer UM coverage, though policyholders may decline it in writing. Hasner Law reviews all available insurance sources to identify every possible path to recovery.
FAQs for Savannah Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Do I need a lawyer after a pedestrian accident in Savannah?
A pedestrian accident attorney handles the insurance claim, evidence collection, and any litigation so you may focus on recovering. Insurance companies regularly assign partial blame to pedestrians to reduce their payout. Having legal representation may protect you from accepting a settlement that does not reflect the true value of your injuries. Call Hasner Law at (912) 234-2334 for a free case review.
What happens if the insurance company says the accident was my fault?
The insurance company’s fault determination is not final. Georgia’s comparative negligence rule allows you to recover damages as long as you are found less than 50 percent at fault. Your attorney may challenge the insurer’s assessment with physical evidence, surveillance footage, and accident reconstruction analysis that puts the focus back on the driver’s conduct.
What injuries do Savannah pedestrian accident victims commonly suffer?
Pedestrian collisions frequently result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, internal organ injuries, and severe road rash. The severity of injuries is typically much greater than in vehicle-to-vehicle crashes because the pedestrian has no structural protection. Many of these injuries require long-term medical care and extended time away from work.
How long does a pedestrian accident case in Savannah take to resolve?
The timeline depends on the severity of your injuries, the complexity of liability issues, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Some claims resolve in months through negotiation, while others take a year or longer if litigation becomes necessary. Hasner Law keeps you informed throughout the process and does not pressure you to accept a settlement before you are ready.
What if a pedestrian accident in Savannah killed my family member?
Georgia law allows the surviving spouse, children, or parents of a deceased pedestrian to file a wrongful death claim seeking the full value of the deceased’s life. The two-year statute of limitations begins on the date of death. Hasner Law handles wrongful death claims alongside pedestrian accident cases and may help your family pursue every available path to compensation.
Talk to Savannah Pedestrian Accident Lawyers at Hasner Law Today
The driver’s insurance company already has a team working to minimize what it pays for your injuries. Every day without legal representation gives the adjuster more time to build a case that shifts blame to you.
Hasner Law Injury & Workers’ Compensation Attorneys has spent decades representing injured pedestrians and other accident victims across Savannah, Atlanta, and communities throughout Georgia. Call (912) 234-2334 today for a free consultation and take the first step toward holding the negligent driver accountable.
Hasner Law: Savannah Injury & Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
221 W York St,
Savannah, GA 31401
Ph: 912-234-2334
