Founder of Wade Law and expert trial attorney with experience in the courts and in the classroom, lecturing in several courses. Admitted to all of Georgia’s courts and the United States Supreme Court
The Deadly Consequences of Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving is a major cause of motor vehicle accidents, and our lawyers see the results every week at Wade Law. A driver who checks a cell phone, looks at GPS, or turns to talk to passengers can cause a serious crash in seconds. The risk rises on busy Georgia roads where traffic moves fast and reaction time stays short.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows crashes involving distracted drivers lead to more than 3,000 deaths annually. The National Safety Council warns that texting while driving pulls attention away from the road. Distracted drivers can miss brake lights, drift across lanes, or run red lights—choices that lead to fatal crashes or life-changing serious injuries.
Distractions fall into three groups:
- Visual distractions: Looking away from the road due to cellphone use or electronic devices
- Manual distractions: Taking hands off the steering wheel to reach for items, eat, or hold a device
- Cognitive distractions: Mind drifting during voice calls, stress, or daydreaming
For victims, the harm is immediate. You may face medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Some families face wrongful death after a crash. In Atlanta distracted driving accidents, proof decides the case. If we show the other driver’s negligence, our lawyerscan hold the at-fault driver legally accountable under Georgia law and press the insurance company to pay fair damages.
Understanding Distracted Driving Accidents and Driver Negligence
After an Atlanta distracted driving accident, many clients ask: “Does this count as distracted driving?” In legal terms, a driver is distracted when they stop giving full attention to driving. That split focus causes motor vehicle crashes in seconds, often leaving people with serious injuries, medical bills, and lost wages.
In Georgia law, these choices matter because they connect to negligence. Every driver owes others a legal duty of reasonable care—maintaining vehicle control and watching the road. If the other driver chose to drive distracted and caused a crash, our lawyers can use that conduct to prove driver negligence in a personal injury lawsuit or wrongful death claim after a fatal car accident.
Georgia has banned texting and many forms of handheld device use. If a police report shows the driver was caught texting or admits cellphone use, that strengthens your legal claim. At Wade Law, our lawyers examine cell phone records and other evidence to hold negligent drivers legally accountable.
Immediate Steps to Take After a Crash Caused By a Distracted Driving Accident
An Atlanta distracted driving accident can change your life in seconds. Your first steps matter because they protect your health and help prove the crash caused your injuries. At Wade Law, our lawyers see many crashes involving distracted drivers, including texting and driving and other driver electronic device use. Use the checklist below to protect your rights under Georgia law.
Call 911 and Seek Medical Attention For Injuries Caused By The Accident
Call 911 right away. Ask for police and an ambulance if you feel pain, dizziness, or shock. Medical records can link your injuries to the driving accident and support payment for medical expenses and medical bills. This step matters even if you think you feel fine. Some serious injuries show up later.
Document Everything At The Scene of the Accident
Take clear photos at the accident scene. Capture vehicle damage, road marks, traffic signs, and any items that suggest driver distractions, like a cell phone in the other driver’s hand or food near the steering wheel. Get names and numbers for witnesses and other passengers. Ask the officer how to get the police report. Write down what you remember while it is fresh, including any statements like “I was texting” or “I looked down.”
Do Not Admit Fault For The Distracted Driving Accident
Do not guess about fault at the scene. Do not apologize in a way that sounds like an admission. An insurance company can use that against you under comparative negligence rules. Stick to facts when you speak to the police and the other driver.
Consult a Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
A distracted driving accident lawyer can act fast to secure evidence. Our lawyers can request video, interview drivers involved, and seek cell phone records that show cellphone use, voice calls, or texts at the time of the car crash. We also handle insurance calls so you can focus on healing. Ask Wade Law for a free consultation.
Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer for Distracted Driving Accidents
A distracted driving accident can turn your life upside down in minutes. At Wade Law, our lawyers focus on proof and results.
Our Distracted Driving Attorneys Gather All The Evidence For Your Legal Case
We secure evidence that distracted drivers and insurance companies try to hide. Our lawyers send legal requests and subpoenas for cell phone records, traffic camera footage, dash cam video, and business surveillance near the accident scene.
We Build Your Distracted Driving Accident Case Based On The Facts
Our lawyer team builds your distracted driving accident case based on the facts. We review police reports for driver distractions and admissions, gather eyewitness testimony, and work with experts who link the crash to driver negligence.
Our Lawyers Fight Insurance Companies From Denying Your Distracted Driving Accident Legal Claim
We handle insurance companies that push low offers and use legal tactics like comparative negligence to shift blame. Our lawyers protect you and fight for fair value.
We Help Get The Maximum Compensation You Deserve For Your Distracted Driving Accident Legal Claim
Finally, our lawyers pursue full legal compensation, including medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. For serious injuries or wrongful death, our lawyers fight for damages covering the full harm your family suffered.
Compensation Available in Distracted Driving Accident Cases
If a distracted driver caused your injuries, Georgia law allows you to seek multiple types of compensation through a personal injury legal claim. A distracted driving accident lawyer at Wade Law will calculate the full value of your claim and fight to secure maximum compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover measurable financial losses from your accident. This includes medical bills, hospital stays, surgery costs, physical therapy, prescription medications, and emergency room treatment. You can also recover lost wages from missed work and compensation for future medical expenses if you need ongoing care. If your injuries affect your ability to work long-term, you may receive compensation for reduced earning capacity.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages address the personal impact of your injuries that don’t have a specific dollar amount. These include pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and permanent scarring or disfigurement. Legal representation helps ensure these serious effects are properly valued in your legal claim.
Property Damage
Property damage compensation covers the cost to repair or replace your vehicle after the crash. This also includes damage to personal belongings inside your car at the time of the accident, such as electronics, clothing, or other items.
Punitive Damages
In cases involving gross negligence or reckless behavior—such as a driver texting while speeding through a school zone—Georgia law may allow punitive damages. These are designed to punish extremely dangerous conduct and deter similar behavior. Your lawyer can determine if punitive damages apply to your distracted driving case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Proving Distracted Driving Accidents
After an Atlanta distracted driving accident, you may feel stuck because you didn’t see the cell phone at the moment of impact. That’s common. At Wade Law, our lawyers build distracted driving cases with facts, timelines, and proof showing the other driver lost attention and failed to use reasonable care.
How can I access the at-fault driver’s cell phone records?
You cannot demand cell phone records yourself. A distracted driving accident lawyer requests them through the legal process using subpoenas to cell phone carriers. Our lawyers compare call logs, texts, and data use to the crash time listed in police reports and accident scene evidence.
What if the insurance company claims I was partially at fault?
Georgia uses comparative negligence—your legal compensation drops if you share blame, but you can still recover damages if you are less than 50% at fault. Our lawyers push back with eyewitness testimony, video, vehicle damage, and crash reconstruction while handling insurance companies so you don’t argue while healing.
Can I prove distracted driving without video footage?
Yes. Video helps but isn’t required. Cellphone use, witness statements, officer notes, and physical evidence show driver distractions. Skid marks and lack of braking support legal claims the driver didn’t focus on driving.
Are fatal crashes from distracted driving common?
Yes. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data links distracted driving to many fatal motor vehicle crashes annually, causing serious injuries or wrongful death claims.
How do Georgia laws help in distracted driving cases?
Georgia law bans texting and limits handheld devices. These rules support legal claims that distracted drivers acted negligently, helping us hold at-fault drivers legally accountable and pursue medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
Wade Law: Helping You Get The Settlement You Deserve For Your Distracted Driving Accident Case
If you got hurt in a distracted driving accident, you deserve answers. At Wade Law, our lawyers help people after crashes involving distracted drivers in Georgia.
A distracted driving accident lawyer can prove the other driver wasn’t paying attention—whether due to texting, phone calls, eating, or other distractions. These choices cause serious injuries and fatal crashes.
Schedule A Free Case Review With Our Lawyers For Your Distracted Driving Accident Claim
Contact us by calling 770-282-1188, or filling out our online form. During your free legal consultation, our lawyers review the facts and explain Georgia law. We examine police reports, photos, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and cell phone records to build your case.
You don’t need to bring everything when you call. Our lawyers will help fill the gaps. If a distracted driver caused your accident, we’ll fight to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage.
