Need a car accident attorney in Atlanta? Start here.
Right of Way explains Atlanta wrecks in plain English. Hurt in one? Get a free case review in four short questions.
Free case review
Step 1 of 5
Before you go on
The timing is outside this review path
This review path focuses on accidents from the last six months. Deadlines and exceptions vary, so consider speaking directly with a licensed Georgia attorney if you still need guidance. Right of Way is not a law firm and this is not legal advice.
Before you go on
This review is not the right fit
This review path is for crashes caused by another driver. If you need guidance, you can speak directly with a licensed Georgia attorney.
Before you go on
This review is not the right fit
This review path is for people who report pain or injury symptoms after an accident. If your symptoms change, you can return and complete a new evaluation.
Before you go on
This review is not the right fit
This review path is for people who have not signed an agreement with a lawyer for this accident. This does not determine whether you have a valid claim. A licensed attorney can advise you on your options.
Review requested
Your Request Is In
A Georgia law firm’s automated assistant will call about your accident. Keep your phone nearby. Call timing depends on availability.
- Expect a call. The firm’s automated assistant will introduce itself.
- Confirm the details. The assistant asks a few questions before offering a connection to intake.
- Possible attorney review. The intake team can clarify any missing details and discuss the next steps.
Free initial review
The first review of your crash costs nothing.
No obligation
You do not have to hire an attorney.
4 short questions
Then your name and a phone number.
Georgia crashes
For wrecks in Atlanta and across the state.
Start here
Crash reportsGet your crash report. First, find the agency that wrote itInside city limits it is APD. In Sandy Springs, or on a State Patrol case, it is another agency.See who has it 
The short version
- Call police if anyone is hurt or the damage looks like $500 or more. Georgia law requires it. Inside Atlanta, that is APD.
- No serious injuries and the cars still drive? Move them out of traffic. The law requires it, and moving does not make you at fault.
- Get checked, and keep every bill. For crashes since April 21, 2025, a jury can see what was billed and what was paid.
- Watch the two-year clock. Most injury lawsuits in Georgia must be filed within two years.
- Fault decides the money. Your award shrinks by your share of blame. At 50%, it is gone.
- Check a lawyer before you sign. Use the State Bar directory, and get the fee in writing.
Who handles a wreck in Atlanta
The agency depends on where the crash happened, not where you live.
Police reports
APD’s Central Records Unit keeps every report its officers write: pick one up at 3493 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy NW, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., or buy it through BuyCrash. For a State Patrol case, ask a local post or the DPS Open Records Unit. Cities such as Sandy Springs have their own police.
Courts
The State Court of Fulton County, 185 Central Avenue SW, tries serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. Magistrate courts hear claims of $15,000 or less (§ 15-10-2).
Trauma care
Grady Memorial Hospital, 80 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE, runs the Marcus Trauma Center. Grady calls it Atlanta’s only Level 1 trauma center verified by the American College of Surgeons.
Roads
GDOT counted about 437,000 vehicles a day on the Downtown Connector in 2015, with a crash rate about twice the statewide urban interstate average (2013–2015). Its free HERO crews clear crashes on 382 miles of metro freeways.
How to choose a car accident attorney in Atlanta
Start with the State Bar of Georgia’s member directory. It shows whether a lawyer is in good standing, and the Bar says it updates the list daily.
Most injury lawyers work on a contingency fee, a share of what they recover. Georgia requires that agreement in writing (Rule 1.5(c)). It must state the percentage at settlement, trial and appeal, and which expenses come out of your share.
Then ask who will do the work. If the case goes to another firm, the closing statement must show any fee split. Ask how settlement offers will reach you, too.
Last, ask about cases like yours: a pileup on the Connector, a crash with a work truck, or a driver with no insurance. A lawyer who handles car wrecks in Fulton County should explain the next steps in plain English.
Georgia deadlines and the 50% fault rule
You have two years to file a lawsuit for crash injuries (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33), usually counted from the day of the wreck. A claim for damage to your car gets four years (§ 9-3-31).
Georgia uses modified comparative fault (§ 51-12-33). Your damages go down by your share of the blame. With $100,000 in damages and 20% of the fault, you receive $80,000. At 50% or more, you receive nothing.
For crashes on or after April 21, 2025, Georgia’s SB 68 lets a jury weigh seat belt use, and see both what your doctors billed and what was paid. Keep every bill.
A crash with a government vehicle has a shorter clock. A claim against a city, such as Atlanta, needs written notice within six months (O.C.G.A. § 36-33-5). A claim against a county needs notice within 12 months (§ 36-11-1).
Do you need a lawyer after an Atlanta wreck?
Not always. A dented bumper, no injuries and a clear at-fault driver is often something you can settle with the insurer yourself. If the insurer will not pay for your car, magistrate court hears claims of $15,000 or less, and you can file there on your own.
A lawyer is worth a call when you were hurt, when the insurer says you share the blame, when the other driver had no insurance or only Georgia’s 25/50/25 minimum, when a work truck was involved, or when the two-year deadline is close.
The other driver’s insurer may call early. You can take the adjuster’s number and call back once you have your crash report and notes. Georgia’s insurance commissioner also advises against discussing blame.
What the free case review covers
Four questions: when the crash happened, whether another driver caused or contributed to it, whether you have pain or injury symptoms, and whether you have already signed with a lawyer for this accident. Not sure who caused it? You can still finish the review.
Then you leave a name and phone number. A Georgia law firm’s automated assistant calls, asks a few questions and can connect you with the intake team. The review is free, and you do not have to hire an attorney.
The review is for Georgia crashes from the last six months, inside Atlanta or anywhere in the state, when you were hurt and have not signed with a lawyer. If that fits, start the free case review.
Ask the newsroom
Straight answers to questions readers ask after an Atlanta wreck, and about the free review.
Is the case review free?
Yes. The first review is free, and you do not have to hire an attorney.
Does finishing the review mean my case is accepted?
No. The four questions check the first criteria only. An attorney must look at the full details before taking a case.
What if I’m not sure who caused the crash?
Choose “Not sure” and finish the review. The intake team can go over fault with you.
Do I have to pay a car accident attorney up front?
Many injury lawyers work on a contingency fee, a share of what they recover. In Georgia, that agreement must be in writing. Ask what happens to case expenses if there is no recovery.
I got rear-ended on the Connector and nobody was hurt. Do I have to wait in the lane for police?
No. If nobody seems seriously hurt and both cars can be driven safely, Georgia law says to move them out of the travel lanes. Moving does not make you at fault.
My crash was on I-285 in Sandy Springs. Why can’t Atlanta police find my report?
Sandy Springs is its own city, and Georgia law sends the report to the police of the city where the crash happened. Check the agency on the officer’s card.