Have you experienced an injury in the state of Georgia? A personal injury attorney can provide legal advice about your rights. An attorney can help to evaluate whether or not you have a legal claim against the party who injured you, which is why legal aid should always be your first resource after you're injured.
What is a Personal Injury Claim?
Injuries occur every day in Georgia, as well as throughout the US. When someone is negligent or careless and causes you to be injured, that’s considered a personal injury. There are many different types of personal injuries, but by far the most common are accidents involving motor vehicles.
When you’re involved in an automobile accident, it’s important to have your case reviewed by an experienced and competent personal injury lawyer. You need to seek help from one who’s licensed in the state in which you were injured.
There are more than 3,000 personal injury attorneys licensed in the state of Georgia. Seek help from one as soon as you suspect you have a personal injury case.
Often, the party that has caused the injury will deny blame. The insurance company that represents them may also try to minimize your losses. Whether your accident involved the MARTA rail system or a personal vehicle, learn more about your legal rights. Don’t settle a claim before knowing all the facts.
An attorney may even be able to settle your case out of court. Others must pursue litigation to get you the help you need. It’s important to note that a trial attorney that specializes in the area of personal injury won’t expect compensation unless they win their case for you.
What Are Georgia Personal Injury Laws
Personal injury is a broad legal term covering a wide range of different types of cases. Common types of personal injury cases include (but aren’t necessarily limited to) the following:
- Car accidents
- Product liability cases
- Premises liability cases
- Medical malpractice
- Pedestrian accidents
- Public transportation accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
Personal injury laws can also vary somewhat from one state to another. In regard to personal injury in Georgia, laws to be aware of include the following:
- At-fault car accident laws: Georgia is what’s known as an “at-fault,” “fault,” or “tort” state for car accidents. When a motor vehicle accident occurs in Georgia, a victim can seek compensation by filing a claim with the insurance of the driver whose negligence caused their accident. In a no-fault state, a victim would seek compensation by filing a claim with their own insurance.
- Statute of limitations: The statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in Georgia is two years. This means a victim typically has two years from the time an accident occurred to file a claim or lawsuit. However, this deadline can sometimes vary depending on the specifics of a case.
- Premises liability: Generally, a property owner is liable if someone with a legal right to be on their property is injured because the property owner failed to “exercise ordinary care” to guard against hazardous conditions.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of laws regarding personal injury in Georgia. To better understand how Georgia’s laws may affect your case, strongly consider discussing the case with an attorney.
How Does a Personal Injury Case Work?
When you’ve been injured, you should obtain legal representation. Once an attorney has gathered all the evidence and records needed, they will advise you whether or not they believe you should proceed with your claim.
If they deem your claim valid, they may recommend that your case is filed at the courthouse located in the same city or county where your accident occurred. You may have to file your case at one of the following courthouses:
Atlanta:
Lewis R. Slaton Courthouse
136 Pryor Street C155
Atlanta, GA 30303
Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Augusta-Richmond:
735 James Brown Blvd.
Suite 1500
Augusta, GA 30901
Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Columbus:
100 10th Street, Government Center
Columbus, GA 31901
Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Savannah:
Chatham County Courthouse
133 Montgomery St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Find an Attorney Today!
It’s important to find an attorney as soon as possible if you’ve been injured in an accident. Most personal injury cases in the state of Georgia have a statute of limitations of two years.
Keep in mind, there are exceptions to the rule and only an attorney who’s knowledgeable about Georgia state law can determine what yours are. Fill out our Free Case Evaluation so that we can connect you with a local personal injury attorney.
Helpful Resources
Driving Laws in Georgia
Filing a Family Dollar Slip and Fall Claim in Georgia*
Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Georgia
