At the scene
Check for injuries and call 911. In Georgia you are required to report an accident involving injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more — a threshold almost any modern collision clears. A police report also creates an independent record, which matters later.
Move vehicles out of traffic if they are drivable and it is safe. Otherwise leave them and get yourself to safety.
Exchange names, contact details, insurance information, and licence plate numbers. You do not need to discuss what happened to do this.
Photograph more than you think you need. All vehicles from several angles, the position of the vehicles before they are moved, skid marks, debris, traffic signals and signs, road conditions, the weather, and any visible injuries. These images cannot be recreated later.
Get names and phone numbers for any witnesses. Witnesses disappear, and the police report may not include everyone.
What not to say
Do not apologise or accept blame, even reflexively. Georgia reduces your compensation by your share of fault and bars recovery entirely at 50 percent or more, so a casual "I'm so sorry" at the roadside can be quoted back at you.
Do not say you are uninjured. Adrenaline masks injury, and soft-tissue and head injuries frequently take a day or more to present. "I don't know yet" is both true and safer.
Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer. They are entitled to ask; you are not obliged to agree, and it is worth speaking to an attorney first.
In the first 72 hours
Get examined, even if you feel fine. This matters medically, and it also creates a dated record connecting the collision to your injuries. A gap between the accident and your first medical visit is the most common argument insurers use to reduce a claim.
Report the accident to your own insurer, factually, without speculating about fault.
Start a file: the police report number, medical records, receipts, and a note of every missed day of work.
Keep a short daily note of pain, limitations, and what you could not do. Reconstructing this months later is nearly impossible and much less credible.
The deadlines that end claims
Two years. Georgia generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Property damage claims generally allow four years.
Much less, against a government entity. If a city, county, or state vehicle or road condition was involved, ante litem notice requirements apply and they are measured in months, not years. These are missed routinely.
Your own policy's deadline. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage carries its own notice requirements, set by the policy rather than by statute.
About that first offer
Early settlement offers usually arrive before anyone knows the full extent of an injury — often before treatment has finished. Accepting one generally closes the claim permanently, including for costs that have not yet appeared.
There is no obligation to accept, and no obligation to respond quickly. The pressure to settle fast is not a legal requirement; it is a negotiating position.
The short version
After a Car Accident in Georgia — key points
- Call 911 and get a police report
- Photograph everything before vehicles are moved
- Do not apologise, and do not say you are uninjured
- See a doctor within 72 hours even if you feel fine
- Decline a recorded statement until you have advice
- Note the two-year deadline — and much shorter ones if a government vehicle was involved
Common questions
Do I have to report a minor accident in Georgia?
Georgia requires reporting where there is injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more. Most collisions meet that threshold, and a report is useful evidence even when it is not strictly required.
The other driver wants to settle without insurance. Should I?
Be cautious. Damage and injuries are frequently worse than they appear at the roadside, and once you have agreed and separated, you may have no practical way to recover more. At minimum, document everything and get a medical assessment first.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Generally two years from the date of injury in Georgia for personal injury, and four years for property damage. Claims involving a government entity carry far shorter notice requirements, sometimes only a few months.
This guide describes general principles of Georgia law and is not legal advice. Statutes and procedures change, and how they apply depends on the facts of your situation. Speak with an attorney about your specific matter.