What to Do After a Car Accident in Georgia: The First 72 Hours. O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273: a driver in a crash causing injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more must immediately notify the local police department if inside a municipality, or the sheriff or State Patrol outside city limits. Personal-injury suits are generally filed within two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Call (470) 852-6328. Cooper Law publishes no case results.
Reviewed by Omar A. Cooper, Esq. · Last updated September 3, 2026
At the scene
Safety and 911
O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273: a driver in a crash causing injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more must immediately notify the local police department if inside a municipality, or the sheriff or State Patrol outside city limits.
Cooper Law office: 260 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303; website phone (470) 852-6328. No results or testimonials exist.
§ 40-6-273 reporting
A call in the first 72 hours is about preserving evidence, not valuing a claim.
For cases commenced on or after April 21, 2025, seat-belt non-use may be considered on negligence, comparative negligence, causation, assumption of risk and apportionment of fault (SB 68/69). Do not speculate about a reader's belt use.
O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273: Immediate police notification if injury, death, or $500+ apparent property damage.
The report
BuyCrash
GDOT: police crash reports are available through BuyCrash (LexisNexis). Reports can also be requested by mailing GDOT's request form.
Support: 1-866-215-2771. Crash Reporting Unit, 935 United Ave.
EPORTS for GSP
SE, Bldg 24, Atlanta, GA 30316. Five-year Crash Data Dashboard is public.
Georgia DPS EPORTS sells DPS-prepared crash reports (State Patrol). Similar reports by municipal/county agencies are not available through EPORTS.
City PD windows
Crash reports are generally prepared within three to five business days; serious crashes can take longer.
Medical care in the first 72 hours
Document symptoms
Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, is a Level I trauma center on the Georgia DPH designated list (updated 05/20/2026). Seek care based on symptoms; this page does not triage.
Trauma centers are designated, not recommended by this page
What not to do
Point to the recorded-statements guide. No fear-mongering.
Deadlines that are not 72 hours
Two years
Personal-injury lawsuits: two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). City vehicle: six-month ante litem.
County/state: 12 months. The first 72 hours is not the legal deadline — but evidence disappears.
Ante litem
Georgia uses modified comparative fault: damages reduced by the plaintiff's percentage of fault; no recovery at 50% or more (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33(g)). Early photos and the official report matter because fault share is litigated.
The verified statutory points:
- **O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33** — Two-year filing period.
Georgia law that applies
- O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273 — Immediate police notification if injury, death, or $500+ apparent property damage.
- O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 — Two-year filing period.
Attorney advertising. This is general information about Georgia law, not legal advice for a particular person, and it does not create a lawyer-client relationship.
What this page does not claim
Cooper Law publishes no case results and no client quotes. This page does not promise a recovery, name an average settlement, claim Spanish-language service, or describe a satellite office. The only office is 260 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303. Call (470) 852-6328.
Related pages
Related Cooper Law pages:
Sources: O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273 · GDOT Crash Data & Reporting · Georgia DPS EPORTS FAQs · O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 · O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 · SB 69 seat-belt applicability · Georgia DPH designated trauma centers · Cooper Law - owner-confirmed NAP
The firm
Owner-confirmed: Omar A. Cooper, Esq.; 260 Peachtree St NW; (470) 852-6328. Attorney advertising disclaimer required.
Where these facts were opened
Each fact on this page was opened at the source listed in the verified brief. O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273; GDOT Crash Data & Reporting; Georgia DPS EPORTS FAQs; O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33; O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33; SB 69 seat-belt applicability; Georgia DPH designated trauma centers; Cooper Law - owner-confirmed NAP.
O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273: a driver in a crash causing injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more must immediately notify the local police department if inside a municipality, or the sheriff or State Patrol outside city limits. Opened at O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273.
GDOT: police crash reports are available through BuyCrash (LexisNexis). Reports can also be requested by mailing GDOT's request form. Support: 1-866-215-2771. Crash Reporting Unit, 935 United Ave. SE, Bldg 24, Atlanta, GA 30316. Five-year Crash Data Dashboard is public. Opened at GDOT Crash Data & Reporting.
Georgia DPS EPORTS sells DPS-prepared crash reports (State Patrol). Similar reports by municipal/county agencies are not available through EPORTS. Crash reports are generally prepared within three to five business days; serious crashes can take longer. Opened at Georgia DPS EPORTS FAQs.
Personal-injury lawsuits: two years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). City vehicle: six-month ante litem. County/state: 12 months. The first 72 hours is not the legal deadline — but evidence disappears. Opened at O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33.
Georgia uses modified comparative fault: damages reduced by the plaintiff's percentage of fault; no recovery at 50% or more (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33(g)). Early photos and the official report matter because fault share is litigated. Opened at O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33.
For cases commenced on or after April 21, 2025, seat-belt non-use may be considered on negligence, comparative negligence, causation, assumption of risk and apportionment of fault (SB 68/69). Do not speculate about a reader's belt use. Opened at SB 69 seat-belt applicability.
Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, is a Level I trauma center on the Georgia DPH designated list (updated 05/20/2026). Seek care based on symptoms; this page does not triage. Opened at Georgia DPH designated trauma centers.
Cooper Law office: 260 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303; website phone (470) 852-6328. No results or testimonials exist. A call in the first 72 hours is about preserving evidence, not valuing a claim. Opened at Cooper Law - owner-confirmed NAP.
FAQs
Do I have to call the police after a Georgia crash?
If the crash caused injury, death, or apparent property damage of $500 or more, O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273 requires immediate notice to local police inside a city, or the sheriff/State Patrol outside city limits.
How do I get the crash report?
Many agencies use BuyCrash (GDOT's public path). Georgia State Patrol reports are on EPORTS. Some city PDs still sell copies at a records window — check the investigating agency.
Should I give a recorded statement in the first 72 hours?
You are not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer in the first 72 hours. See the recorded-statements guide for O.C.G.A. § 33-4-6 and § 9-11-67.1.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
Two years for personal injury (§ 9-3-33), plus shorter written-notice periods against governments.
Where is a Level I trauma center in Atlanta?
Grady Memorial Hospital is a Level I trauma center on the Georgia DPH designated list.
Talk to Cooper Law
Reviewed by Omar A. Cooper, Esq. Call (470) 852-6328 or send the details. The office is 260 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303.
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