What To Do After a Car Accident in Atlanta: 7 Critical Steps Before You Call the Insurance Company

 

A car accident in Atlanta can turn your day upside down in seconds. Before you pick up the phone to call any insurance company, Atlanta Car Accident Attorneys Humphrey and Ballard want to give you these seven critical steps help protect your health, your legal rights, and the value of your claim.

1. Move to Safety and Check for Injuries

Your first priority is safety.

• If your vehicle is drivable, carefully move it to the shoulder or a safe nearby area to reduce the risk of a second crash, consistent with Georgia’s guidance on clearing minor collisions.​
• Check yourself, your passengers, and occupants of the other vehicle for injuries. Even if injuries seem minor, they can worsen over hours or days.​
• Call 911 right away if anyone is hurt or might be hurt. Georgia law requires reporting crashes involving injury, death, or significant property damage.​

If the crash is more than a simple fender-bender, consider speaking with an Atlanta car accident lawyer as soon as the scene is safe, so you don’t say or sign anything that hurts your claim later.​

2. Call the Police and Get an Official Report

Do not skip calling law enforcement, even if the other driver asks you to “just handle it between us.”

• Call 911 and request police to the scene. The officer’s report becomes key evidence for insurance claims and any future lawsuit.​
• When speaking with officers, stick to clear facts—date, time, location, direction of travel, vehicles involved, and visible injuries or damage. Avoid guessing about speed or fault.
• Ask how to get your report. Georgia crash reports are managed through official systems used by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and local agencies.​

You can later request or verify crash data and reporting information through state resources such as:

• Georgia DOT’s crash data and reporting information
• Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety traffic records data overview:

3. Document the Scene Like an Investigator

Evidence disappears quickly once vehicles are moved or towed.

• Take wide and close-up photos of vehicle positions, damage, skid marks, road conditions, traffic lights, and signage.
• Photograph visible injuries, deployed airbags, and any debris in the road.
• Collect full names, phone numbers, and email addresses for drivers, passengers, and witnesses; note license plate numbers and insurance information.​

4. Get Medical Care Immediately (Even If You “Feel Fine”)

A normal adrenaline rush after a collision can mask serious injuries.

• Visit an ER, urgent care, or your primary doctor as soon as possible. Many head, neck, back, and internal injuries don’t show symptoms for hours or days.​
• Tell providers exactly how the crash happened and what parts of your body hurt so your medical records clearly link injuries to the collision.
• Keep copies of every record and bill: visit summaries, imaging, prescriptions, physical therapy notes, and referrals. These documents are the backbone of your injury claim.

Educational links:

• Overview of Georgia car accident laws and damages, including fault rules and time limits
• Explanation of Georgia’s modified comparative negligence standard
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5. Preserve Evidence and Start a Simple Paper Trail

Insurance companies pay very close attention to documentation.

• Create a dedicated folder on your phone or cloud drive for accident photos, videos, and texts related to the crash.
• Save tow, storage, and rental car receipts, plus estimates or invoices from repair shops.
• Track missed work days and reduced hours so you can prove lost wages.
• Keep a short daily journal of pain levels, sleep problems, mood changes, and activities you can no longer do; this helps support non-economic damage claims.​
• Avoid posting about the crash or your injuries on social media; insurers and defense teams often review public profiles for anything that can be used against you.​​

6. Understand Georgia Fault Rules and Deadlines Before You Call Insurance

Knowing the legal basics helps you avoid saying things that can be twisted against you.

• At-fault system: Georgia uses an at-fault system, meaning the driver who caused the crash (and their insurer) is generally responsible for the harm they cause.​
• Modified comparative negligence: If you are less than 50% at fault, you can still recover damages, but your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.​
• Two-year statute of limitations: For most injury cases, you generally have two years from the crash date to file a lawsuit, though property-only claims may have different timelines.​

7. Talk to an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer Before Any Insurance Call

This final step can make the biggest difference in your outcome.

• Insurance adjusters are trained to limit what the company pays. Early recorded statements, casual comments about pain, or signing broad medical authorizations can severely devalue your claim.​
• A lawyer can step in to handle all communication with insurers, advise you on what documentation to share, identify all potential insurance policies, and time your claim so it isn’t settled before the full impact of your injuries is clear.​
• For many people, a brief call with counsel before speaking with insurance avoids costly mistakes and sets the case up correctly from day one.

Contact Our Office For Immediate Assitance.