[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/statute-of-limitations-for-georgia-car-accidents\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/statute-of-limitations-for-georgia-car-accidents\/","headline":"Statute of Limitations for Georgia Car Accidents","name":"Statute of Limitations for Georgia Car Accidents","description":"How Long Is the Statute of Limitations for a Car Accident in Georgia? A statute of limitations\u00a0is a law that sets a deadline for filing a lawsuit. The time in which a lawsuit may be filed is called a \u201climitations period.\u201d When the limitations period expires, the right to file a lawsuit is lost. It… Continue reading Statute of Limitations for Georgia Car Accidents<\/span><\/a>","datePublished":"2023-05-18","dateModified":"2026-04-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/matt-kahn\/#Person","name":"Matt Kahn","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/matt-kahn\/","identifier":25,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e04949bdf1f2184cdeab337bb39535a4c17c4beb3ad3cd47e5524b20b38274a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e04949bdf1f2184cdeab337bb39535a4c17c4beb3ad3cd47e5524b20b38274a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Butler Kahn","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","width":210,"height":93}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/pa-banner-car-accident.jpg","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/pa-banner-car-accident.jpg","height":430,"width":640},"url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/statute-of-limitations-for-georgia-car-accidents\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA","name":"LAWYER: Explains Statute of Limitations (or Deadline) in Georgia Personal Injury Cases","description":"There is a deadline by which a personal injury case must be filed, as most people know. Lawyers call that deadline the \"statute of limitations.\" It refers to the deadline by which a plaintiff's claim must be filed with the court. \n\nUnder Georgia law, there are different statutes of limitation (i.e., different deadlines) for different kinds of cases. The general statute of limitations for personal injuries is two years from the date of the injury. In this video, we discuss that rule and an important exception. \n\nThis rule applies in most types of cases that we handle. It applies in personal injury cases and in wrongful death cases. It applies in tractor-trailer accidents, car accidents, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, and bicycle accidents. It applies in shooting cases, sexual assault cases, and product liability cases. \n\nFor more about who we are and what we do, visit https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/\n\n\u2757DISCLAIMER\u2757\n\nWe are not your lawyer. All content provided is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Any verdicts, settlements or other case results discussed are not guaranteed and must be evaluated on their own merits.\n\nButler Kahn: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/\n\nAtlanta, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/Y3fCFkRVAn7jzGD16\n\nLawrenceville, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/PaShwcicz5DQDFsD6\n\nRoswell, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/uTVtgfq3RspJ5QQbA\n\nJonesboro, Georgia location:\nhttps:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/Jr2umQB8o32QaaRK6\n\nFree Guides:\nWhat To Do After a Car Accident: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/georgia-car-accident-lawyers\/what-to-do-after-an-accident\/\nShould I Hire an Accident Lawyer: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/atlanta-car-accident-lawyers\/when-needed\/\nGeorgia Wrongful Death Statute Explained: https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/georgia-wrongful-death-statute-explained\/\n\nJOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA\nFACEBOOK LINK: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/butlerfirmllc \nTWITTER LINK: https:\/\/twitter.com\/Butler_Firm \nINSTAGRAM LINK: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/butler_law_firm\/ \nLINKEDIN LINK: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/butlerfirm\/ \n\nSEE OUR REVIEWS \nGOOGLE REVIEWS: https:\/\/search.google.com\/local\/writereview?placeid=ChIJoR24iRoG9YgRSH8GpDMLiMQ FACEBOOK REVIEWS: \nhttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/butlerfirmllc\/reviews\/","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VrqP3xl8-GA\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VrqP3xl8-GA\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VrqP3xl8-GA\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VrqP3xl8-GA\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VrqP3xl8-GA\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2020-11-12T15:27:14+00:00","duration":"PT3M37S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VrqP3xl8-GA","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw","name":"Butler Kahn","description":"We help people and families.\n\nOur firm specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases. We are based in Atlanta, Georgia. We handle cases across Georgia and, for certain types of cases, all across the country.\n\nTOP-QUALITY LEGAL WORK. We do the work that lots of law firms skip. We track down witnesses, dig into the evidence, and prepare intensely for every deposition, trial, and hearing. We take a small number of cases so that we can devote our full attention to the clients we represent.\n\nPERSONAL SERVICE. If you hire us, you get us. You won't get blocked by a receptionist or leave unreturned messages. If you want to speak with your lawyer, you can.\n\nDOING WHAT WE SAY WE'LL DO. Some law firms make big promises at the beginning, then don\u2019t follow through. We shoot straight \u2013 when we tell you something about your case, good or bad, we mean it. No fake promises.\n\nButler Kahn\n10 Lenox Pointe\nAtlanta, GA 30324\n678-940-1444\n","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/NTOsbNEALVOnRbUCg7jUzYGcC4kNKsUTEVHm5TtiTQdLlfFKksLTnmiZG_t6zDG_e4ygtnva=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":1131}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":12}]},"about":["Car Accident","Liability","Personal Injury","Wrongful Death"],"wordCount":926,"articleBody":"How Long Is the Statute of Limitations for a Car Accident in Georgia?A statute of limitations\u00a0is a law that sets a deadline for filing a lawsuit. The time in which a lawsuit may be filed is called a \u201climitations period.\u201d When the limitations period expires, the right to file a lawsuit is lost.It might seem unfair to cut off the right to file a lawsuit, but limitation periods serve important interests. They encourage people and businesses that have legal claims to resolve those claims promptly, while the evidence is still fresh. They also allow people to move forward with their lives without worrying that a lawsuit is on the horizon.Each state sets its own limitations period for filing different types of lawsuits. For instance, most states allow more time to sue for a breach of contract than for a car collision. The limitations period for a motor vehicle collision depends on the state in which the collision occurred.[su_youtube url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrqP3xl8-GA&feature=youtu.be”]Statute of Limitations for Georgia Car AccidentsGeorgia\u2019s statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of the collision to file a car accident lawsuit. However, the unique circumstances of your case could mean that you have even less time to take action.Georgia\u2019s Car Accident Statute of LimitationsThe statute of limitations for Georgia motor vehicle collisions is found in section 9-3-33 of the Georgia Code. A lawsuit for\u00a0injuries caused by a car\u00a0accident must be filed within 2 years after the right to sue \u201caccrues.\u201dIn car accident cases, the right to sue usually accrues on the date of the collision. However, the 2-year window can be \u201ctolled\u201d which means paused pending a criminal investigation or possible investigation for up to 6 years. A personal injury lawyer can determine whether any of the exceptions to that rule might cause the right to sue to accrue at a later date.Georgia\u2019s 2-year limitations period is fairly short, but not unusual. Almost half of all states have a 2-year statute of limitations period for car accident injuries. Other states have limitation periods ranging from 1 to 6 years.When car accident injuries cause an accident victim\u2019s death, the accident victim\u2019s estate can\u00a0bring a wrongful death lawsuit. The same 2-year limitation period applies to wrongful death claims.Exceptions to the Georgia Car Accident Limitations PeriodThe 2-year limitation period applies to most car accidents in Georgia, but there are exceptions. For example, if the injured driver was driving for work and wants to bring a workers\u2019 compensation claim\u00a0instead of a personal injury claim (the usual strategy when the accident was caused by the injury victim\u2019s own carelessness), the deadline for making a workers\u2019 comp claim is much shorter. Injury victims in that situation should get advice from both a personal injury lawyer and a workers\u2019 compensation lawyer.An injury victim who is under the age of 18 at the time of the accident will usually be able to file a personal injury lawsuit at any time before reaching the age of 20. Accident victims who are legally incompetent because of a mental disability when the accident occurs also have a longer period of time in which to sue.A shorter limitation period applies to claims against counties and to county employees who caused an accident while working. That limitation period is usually 12 months from the date of the accident.Georgia law also requires injury victims to give formal notice of their claim to the state, county, municipality, or other governmental entities if the claim will be made against the government or its employee. Notice to the state must be given within 1 year and to local governments within 6 months. Notice requirements prior to suing the government are not limitation periods, but they are strictly enforced. The failure to give timely notice may lead to a loss of the right to bring a successful lawsuit. It is essential to consult a lawyer immediately when a car accident is caused by a government employee.Bringing the Lawsuit to Another StateWhen a limitations period expires, a personal injury lawyer might explore the possibility of bringing the lawsuit in a state that has a longer limitations period. In cases involving an\u00a0accident in Georgia between two Georgia residents, the law typically requires the lawsuit to be brought in Georgia, preventing the injury victim from taking advantage of a longer limitations period in another state.In unusual cases, however, circumstances might allow the lawsuit to be filed in a different state. When the negligent driver was a resident of a different state or was engaged in work-related driving for an out-of-state employer, it might be possible to file a lawsuit outside of Georgia. That isn\u2019t automatically true, so an Atlanta personal injury lawyer\u00a0will need to examine both Georgia law and the law of the other state to determine whether the circumstances permit a lawsuit to be filed elsewhere.In most cases, however, the expiration of the Georgia limitations period ends the right to sue for car accident injuries that occurred in Georgia. That makes it very important to consult an Atlanta car accident lawyer as soon as possible after an accident occurs. The attorney will want to conduct a prompt investigation while the evidence is still fresh, and may try to settle the case without filing suit. All of that requires the lawyer to become involved well before the deadline for filing a lawsuit is reached."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Statute of Limitations for Georgia Car Accidents","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/statute-of-limitations-for-georgia-car-accidents\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]