At-Fault (Tort) System
The driver who causes a car accident in Atlanta is legally responsible for your losses. We start with their insurer, then pursue every other applicable policy.
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$1.9B+ Recovered · Rear-End, Rideshare & DUI Crashes · Free 24/7 Review
Local trial team that secures traffic video, 911 audio & vehicle & trip data (onboard/app logs) fast — you pay nothing unless we win.
First 48 hours for crash cases: pull the APD/GSP report number, request corridor/intersection video, contact witnesses, and set a clear treatment plan.
Start Your Free Case Review
or call (678) 981-9022
Reviewed by Phillip Hairston, Esq. — Atlanta Trial Attorney • Updated •
Attorney bio
| After a car accident, you deserve more than a claims number — you deserve a team that fights for your health, your future, and your peace of mind. Why Atlanta Trusts Us
What We Do for You
Whether it’s negotiating with insurers or presenting your story to a jury, our
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Phillip HairstonTrial Attorney • Atlanta, GA Born and raised in Stone Mountain, now in Atlanta. A Georgia Tech Chemistry grad with a J.D. from Washington University School of Law, Phillip brings rare perspective: he Cases He Handles
Credentials & Memberships
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Reviews shown are from Google. Individual experiences vary.
More than $1.9 billion recovered for clients firm-wide. Below are representative motor-vehicle outcomes. Every case is different; results depend on your facts, injuries, venue, and available insurance.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. You owe no attorney’s fees unless we recover for you. Court costs and case expenses may be the client’s responsibility.
We offer car wreck victims committed and relentless legal representation to ensure you receive full and fair compensation for your claim. Here at Thompson Law, we will construct a robust case with compelling evidence to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
The actions you take in the first 24–72 hours can make or break your case. Follow this checklist, then call our
Atlanta law firm for guidance.
Call 911 and get to safety.
For traffic collisions, a police report anchors the claim and documents fault, injuries, and insurance.
Get medical care immediately.
ER or urgent-care records help prove causation—even when symptoms appear hours or days later.
Document the scene.
Photos of vehicle positions, damage, skid marks, hazards, signals/lighting, injuries, and nearby cameras.
Collect information.
Drivers and witnesses, insurance, company names (for commercial vehicles), VINs and plate numbers.
Request the police report.
APD and Georgia State Patrol reports can be pulled through APD records/BuyCrash—we can obtain them for you.
Avoid discussing fault.
Stick to facts; casual apologies can be used against you later.
Depending on the policy and defendant (e.g., motor carriers), you may be able to bring claims directly
against an insurer. We evaluate carrier status, policy forms, and recent case law to pursue every available path to recovery.
— protect your deadline
Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) data shows
Fulton County consistently reports the highest number of crashes and injuries in the state—Atlanta is the epicenter.
Knowing where and why accidents happen helps our Thompson Law attorneys build stronger cases and anticipate insurer defenses.
| ✓ | Heavy congestion → rear-end & multi-car chain reactions. |
| ✓ | Sudden lane changes; frequent rush-hour merges. |
| ✓ | Often involves multiple insurers & disputed fault. |
| ✓ | High speeds + heavy truck traffic. |
| ✓ | Rollover/jackknife risks; catastrophic injuries. |
| ✓ | See national rankings for risk: Forbes. |
| ✓ | Urban intersections; red-light & unsafe-turn crashes. |
| ✓ | Frequent T-bones; risks to pedestrians & cyclists. |
| ✓ | High rideshare volume through Midtown/Downtown. |
| ✓ | Buckhead, Midtown, Sandy Springs, Decatur. |
| ✓ | Nightlife & distracted driving → DUI & pedestrian risks. |
| ✓ | Feeder roads to I-285 & GA-400; higher speeds. |
By tying your case to these known patterns, our Atlanta accident attorneys strengthen claims with local evidence that resonates with
judges, juries, and insurers—often the difference between a lowball offer and maximum compensation.
Every crash is unique, but patterns repeat on Atlanta’s busiest corridors. Knowing how wrecks happen helps our knowledgeable attorneys secure the right evidence fast and build cases insurers can’t ignore.
| ✓ | Sudden slowdowns on I-75/85 (Downtown Connector) & I-285 → chain reactions. |
| ✓ | “Low-impact” hits still cause whiplash, spine & concussion injuries. |
| ✓ | Often multiple insurers & disputed fault. |
| ✓ | Red-light runs & unsafe lefts at Peachtree & 14th, Moreland @ I-20. |
| ✓ | Frequent T-bones; severe side-impact injuries. |
| ✓ | We use signal timing, cam footage & witnesses to prove fault. |
| ✓ | Buckhead, Midtown, Downtown nightlife corridors = higher DUI risk. |
| ✓ | Pursue compensatory—and when available—punitive damages. |
| ✓ | Early evidence capture (video, BAC, bar receipts) matters. |
| ✓ | Texting/in-dash screens → rear-end & sideswipes on GA-400, I-20. |
| ✓ | Phone records & telematics help prove distraction. |
| ✓ | Dash-cam & intersection video preserved ASAP. |
| ✓ | Uber/Lyft/Amazon/DoorDash may provide platform coverage (often up to $1M). |
| ✓ | Coverage depends on driver status (app off, waiting, on trip). |
| ✓ | We stack policies to maximize recovery. |
| ✓ | UM/UIM can step in when the driver flees. |
| ✓ | We move fast to secure traffic-cam video & plate reads. |
| ✓ | Witness canvassing & leads before they disappear. |
Whatever the scenario, we preserve black-box data, camera footage, and witness evidence early—and pursue every coverage layer to protect your claim.
See how our Atlanta car accident lawyers can help »
The essentials you need after a crash in Atlanta — deadlines, fault rules, insurance, and the steps to start your claim.
Save or share with family, providers, or your adjuster.
Government-involved crashes: Separate ante litem notices apply (city/county/state). Missing these can bar your claim even if liability is clear.
See the FAQ below or ask us to file notices on your behalf.
911, medical care, photos/video, witness info, police report number. We send spoliation letters for cam and black-box data.
Records, bills, wage loss, coverage mapping (at-fault, UM/UIM, rideshare, employer, umbrella).
Evidence-backed demand; we push for policy-limits and counter “minor impact” or pre-existing arguments.
Trial-ready from day one; strategic offers can shift fees if the defense won’t deal reasonably.
The driver who causes a car accident in Atlanta is legally responsible for your losses. We start with their insurer, then pursue every other applicable policy.
After a wreck, insurers protect profits—not people. Know the playbook so you don’t leave money on the table.
Requested when you’re vulnerable; answers get twisted later. Our move: we handle the adjuster and control the record.
Checks before the full diagnosis or future care is known. Our move: evidence-backed demand with future-care analysis.
Stall until bills force a bad settlement. Our move: file suit, set deadlines, and use strategic offers to add fee pressure.
Claim your injuries weren’t caused by the crash. Our move: treating-physician opinions, before/after proof, and medical causation.
“Small damage = small injury.” Our move: photos, vehicle & trip data (onboard/app logs) biomechanics, and specialist reports to prove harm.
At Thompson Law, we build every case trial-ready from day one—locking down evidence, mapping every policy (at-fault, UM/UIM, rideshare, umbrella), and pushing for full value on medical bills, wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and diminished value.
Some Atlanta crashes involve special laws, multiple insurers, or overlapping policies. We untangle liability, preserve critical evidence, and unlock every available dollar.
Crashes with police cars, MARTA buses, or city trucks trigger strict ante litem notices—miss them and your claim is usually barred.
We draft, file, and serve notices immediately so your rights are preserved.
Pileups on I-285 and the Downtown Connector often involve multiple negligent parties. Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) and delivery (Amazon/DoorDash) claims may access platform coverage—often up to $1M.
When at-fault limits are low or the driver flees, UM/UIM can fill the gap. Georgia’s add-on UM stacks on top of at-fault limits; reduced-by UM offsets them.
We model dollar-by-dollar damages, time settlement offers strategically, and file suit when carriers won’t negotiate fairly.
Timeline: Investigate & treat → Demand package → Negotiate → File suit if needed → Settlement/Mediation/Trial.
Evidence checklist: report number (APD/GSP), photos/video, driver/witness info, insurance, provider list, receipts (tow, rental, meds), employer note.
Fees: No fee unless we win. Regular updates by phone, text, or email. Help arranging care even without health insurance.
— Talk to an Atlanta Lawyer
From day one, we treat every case as trial-ready. Here’s our proven step-by-step process to maximize your recovery.
We secure police reports, CAD/911 audio, dashcam & traffic-cam footage, and vehicle & trip data (onboard/app logs) before it’s lost.
We connect your diagnoses to the crash, work with treating doctors, and document future care and functional limits.
Our team reconstructs the crash, applies Georgia’s comparative-fault rules, and anticipates insurer defenses to stay ahead.
We identify every policy that may apply — at-fault driver, employer, rideshare, UM/UIM, umbrella — and stack coverage where possible.
We create a dollar-by-dollar accounting of medical costs, wage loss, future care, pain & suffering, property damage, and diminished value.
We time demands for maximum leverage and are prepared to file suit if the insurer won’t be fair — keeping pressure on until we win.
If you were hurt in Buckhead, Midtown, Downtown Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Decatur, College Park, or East Point, our firm is ready to help. We know the local roads and intersections where car crashes frequently occur—from the Downtown Connector and I-285 to Peachtree Street and Ponce de Leon Avenue—and we use that knowledge to build the strongest case possible.
Whether your wreck happened in a busy Midtown intersection, a Buckhead parking lot, on I-285 near Sandy Springs, or a neighborhood street in Decatur, we’ll hold the at-fault driver and their insurer accountable. Our team understands Georgia’s traffic laws, comparative negligence rules, and insurance tactics—and we’ll fight to protect your rights from day one.
Schedule your free consultation today with an Thompson Law car accident lawyer who knows your neighborhood.
Call Us: (678) 981-9022
Atlanta office: 1201 Peachtree St NE, Unit 2200, Atlanta, GA 30361
Free case review: We’ll listen, answer your questions, and map the next steps—TODAY.
A car accident lawyer can investigate liability (police reports, traffic cams, black box data), gather medical proof, calculate damages (medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, diminished value), and identify all insurance coverage (liability, UM/UIM, rideshare, umbrella). They negotiate aggressively—and take your case to court if needed.
In Atlanta, the at-fault driver’s insurer usually pays for repairs or a total loss. You may also use your own collision coverage (with a deductible). Georgia law also allows claims for diminished value—the drop in market worth even after quality repairs—when supported by evidence.
Settlement timelines vary. A simple case may resolve in a few months, while serious injuries or liability disputes can take a year or more. Cases requiring lawsuits often take 12–24 months. Factors include medical treatment length, insurer cooperation, and whether litigation is required.
Yes. Georgia follows modified comparative negligence. If you’re less than 50% at fault, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Example: if you’re 30% at fault, a $100,000 award becomes $70,000. If you’re 50% or more at fault, you cannot recover.
No. Insurance adjusters often use statements against you to dispute fault or minimize injuries. Give only basic facts at the scene, then decline recorded statements until you’ve consulted a lawyer. Your attorney can communicate with insurers to protect your claim.
You may turn to your Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. Georgia offers “add-on” UM (which stacks on top of the at-fault driver’s limits) and “reduced-by” UM (which offsets those limits). A lawyer can help identify and maximize all available coverage, including household or employer policies.
Thompson Law charges NO FEE unless we obtain a settlement for your case. We’ve put over $1.9 billion in cash settlements in our clients’ pockets. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your accident, get your questions answered, and understand your legal options.
State law limits the time you have to file a claim after an injury accident, so call today.