Georgia Law Allows You To Sue Out-of -State Parties
It is a common scenario in Atlanta. An Atlanta area resident is seriously injured in a car accident caused by and out-of-state driver, usually driving a rental car and in Atlanta for a convention or business function. After the accident, the out-of-state driver returns to his home state (many times thousands of miles from Atlanta.
Fortunately, Georgia's "Long Arm" statute allows for Atlanta residents to sue the out-of-state driver her in Atlanta (most often in Fulton or Dekalb County State Court).
The official code of Georgia, § 9-10-91, provides: A court of this state may exercise personal jurisdiction over any nonresident . . . as to a cause of action arising from any of the acts, omissions, ownership, use, or possession enumerated in this Code section, in the same manner as if he were a resident of the state, if in person or through an agent, he
(1) Transacts any business within this state;
(2) Commits a tortious act or omission within this state, except as to a cause of action for defamation of character arising from the act;
(3) Commits a tortious injury in this state caused by an act or omission outside this state if the tort-feasor regularly does or solicits business, or engages in any other persistent course of conduct, or derives substantial revenue from goods used or consumed or services rendered in this state;
This gives us the legal basis to sue the out-of-state defendant in Georgia and lawfully enforce any judgment obtained.
As an Atlanta Car Accident attorney, Robert Fleming helps victims of auto accidents in recover compensation for losses due to a personal injury in Atlanta Georgia.
