Marietta Car Accident Lawyer
Car Wrecks In and Around Marietta
Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County, and its road network funnels a large share of the county’s traffic through a small area. I-75 runs along the east side of the city, Cobb Parkway runs northeast of downtown, and the Marietta Parkway loop circles downtown and the historic Marietta Square. A car accident on any of these roads can leave you with injuries, a damaged vehicle and an insurance company asking questions before you have had time to see a doctor.
Hoffspiegel Law represents people injured in car accidents in Marietta and throughout Cobb County from our office at 2900 Chamblee Tucker Road in Atlanta. For crashes elsewhere in the county, see our Cobb County car accident lawyer page. To see the other types of injury cases we handle in the city, visit our Marietta personal injury lawyer page, and for a general overview of car accident claims in Georgia, see our Atlanta car accident lawyer page. Crashes with tractor-trailers and other commercial trucks are covered on our Marietta truck accident lawyer page.
I-75, the Loop and Cobb Parkway: Marietta’s Crash Corridors
I-75 Exits and the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes
I-75 skirts the eastern side of Marietta, with exits 261, 263, 265 and 267 serving the city. The Northwest Corridor Express Lanes, which opened in 2018, run along I-75 from the Cumberland area near I-285 north to Acworth. Drivers moving between the toll lanes, the general lanes and the exit ramps make frequent lane changes, and in stop-and-go traffic those moves can end in rear-end and sideswipe crashes.
The Marietta Parkway Loop and Cobb Parkway (US 41)
Marietta Parkway is a ring road about 9 miles around that replaced the former SR 120 Loop. The southern segment carries SR 120 and the northern segment carries SR 120 Alternate. The Loop meets I-75 twice, at exit 263 on the south side and exit 265 on the north side, and it meets Cobb Parkway twice. On the north side, a planned overpass of US 41 was never built, so the Loop and Cobb Parkway meet at an at-grade intersection instead. Cobb Parkway itself, which carries US 41 and SR 3 northeast of downtown, is a wide commercial corridor lined with retail driveways, signals and turn lanes.
Cobb Roads Targeted for Safety Fixes
Cobb County’s 2023 Comprehensive Safety Action Plan identified Olive Springs Road, Pat Mell Road and Windy Hill Road as having high concentrations of severe crashes. The county received a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant to fund improvements there, including new signals, turn lanes, roundabouts, raised medians and better lighting.
Getting a Report From Marietta Police or Cobb County Police
If the Marietta Police Department worked your crash, the city’s Obtain a Report page explains how to get it:
- Online through BuyCrash. You will need the case number the officer gave you.
- From the Marietta Police Department Records unit at 240 Lemon Street, Marietta, GA 30060, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays. You can bring or mail a written request. The Records phone number is 770-794-5300.
If your crash happened outside Marietta city limits and Cobb County police responded, request the report through the county’s Police 2 Citizen online portal. If the Georgia State Patrol worked the crash, the Department of Public Safety directs requests to the local State Patrol post or its Open Records Unit.
Cobb County Courts Near Marietta Square
Both of Cobb County’s main trial courts are in downtown Marietta. Cobb County Superior Court’s administration is at 70 Haynes Street, and the Clerk of Superior Court is at 32 Waddell Street. The State Court of Cobb County is at 12 East Park Square. A lawsuit over a Marietta car accident is commonly filed in one of these courts, but Georgia’s venue rules depend on where the defendants reside, so the right court depends on the facts.
Claims Involving a Marietta or Cobb County Vehicle
Special notice rules apply when a government vehicle is involved. A claim against a Georgia city, such as the City of Marietta, requires written ante litem notice within 6 months (O.C.G.A. § 36-33-5). A claim against Cobb County requires notice within 12 months (O.C.G.A. § 36-11-1), and a claim against the State of Georgia also requires notice within 12 months (O.C.G.A. § 50-21-26).
Georgia Insurance Rules for Marietta Drivers
Georgia uses an at-fault system for auto insurance, which means the driver who caused the crash, through that driver’s liability insurer, pays for the harm. The required minimum liability coverage is 25/50/25: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.
- When the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may apply (O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11). It is worth checking your policy early.
- The Hands-Free Georgia Act (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241) prohibits holding a phone while driving. On I-75 and the Loop, a moment of distraction in dense traffic is enough to cause a chain-reaction crash. Learn more on our distracted driving accident page.
- Georgia follows modified comparative negligence. Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you cannot recover if you are 50% or more at fault (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). Insurers often point to lane changes or following distance to argue shared fault in highway crashes.
Evidence and Medical Records Worth Keeping
- Photos of all vehicles, the roadway, traffic signals and the final resting positions of the cars.
- Names and contact information for witnesses and the responding officer’s name and case number.
- Your own dashcam footage, and a list of nearby businesses on Cobb Parkway or the Loop that may have cameras.
- Medical records from the start. Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, at 677 Church Street NE in Marietta, is a Level I trauma center on the Georgia Department of Public Health’s designated trauma center list.
- Repair estimates, rental car receipts and records of missed work.
What a Marietta Crash Claim Can Include
An injured person can seek compensation for medical expenses, future treatment, lost wages, reduced ability to earn, pain and suffering, and property damage. If a loved one died in the crash, the family may have a wrongful death claim. If you were hit by a driver who fled, see our hit-and-run accident page.
Deadline to File a Marietta Car Accident Lawsuit
In most cases, Georgia gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33). Exceptions can apply, and government ante litem deadlines are shorter. Starting early gives your lawyer time to collect video and witness statements before they are gone.
Hoffspiegel Law’s Marietta Car Accident Practice
Our attorneys, recognized by Super Lawyers, give you direct access throughout the case and prepare it for trial from day one. The consultation is free. We work on a contingency fee, which means no attorney’s fee unless we recover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buy it online through BuyCrash using your case number, or request it from the Records unit at 240 Lemon Street, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Records phone number is 770-794-5300.
If the crash happened outside Marietta city limits and Cobb County police responded, request the report through the county’s Police 2 Citizen online portal.
Both are in downtown Marietta. Superior Court administration is at 70 Haynes Street, the Clerk of Superior Court is at 32 Waddell Street, and the State Court of Cobb County is at 12 East Park Square.
Yes. Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, at 677 Church Street NE in Marietta, is a Level I trauma center on the Georgia Department of Public Health’s designated trauma center list.
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If you were injured in a car accident in Marietta, call Hoffspiegel Law at (404) 760-8600 or send us a message to set up a free consultation.
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