Georgia Crash Damages, 2025 Tort Reform, Medical Expenses & Seat-Belt Evidence

• Medical expenses: current Georgia law now requires analysis of both charged amounts and evidence of amounts actually paid or reasonably necessary, rather than assuming gross billed charges alone define recoverable medical loss.
• Seat-belt evidence: SB 68 changed prior Georgia law so evidence of seat-belt nonuse may be admitted for specified purposes, subject to ordinary evidentiary rules.
• Trial procedure: the Act authorizes an election for separate determination of fault and damages in qualifying bodily-injury and wrongful-death trials.
• Noneconomic damages: the Act regulates when counsel may argue a monetary value for noneconomic damages.
• Document wage loss, future medical needs, noneconomic harm and property loss independently from past medical billing evidence.

Primary Georgia Sources

• Georgia Senate Bill 68 / Act 9 (2025) — signed legislation text
• Georgia Legislative Counsel — 2025 Summary of General Statutes Enacted

Current-law review: September 17, 2026. Act 9 became effective April 21, 2025, with specific applicability provisions; match the operative section to the date of loss and procedural posture.