Not necessarily. Where you live does not determine where
your cause of action may be filed. The general rule followed
by most states is that the lawsuit can only be brought where
the defendant resides or where the defendant caused the injury.
Therefore, your attorney will generally file your case in
the immediate area in which the defendant lives or in the
immediate area where the actual injury took place.
In Georgia, if there are multiple defendants causing a single
harm (in other words, the negligent acts of several people
or entities combined to cause your injuries) you can sue all
of the defendants in any of the counties where a single defendant
resides. If the defendant is from out-of-state but the injury
was caused here, the defendant may be sued in the county in
which the injury took place.
Venue in cases under this article shall lie in any county
where a substantial part of the business was transacted, the
wrongful act or injury occurred, or where the real property
is located. Where an action is brought against a resident
of this state, any nonresident of this state who is involved
in the same transaction or occurrence and who can be sued
under the provisions of this article may be joined as a defendant
in the county where a resident defendant can be sued. O.C.G.A.
§ 9-10-93.
Where to file a cause of action can involve a complex, case-specific
analysis. It is one you should go over with your attorney.
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