Police said nothing can be done
An officer told you to just accept it, and you believed that was the final word.
An officer saying nothing can be done sounds like a verdict on your whole situation. In Malaysia, the police handle the criminal and traffic side of an accident. That is a separate track from your civil claim for compensation. One closing does not close the other.
Why this line feels so final
An officer telling you to accept the situation carries weight. Such comments are common where the damage is minor, the evidence is unclear, or the vehicle was never identified, so police may not pursue criminal action.
That is about the criminal or traffic side, not your right to seek compensation.
Why the police cannot decide your civil claim
A civil claim for your injury is pursued against the at-fault driver’s insurer. The insurer’s duty to satisfy a valid judgment exists whatever the police decide to pursue.[1] Who is at fault after an accident is assessed on evidence for the civil claim, which can include the same police report even where no prosecution follows.
If a driver fled and was never identified, separate limits apply. See a hit-and-run situation explained.
What to do after hearing this
These steps keep your options open whatever the police decide.
- Get a copy of your own police report, even if no further action is being taken.
- Keep every medical record and piece of evidence you already have.
- Ask specifically whether the vehicle or driver was identified, since that changes what routes apply.
- Treat the police response as one part of the picture, not the whole answer.
The honest limits
If the driver or vehicle cannot be identified, that limits which compensation route applies. Where the driver is identified but the police are not pursuing a prosecution, your civil route generally remains open.
What to do next
A road accident claim explains how the civil route works, and do you need a lawyer helps you decide. An independent lawyer can take on the claim and pursue it through the insurer. Send the accident date, where it happened, whether anyone was injured (yes/no), and the police report status.
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
Common questions
If police say nothing can be done, is my claim over?
No. The police handle the criminal and traffic side of an accident, which is separate from a civil compensation claim pursued through insurers and, if needed, the courts. One does not decide the other.
Why would police tell me nothing can be done?
This is often about whether they will pursue a prosecution or further investigation, based on their own evidence or resources, not a statement about your right to civil compensation.
What if the other driver was never identified?
That is a genuinely harder situation and worth understanding honestly on its own. If the vehicle is later identified, further routes can open up even after an initial dead end.
What should I do if I am told this?
Keep your own police report, medical records and any evidence you have, and pursue the civil side separately through the relevant insurer or a lawyer. The police response on one side does not close the other.
Sources
- Road Transport Act 1987, s.96 (Ministry of Transport) (accessed 2026-09-22)
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.