Beware Of Accident Claim Touts
Someone showed up quickly after your accident offering to sort everything out for a cut.
Someone may approach you unsolicited after an accident, offering to run your claim for a cut. This is a warning sign. Soliciting legal business this way is professional misconduct under Malaysian law.[1]
Watch especially for someone at a hospital or police station. A genuine lawyer does not usually find clients this way.
Azman is a lorry driver recovering in a hospital near Alor Setar after a highway collision. Within days, someone claiming to work with a well known law firm approached him. They pushed him to sign a form on the spot.
Something about the urgency felt wrong. It turned out this person had no verifiable connection to any firm at all.
What this looks like in practice
Watch for someone who approaches you directly and unprompted. This often happens soon after the accident, while you are still shaken or in hospital.
They tend to push for a quick signature. They rarely give you time to think or ask questions. A genuine lawyer does not usually need to operate this way.
Why this is illegal, not just distasteful
Soliciting or procuring legal business through a runner or agent is professional misconduct. This applies especially where a fee or a cut of any compensation is involved.[1] The rule sits in the Legal Profession Act 1976 and the Practice and Etiquette Rules 1978.
This rule exists to protect injured people. It guards against exactly this kind of pressure at a vulnerable moment.
How to check who you are dealing with
Ask directly for the person’s name. Ask whether they are a lawyer themselves, and which firm they represent. Then verify this independently, rather than relying on what you were told.
A short pause to check costs you little. Signing something in a rush can be very difficult to undo later.
If you think this has already happened to you
Review any document you signed as soon as you can. Do this ideally with an independent lawyer. Do not assume you must continue simply because something has already started. Should I let someone run my claim covers this situation in more depth.
Choosing carefully from the outset protects you from this altogether. How to choose a road accident lawyer explains how.
Common questions
How do I know if someone approaching me is a genuine lawyer or a tout?
A genuine lawyer does not typically approach accident victims unsolicited at a hospital, a police station, or through a stranger who suddenly appears with an offer to help. Ask for their name and the law firm they work for, and verify this independently rather than taking it on trust.
Is it illegal for someone to approach me offering to run my claim for a cut?
Soliciting legal business this way, particularly through a runner acting for a fee, is professional misconduct under Malaysian law.[1] It is worth being wary of anyone operating this way, whether or not they claim to be connected to a lawyer.
What if I already agreed to let someone handle my claim this way?
It is worth reviewing what you agreed to as soon as possible, ideally with an independent lawyer, rather than continuing simply because something has already started. You are not obliged to continue with an arrangement that concerns you.
Can a tout still get me a genuine payout if they seem to know what they are doing?
Even where someone seems knowledgeable, involving an unlicensed intermediary in your claim creates real risk, including how your compensation is handled and who ultimately has access to your money and documents.