Running-down action: Meaning in a Malaysian Claim

A running-down action is the traditional legal name for a lawsuit arising from a road accident, most often a claim for personal injury or death.

Malaysian court structure treats this type of claim specially. The Sessions Court has unlimited jurisdiction to hear a running-down action regardless of the amount claimed, so almost all motor accident suits are filed there rather than in the High Court.^[1] This keeps the process more accessible than the value of a serious injury claim might suggest.

Most running-down actions still settle before trial, with the court appearance limited to recording the agreed outcome.

Filing a motor accident claim in court explains what starting one involves.