q I was in a car accident and I reported it to police. Officers arrived and the blame was laid on the other driver. However, the officer failed to give me a police report because the other party did not have insurance. What can I do from here? My car is considered a total loss by my insurer but I cannot get a payout because I don’t have a police report.

a In this case, you would be able to file a civil case against the other driver for causing you damages. Prosecutors and a court of law have the authority to demand a report of the accident from police. But you should also be ready to present documents to back up your claim when filing the case with prosecutors. Any papers you possess that can confirm your allegations should be presented to them. The civil court will then rule what, if any, compensation is due to you.

I have a will from Serbia attested by the Serbian embassy in the UAE. Do I still have to approach the will dispute authority at Dubai International Financial Centre to register my will?

Even if you have a will stamped by your embassy, it is still advised that you complete the procedures of registering it at DIFC, because you are a resident of the UAE. The same goes if the will is issued under the name of someone else. This person, or a legal representative of them, also needs to have the will registered if they are a resident in the UAE. However, if you are a non-resident, there is no need to register it at the financial centre.

Yousef Al Bahar is an advocate at Al Bahar & Associates Advocates and Legal Consultants. If you have a question, please email it to newsdesk@thenational.ae with the subject line “Know the law”. The advice here is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.