Officer basically did nothing after I got hit by a clearly impaired driver — now what?

I went through something really similar last year — driver ran a red light and I'm almost certain he was on something, and the cop who responded was completely checked out. Never investigated the impairment angle at all. What I did was file a formal complaint with the department's internal affairs or civilian review board (depends on your city). Nothing came of it for me personally, but I felt better having it on record. It also created a paper trail. Definitely worth looking into.

Don't let the 'we acknowledge fault' call from their insurance lull you into a false sense of security. That's often the opener before they start lowballing you on your actual damages. Get everything documented — photos, your own written account of the scene, anything. And do NOT give them a recorded statement without thinking it through first.

Not legal advice, but from a legal standpoint the lack of a police report or citation doesn't necessarily tank your civil claim — especially since the other insurer is already indicating liability. The impairment angle could matter more if your damages are significant or if this ever escalated to a lawsuit. Might be worth a free consult with a PI attorney just to understand your options. Most won't charge anything to talk.

Worked claims for years. The insurance company acknowledging fault is meaningful, but 'admitted fault' from an adjuster over the phone is not the same as a signed agreement. Get that in writing however you can. Also, if there's any chance you have injuries — even soft tissue stuff you're brushing off right now — please get checked out before you resolve anything. Adjusters move fast to close files when liability isn't contested.

File the complaint against the officer — not because it'll change what happened, but because it creates a record. Then focus your energy on the insurance side because that's where your actual leverage is. Don't sign anything, don't accept any first offer, and see a doctor even if you feel 'fine.'

Please go get evaluated if you haven't already. Adrenaline after an accident is real and it genuinely masks pain and injury — I see it constantly. People feel okay at the scene and then wake up two days later with serious neck or back issues that turned into something because they waited. Even a basic urgent care visit starts the medical documentation you'd need if this becomes a bigger claim.

A few things that might help: First, if there were any other witnesses at the scene, try to track them down now — witness memories fade fast. Second, check whether any nearby businesses or traffic cameras might have captured the incident. That footage gets overwritten quickly. Third, your state may have a way to request a crash report be completed through the DMV or DOT even without officer cooperation — it varies by state but it's worth googling your specific state's rules on self-reported accident reports.

I don't want to be harsh but I'm curious — did you actually see the officer interact with the other driver up close? Sometimes what looks like 'doing nothing' from our end is a cop making a quick judgment call that impairment isn't provable enough for a DUI charge (which has a high bar). Not defending bad police work, just wondering if there's more to the story on that piece. Either way the complaint process still exists for a reason.