# Nevada car accident law: deadlines, fault and your claim

> Nevada car accident claims: the 2-year injury deadline, the 51% fault bar, DMV crash reports, claims against government and insurance minimums.

Canonical page: https://accidentclaimfacts.com/location/nevada/  
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team  
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

## Quick answer

In Nevada you generally have 2 years to file a lawsuit for crash injuries or a death, and 3 years for damage to your vehicle. Nevada uses modified comparative fault: your damages are cut by your share of fault, and you recover nothing if your fault was greater than that of the people you sue. Drivers must also send a crash report to the DMV within 10 days in many crashes that police did not investigate.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Injury lawsuit deadline | 2 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) |
| Vehicle damage deadline | 3 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(3)(c) |
| Wrongful death deadline | 2 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) |
| Fault rule | Modified comparative: barred at 51% or more | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 41.141(1) |
| Claim against a government body | 2 years to file a claim | Optional before suing |
| Minimum liability insurance | $25,000 / $50,000 / $20,000 | Per person / per crash / property |
| Insurance system | At-fault | Personal injury protection: Not required |
| Traffic deaths, 2024 | 417 | IIHS |
| State Bar lawyer referral | 800-789-5747 | Toll-free |

## Filing deadlines in Nevada

Nevada's statute of limitations for most crash lawsuits is in NRS 11.190. The same limit, 2 years, covers injuries and wrongful death, while property damage has a longer window.

| Claim | Deadline | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Personal injury | 2 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) |
| Damage to your vehicle or other property | 3 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(3)(c) |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) |
| Claim against the state or a local government | Claim may be filed within 2 years | NRS 41.036 |

For an injured child, Nevada law does not count the time before the child turns 18 toward the deadline (NRS 11.250). This pause is a form of tolling, and it can give a family much longer than two years.

Claims against government work differently in Nevada than in many states. A tort claim can be filed with the Attorney General (for the state) or the local governing body (for a city or county) within 2 years, but filing it is not a condition for bringing a lawsuit. The ordinary lawsuit deadline is still the date to watch.

> **Warning:** Talking with an insurer does not pause any Nevada deadline. If a claim is still open as the two-year mark nears, a lawsuit may need to be filed to protect it.

## How fault is shared in Nevada

Under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 41.141(1), your own carelessness does not bar recovery as long as it was not greater than the combined fault of the people you are suing. The judge or jury sets a percentage for each party, and your damages are reduced by yours.

> **Example:** A driver turning left in Reno is hit by a car that ran a red light. A jury finds the turning driver 30% at fault for not checking traffic. The turning driver recovers 70% of their proven damages. At 51% fault, they would recover nothing.

Because one percentage point can decide whether you recover at all, adjusters often argue over small details of a crash. The [fault-rule explainer](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/tools/fault-rule-explainer/?state=nv&fault=20#fault) shows how Nevada compares with other states.

## Insurance in Nevada

Nevada is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their insurer, pays for the losses. Every driver must carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injuries, plus $20,000 for property damage. Nevada does not require personal injury protection.

Insurers must offer you other coverage, which you may turn down:

- **Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.** Must be offered at your bodily injury limits; optional. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that 11.1% of Nevada drivers were uninsured in 2023, against 15.4% nationally.
- **Medical payments coverage.** Must be offered (at least $1,000); optional. It pays medical bills whoever caused the crash.

Questions about an insurer's conduct go to the Nevada Division of Insurance: 888-872-3234 (toll-free); 775-687-0700 (Carson City); 702-486-4009 (Las Vegas). Our guide on [who pays medical bills](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/money/who-pays-medical-bills/) explains the order in which these coverages usually pay.

## After a crash in Nevada

Nevada law puts these duties on drivers in a crash:

1. **Stop and stay.** Stop at or near the scene of any crash that injures or kills someone, and stay until you have met the duties below (NRS 484E.010).
2. **Share information and help.** Give your name, address and vehicle registration number, and give reasonable help to anyone injured (NRS 484E.030).
3. **Call the police if no officer is there.** Drivers must report the crash right away to the nearest police office or the Nevada Highway Patrol if no officer is present and the crash happened on a highway or injured or killed someone (NRS 484E.030).
4. **Report to the DMV.** Drivers must send a written crash report to the DMV within 10 days when a crash on a highway causes injury, death or $750 or more in damage, unless an officer's report lists your insurance (NRS 484E.070). The DMV's form for this is the SR-1.

When an officer investigates a crash with injury, death or apparent damage of $750 or more, the officer submits a report to the Department of Public Safety within 10 days. For a Highway Patrol report, contact the Nevada Highway Patrol office for the area where the crash happened. In Las Vegas, the Metropolitan Police Department charges $12 for a copy. Our guide to the [police report](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/claim-process/police-report/) explains how to read one and fix errors.

## Special rules in Nevada

**Punitive damages.** In most injury cases, punitive damages are capped at 3 times compensatory damages when those are $100,000 or more, or $300,000 when they are less (NRS 42.005). They require clear and convincing proof of oppression, fraud or malice. When a driver caused the injury after willfully using alcohol or another substance in violation of Nevada's DUI laws, the punitive damages cap does not apply (NRS 42.010).

**Claims against government.** An award against a Nevada government body or public employee is capped at $200,000 per claimant and cannot include punitive damages (NRS 41.035). This matters after a crash with a public bus, police car or state truck.

**Court-annexed arbitration.** A district court damages case worth $100,000 or less per plaintiff must first go to nonbinding arbitration under NRS 38.250, unless the parties use another approved method.

## Crashes on Nevada roads

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety counted 417 crash deaths in Nevada in 2024. That is 12.8 per 100,000 people, compared with 11.5 per 100,000 people nationally. Speeding was involved in 33% of Nevada's crash deaths, and 25% happened on rural roads.

## Finding a lawyer in Nevada

The State Bar of Nevada runs a Lawyer Referral Service at 800-789-5747 (toll-free) or 702-382-0504, with [online referrals](https://nvbar.org/for-the-public/find-a-lawyer/lawyer-referral-process/) at any hour. A referred lawyer may charge $45 for a first consultation of up to 30 minutes. A referral does not mean the lawyer is a certified specialist.

Before you hire anyone, our guide to [checking a lawyer's license](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/choosing-a-lawyer/check-a-lawyers-license/) explains what to look for. If your crash happened in Clark County, the [Las Vegas guide](https://accidentclaimfacts.com/location/las-vegas/) covers local police, courts and reports.

## FAQ

### What is the statute of limitations for a car accident in Nevada?

Generally 2 years for injuries and wrongful death, and 3 years for damage to your vehicle. For an injured child, the time before the child turns 18 does not count.

### Is Nevada a no-fault state?

No. Nevada is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused the crash is responsible for the losses, usually through their liability insurance. PIP is not required, but insurers must offer medical payments coverage.

### Can I recover if I was partly at fault in Nevada?

Yes, if your fault was not greater than that of the people you are suing. Your damages are reduced by your percentage; at 51% or more, you recover nothing.

### Do I have to report a car accident to the Nevada DMV?

Often, yes. Drivers must send a written crash report to the DMV within 10 days when a crash on a highway causes injury, death or $750 or more in damage, unless an officer's report lists your insurance. The report is the DMV's SR-1 form.

### Does Nevada cap damages in car accident cases?

Punitive damages are capped in most cases at 3 times compensatory damages when those are $100,000 or more, or $300,000 when they are less, but the cap does not apply to a claim against a driver who was impaired by alcohol or drugs. Awards against government bodies are capped at $200,000 per claimant.

### How do I get a Nevada Highway Patrol crash report?

Contact the Nevada Highway Patrol office for the area where the crash happened. If a city police department or sheriff's office took the report, ask that agency; in Las Vegas, the Metropolitan Police Department charges $12.

## Sources

- [Nevada Legislature, NRS chapter 11](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-011.html) — limitation periods and tolling for minors
- [Nevada Legislature, NRS chapter 41](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-041.html) — comparative negligence and claims against government
- [Nevada Legislature, NRS chapter 484E](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-484E.html) — duties after a crash, DMV and officer reports
- [Nevada DMV, SR-1 Report of Traffic Crash](https://dmv.nv.gov/pdfforms/sr1.pdf) — the driver's crash report form
- [State Bar of Nevada, Lawyer referral process](https://nvbar.org/for-the-public/find-a-lawyer/lawyer-referral-process/) — referrals and consultation fee
- [Justia (2024 Nevada Revised Statutes), NRS 41.141](https://law.justia.com/codes/nevada/chapter-41/statute-41-141), checked October 29, 2026
- [Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists](https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists), checked October 29, 2026
- [Nevada Department of Public Safety, Records requests](https://www.dps.nv.gov/records-req/), checked October 29, 2026
- [Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Records and Fingerprint Bureau service fees](https://www.lvmpd.com/about/bureaus/records-and-fingerprint-bureau/service-fees), checked October 29, 2026
- [Nevada Legislature, NRS 42.005](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-042.html), checked October 29, 2026
- [Nevada Legislature, NRS 38.250(1)(a)](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-038.html), checked October 29, 2026
- [Nevada Division of Insurance, Automobile Insurance](https://doi.nv.gov/Consumers/Automobile-Insurance/), checked October 28, 2026
- [Insurance Information Institute, Background on: No-fault auto insurance](https://www.iii.org/article/background-on-no-fault-auto-insurance), checked October 28, 2026
- [Insurance Information Institute, Background on: Compulsory auto/uninsured motorists (financial responsibility limits by state table)](https://www.iii.org/article/background-on-compulsory-auto-uninsured-motorists), checked October 28, 2026
- [Nevada Legislature, NRS 687B.145, uninsured/underinsured and medical expense coverage offers](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-687b.html), checked October 28, 2026
- [Nevada Division of Insurance, Contact Us](https://doi.nv.gov/Contact-Us/), checked October 28, 2026
- [IIHS, Fatality Facts 2024: State by state](https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state), checked June 1, 2026