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Nevada Injury Claim Deadlines: Every Time Limit in One Place

Every Nevada injury deadline in one place: 2-year injury suits, 3-year vehicle damage, 6-year UM/UIM contract claims, government, medical, and child claims.

Legally reviewed by C. Jared Clark, Esq. — Designated responsible attorney · Published November 7, 2026

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In short: Most Nevada injury lawsuits must be filed within 2 years of the injury. Vehicle and other property damage gets 3 years. A claim against your own insurer under uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage is a contract claim with a 6-year period that generally starts when the insurer refuses to pay. Claims against government bodies, doctors, and hospitals, and claims by children, follow special rules covered below.

This page collects the time limits that come up in Las Vegas injury cases into one reference. Clark Law Group's practice pages explain each kind of case in depth; this guide is the place to check the clock.

Key Takeaways

  • The general deadline for an injury or wrongful death lawsuit in Nevada is 2 years (NRS 11.190(4)(e)).
  • Damage to a car or other personal property has a 3-year deadline (NRS 11.190(3)(c)).
  • Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims against your own insurer use the 6-year written-contract period, generally counted from the insurer's refusal to pay.
  • If a crash was not investigated at the scene and caused injury, death, or $750 or more in damage, the driver must send the DMV a report within 10 days (NRS 484E.070).
  • Government defendants: damages are capped at $200,000 per claimant with no punitive damages (NRS 41.035).
  • Medical providers (injuries on or after Oct. 1, 2023): 3 years from injury or 2 years from discovery, whichever comes first (NRS 41A.097).
  • The clock on a child's own claim generally does not run until the child turns 18 (NRS 11.250).

On This Page

What is the general deadline for a personal injury lawsuit in Nevada?

Two years. NRS 11.190(4)(e) sets a 2-year limit for an action "to recover damages for injuries to a person or for the death of a person caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another." That one sentence covers most of the cases people call a law firm about: car and truck crashes, motorcycle and bicycle collisions, pedestrian injuries, dog bites, falls on someone else's property, and assaults in poorly secured hotels, apartment complexes, and parking garages.

The deadline is for filing a lawsuit in court. It is not a deadline to call the insurance company or to finish treatment. A claim can be open with an insurer for a year and a half and still be lost if no complaint is filed by the 2-year mark. In practice, a lawyer needs time before that date to gather records, send a demand, and decide whether a settlement is fair or a suit is needed, which is why a crash in March of one year is usually being worked hard by the following winter.

Most of these lawsuits in Southern Nevada are filed in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, though the right court depends on where the parties live and how much is at stake.

What deadlines apply after a car, truck, or motorcycle crash?

A vehicle crash can carry four separate clocks at once:

  1. The DMV crash report (10 days). If police did not investigate at the scene and the crash caused injury, death, or apparent damage of $750 or more to any one person's property, NRS 484E.070 requires a written report to the DMV within 10 days, usually on the SR-1 form. Skipping it can put a license at risk under NRS 484E.080.
  2. The injury lawsuit (2 years). NRS 11.190(4)(e) applies whether the other vehicle was a sedan, a semi, a delivery van, or a motorcycle.
  3. The property damage lawsuit (3 years). NRS 11.190(3)(c) gives more time for the car itself. Most people settle the property claim early, but if an insurer refuses to pay for the vehicle, the longer period matters.
  4. Your own policy's notice terms. Auto policies require prompt notice of a crash and cooperation with the insurer. These are contract terms, not statutes, but breaking them can create a coverage fight.

Rideshare crashes follow the same 2-year rule for the injury lawsuit. What changes is whose insurance applies, which depends on what the driver's app was doing at the moment of the crash. The firm's page on Uber and Lyft accidents walks through those coverage periods.

How long do I have to bring an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim?

Generally 6 years, counted from the day your own insurer refuses to pay, but you should not wait anywhere near that long.

Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is part of your policy. When you make that claim, you are asking your insurer to keep a promise in a written contract. In Grayson v. State Farm (1998), the Nevada Supreme Court applied the 6-year limit for written contracts in NRS 11.190(1)(b) to a UIM claim and held that the period did not begin until the insurer refused payment. The court repeated that reasoning in State Farm v. Fitts (2004).

Three practical cautions keep that longer period from becoming a trap:

  • The claim against the at-fault driver still has a 2-year clock. Many UIM claims begin only after the other driver's limits are paid, and getting those limits often means filing suit against the driver within 2 years.
  • Policies require prompt notice. Late notice can give your insurer an argument to deny coverage altogether.
  • Settling with the other driver first can cause problems. Many policies require you to tell your own insurer before you accept the at-fault driver's limits and sign a release.

A hit-and-run is treated as uninsured under NRS 690B.020 only if the crash was reported to the city police, the county sheriff, or the Nevada Highway Patrol within the time the crash-reporting statutes require. The firm's uninsured motorist claims page explains how those claims are proved.

What changes when the government is responsible?

The lawsuit deadline is still generally 2 years, but three rules change how a claim against Nevada, Clark County, the City of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, or another public body works.

  • An administrative claim is available, not required. NRS 41.036 says a claim against the State goes to the Attorney General, and a claim against a city, county, or other political subdivision goes to its governing body, within 2 years. Subsection 3 of the same statute says filing that claim is not a condition before suing. Some people file it anyway to give the agency a chance to resolve the matter.
  • Damages are capped. NRS 41.035 limits an award to $200,000 per claimant, plus post-judgment interest, and bars punitive damages.
  • The right defendant must be named. Lawsuits against public bodies have naming rules under NRS 41.031 and 41.0337. Getting the name wrong can sink the case even when it is filed on time.

Common examples in Las Vegas include crashes with city or county vehicles, Regional Transportation Commission buses, school district vehicles, and injuries tied to public property.

What is the deadline for claims against doctors and hospitals?

For an injury on or after October 1, 2023, NRS 41A.097 generally requires a lawsuit against a provider of health care within 3 years after the date of injury or 2 years after the injured person discovers or reasonably should have discovered the injury, whichever comes first. Injuries from October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2023 used a shorter discovery period of 1 year. The statute also pauses the clock in some cases where a provider concealed facts.

Medical negligence claims have other requirements that ordinary injury claims do not, including a cap on noneconomic damages in NRS 41A.035. Clark Law Group's practice centers on accident and injury cases; anyone with a possible medical claim should get it reviewed early because of these extra steps.

Does a child get more time?

For the child's own claim, usually yes. NRS 11.250 provides that time during which a person is under 18 when the claim arose generally does not count toward the limitation period. That means a teenager hurt in a crash may still be able to file after turning 18.

Two cautions:

  • Not every related claim waits. A parent's claim for medical bills the parent paid, or a claim on behalf of the family, can follow different timing.
  • Evidence does not wait. Video, phone records, vehicle data, and witness memory disappear long before a child's 18th birthday. Waiting years to investigate weakens even a claim that is still legally on time.

Settlements for minors in Nevada also generally need court approval, so a child's case has its own steps even when it never goes to trial.

Which deadlines are shorter than the statute of limitations?

The statute of limitations is the outer edge. Several practical deadlines arrive much sooner and often decide how strong a case is.

| What | How long | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | DMV report when police did not investigate (injury, death, or $750+ damage) | 10 days | NRS 484E.070 | | Casino surveillance video in required coverage areas (nonrestricted licensees) | At least 7 days; 15 days starting April 3, 2027 | Nevada Gaming Control Board Surveillance Standards, Standard 9 | | Notice to your own auto insurer | "Prompt" under most policies | Policy terms | | Written notice of a work injury to the employer (if the crash happened on the job) | 7 days | NRS 616C.015 | | Workers' compensation claim form (C-4) | 90 days | NRS 616C.020 | | Notice to Nevada Medicaid when a recipient asserts a claim against a third party | When the claim is asserted | NRS 422.293001 |

Business surveillance outside casinos, phone records, and vehicle event data have no single legal retention rule. Many systems overwrite footage in days. A written request to preserve evidence, sent early, is often the most important step in the first week.

Can the deadline be paused or extended?

Sometimes, but the exceptions are narrow and fact-specific:

  • Minority: discussed above under NRS 11.250.
  • Legal incapacity: NRS 11.250 also covers some people who are legally insane when the claim arises.
  • Concealment by a health care provider: NRS 41A.097 pauses the clock in certain concealment cases.
  • Written tolling agreements: parties can sometimes agree in writing to extend time, but an informal promise from an adjuster is not enough.

What does not pause the clock: ongoing medical treatment, negotiations, a pending criminal case against the driver, or not knowing the full value of the injury yet. If the deadline is close and treatment is not finished, a lawyer can file the lawsuit to protect the claim and keep working on the medical picture while the case is pending.

Do insurance talks stop the clock?

No. This is the misunderstanding that costs injured people the most. An adjuster may ask for more records, schedule a recorded statement, or make a low offer close to the 2-year mark. None of that changes the filing deadline. If the case is not resolved in writing before the deadline, the only way to protect it is to file in court.

Insurers know the dates. A settlement offer that arrives a few weeks before the statute runs is worth reading with that timing in mind.

How does the firm keep track of deadlines?

When Clark Law Group reviews a new injury matter, the first questions are about dates: when the injury happened, who may be responsible, whether a government body, an employer, or a medical provider is involved, and whether the injured person was under 18. Those answers decide which deadlines in this guide apply.

Consultations on injury matters are free, and the firm states that on personal-injury matters there is no attorney fee if there is no recovery. A written fee agreement explains how fees and case costs are handled before you sign; Nevada's Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c) requires contingent fee agreements to be in writing. The firm is at 2320 Potosi St, Las Vegas, NV 89146, and you can reach it at (702) 840-5221 any time, 24/7, or through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Nevada?

For injuries, generally 2 years from the crash under NRS 11.190(4)(e). For damage to your car or other property, generally 3 years under NRS 11.190(3)(c). Insurance talks do not pause either clock, so a lawsuit has to be filed in court before the deadline even if the adjuster is still reviewing the claim.

Does the 2-year deadline apply to wrongful death claims too?

Yes. A Nevada wrongful death lawsuit generally must be filed within 2 years under NRS 11.190(4)(e). When the clock starts can depend on the facts, such as whether the person died at the scene or later, so families should not count on extra time.

How long do I have to make an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim?

A claim against your own insurer under your UM or UIM coverage is a contract claim. The Nevada Supreme Court has applied the 6-year written-contract period in NRS 11.190(1)(b) and held that it generally starts when the insurer refuses to pay. Your policy can still require prompt notice, so tell your insurer about the crash right away.

Is the deadline different if a city, county, or state vehicle hit me?

The lawsuit deadline is still generally 2 years, but claims against Nevada government bodies have extra rules. NRS 41.036 lets you file an administrative claim within 2 years, though it is not required before a lawsuit. NRS 41.035 caps damages at $200,000 per claimant and bars punitive damages.

What is the deadline for a medical malpractice claim in Nevada?

For injuries on or after October 1, 2023, NRS 41A.097 generally requires filing within 3 years after the injury or 2 years after you discover it, whichever comes first. Older injuries follow earlier versions of the rule. Medical claims also have their own filing requirements, so they need early review.

Does a child have more time to file an injury claim?

Often, yes. Under NRS 11.250, the years before a child's 18th birthday generally are left out when the clock on the child's own claim is counted. Related claims, such as a parent's claim for medical bills the parent paid, can follow different timing, so families should not assume every deadline waits until the child turns 18.

Do insurance negotiations stop the statute of limitations?

No. Talking to an adjuster, sending medical records, or receiving a settlement offer does not stop the filing deadline. Only filing a lawsuit in the right court, or a signed written agreement that meets legal requirements, protects the claim once the deadline is close.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

The person or company you are suing can ask the court to dismiss the case, and courts usually grant that request. The insurer also loses its main reason to negotiate. A few exceptions exist, such as for minors, but they are narrow, so the safest plan is to treat the earliest possible deadline as the real one.

Sources

Disclaimer

This guide is general information about Nevada law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Which deadline applies turns on the facts, and the Legislature can amend these statutes. Past results do not guarantee, predict, or warrant a similar outcome.

Talk with Clark Law Group about your deadline

If you are not sure which clock applies, or the 2-year mark is getting close, call (702) 840-5221 for a free consultation, or send a message. The office is at 2320 Potosi St, Las Vegas, NV 89146.

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