Nevada Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims

By Jaklin Sookiassian · October 8, 2026

Desk calendar with a date circled in red pen

In Nevada, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (NRS 11.190(4)(e)). Some claims have different or additional requirements. Claims against government entities are subject to special procedural rules and notice requirements under Nevada law. It's best to talk to a lawyer promptly.

This guide covers four things. It explains when the clock starts and the main exceptions. It also covers how claims against a city or county work and why an insurance claim doesn't pause the deadline.

The Sookiassian Firm is a Las Vegas personal injury and business law firm in Downtown Summerlin. Attorney Jaklin Sookiassian is licensed in Nevada and New York and speaks English and Armenian. We speak English, Armenian, Russian, and Farsi (Persian).

What is the statute of limitations for personal injury in Nevada?

In Nevada, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (NRS 11.190(4)(e)). Some claims have different or additional requirements, so it's best to talk to a lawyer early. If you miss the deadline, the court will usually dismiss the case, and you may lose the right to recover.

The statute applies to "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." In practice, that usually includes claims arising from:

For the bigger picture, start with our Nevada personal injury attorney page.

Keep one point in mind. This is the deadline to file a lawsuit in court. It is not a deadline to call the insurance company, and it is not a deadline to settle.

Nevada injury deadlines at a glance

Nevada injury deadlines at a glance (general rules only)
Situation	General rule	Statute	Verify with a lawyer
Personal injury	2 years, generally from the date of the injury	NRS 11.190(4)(e)	Start date and any special rules for your claim
Wrongful death	2 years, generally from the date of death	NRS 11.190(4)(e)	Who may bring the claim and when the clock started
Injured child	Time under age 18 generally not counted	NRS 11.250	A parent or guardian can usually file sooner
Claim against the State, a county, a city, or another public body	Claim filed within 2 years after the cause of action accrues	NRS 41.036	Other notice rules may apply
Vehicle or other property damage	3 years	NRS 11.190(3)(c)	Separate from the injury deadline

When does the two-year clock start?

For most injury claims, the two-year period generally starts on the date of the injury. The same two-year period generally applies to wrongful death claims under NRS 11.190(4)(e). For those claims, the clock generally starts on the date of death. Because the start date controls everything else, confirm it with a lawyer.

Injury claims

In a typical crash, fall or dog bite, the injury happens on the same day as the incident. That day is generally when the clock starts.

Wrongful death

The same two-year period generally applies to wrongful death claims under NRS 11.190(4)(e). The clock generally runs from the date of death, which may be later than the date of the accident. Our wrongful death page explains who may bring these claims.

A worked example

Say someone is hurt in a crash on March 3, 2026. Under the general two-year rule, a lawsuit would generally need to be filed by March 3, 2028. Real cases can differ, so don't plan around the last possible day. Ask a lawyer to confirm the deadline for your situation.

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Exceptions that can change the deadline

What if the injured person is a child?

Nevada law generally does not count the time a person is under 18 toward the two-year deadline (NRS 11.250). That doesn't mean a family should wait. A parent or guardian can usually bring the claim sooner, and evidence is easier to gather early. Talk to a lawyer about your child's deadline.

Legal incapacity

NRS 11.250 also stops the clock for some people who lacked legal capacity when the claim arose. The statute uses older language, and these situations depend heavily on the facts.

Is there a different deadline for claims against the government in Nevada?

Claims against government entities are subject to special procedural rules and notice requirements under Nevada law. Under NRS 41.036, a tort claim against the State goes to the Attorney General. A claim against a county, a city, or another political subdivision, such as the RTC, is filed with its governing body. Either claim is filed "within 2 years after the time the cause of action accrues."

The same statute says filing that claim "is not a condition precedent to bringing an action pursuant to NRS 41.031." That doesn't mean there are no other rules. Some public bodies may have their own notice requirements, and a missed step can hurt a claim.

These rules can come up in situations like these:

A crash with a city or county vehicle, or with an RTC bus (a private company operates RTC buses, so the claim may involve that company instead or as well)
An injury caused by a dangerous road condition
A fall on public property

Our pages on pedestrian accidents and slip and fall accidents in Las Vegas have more on these claims. If a government vehicle or public property was involved, talk to a lawyer early.

Close-up of yellow hanging hand straps on a rail inside a public bus

Insurance deadlines are different from the lawsuit deadline

Notice to your own insurer

Most auto policies require you to tell your insurer about a crash promptly. The policy sets these terms, so check yours.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims

The at-fault driver may have had no insurance or too little insurance. If so, you may have a claim under the uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage in your own policy. These claims involve your contract with your insurer, and they may have different deadlines. Ask a lawyer to review your policy.

Does talking to the insurer stop the clock?

No. An insurance claim isn't a lawsuit, and the filing deadline generally keeps running. Settlement talks can take time, so keep the two-year date in view while you negotiate. Before you give a statement, read should you talk to the insurance adjuster?

Property damage

Claims for damage to your vehicle or other property generally have a separate three-year deadline. NRS 11.190(3)(c) covers "taking, detaining or injuring personal property."

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Why waiting can hurt your claim, even inside two years

Two years can sound like plenty of time, but evidence doesn't wait:

Surveillance and dashcam video can be recorded over.
Witnesses move, change phone numbers, or forget details.
Vehicles get repaired or scrapped.
Gaps in medical care can make it harder to connect your injuries to the incident.

A lawsuit also takes time to prepare. Records must be gathered, injuries documented and the right parties identified. Starting early gives your lawyer room to do that work carefully. For first steps, see what to do after a car accident in Las Vegas.

What if you were partly at fault?

You can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault — as long as your share of fault is 50 percent or less. Your recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. Our guide to comparative negligence in Nevada explains how this works.

Were you visiting Las Vegas when you were hurt?

If you were hurt in Nevada, a lawsuit filed in Nevada generally follows Nevada's deadline, even if you've since gone home to another state. Talk to a lawyer about your situation as soon as you can.

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Talk to us in your language

We speak English, Armenian, Russian, and Farsi (Persian). Learn more on our Armenian-speaking, Russian-speaking, and Farsi-speaking personal injury pages.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Nevada?

Generally two years from the date of the injury for a personal injury lawsuit (NRS 11.190(4)(e)). Some claims have different or additional requirements. Claims against government entities are subject to special procedural rules and notice requirements under Nevada law. It's best to talk to a lawyer promptly.

Is the deadline the same for a car accident?

Generally, yes. Injury claims from a car accident usually fall under the same two-year rule in NRS 11.190(4)(e). Learn more about car accident claims.

How long do I have to file a wrongful death claim in Nevada?

The same two-year period generally applies to wrongful death claims under NRS 11.190(4)(e). The clock generally starts on the date of death.

My child was hurt. Do we have more time?

You may. Nevada law generally does not count the time a person is under 18 toward the filing deadline (NRS 11.250). Still, don't wait. A parent or guardian can usually bring the claim sooner, and evidence is easier to gather early.

What if a public bus or a county vehicle hit me?

Claims against government entities are subject to special procedural rules and notice requirements under Nevada law. A claim against a city, a county, the State, or another public body is generally filed within two years after the cause of action accrues (NRS 41.036), but other rules may also apply. Talk to a lawyer early.

Does filing an insurance claim stop the two-year clock?

No. An insurance claim isn't a lawsuit, and the filing deadline generally keeps running.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

The court will usually dismiss the case, and you may lose the right to recover. That's why it helps to confirm your deadline early.

I was visiting Las Vegas when I was hurt. Which deadline applies?

A lawsuit filed in Nevada over an injury that happened here generally follows Nevada's deadline, even if you live in another state. Talk to a lawyer about your situation as soon as you can.

How much does a consultation cost?

Consultations are free. We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means our fee is a percentage of any recovery. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney's fee. You may still be responsible for case costs, and in some cases a client may be liable for the opposing party's fees and costs if the case is lost.

How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Nevada?