Missing a limitations deadline is one of the most serious errors a PI file can suffer. This guide lists the Nevada Revised Statutes that most often control personal injury deadlines, with the exceptions paralegals should flag for attorney review. The supervising attorney must confirm the deadline on every file.
1. Common Nevada deadlines at a glance
| Claim type | Period | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Injury or death caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another (auto, premises, most negligence) | 2 years | NRS 11.190(4)(e) |
| Assault, battery (and certain related torts listed in the statute) | 2 years | NRS 11.190(4)(c) |
| Injury to personal property (e.g., vehicle property damage) | 3 years | NRS 11.190(3)(c) |
| Professional negligence against a provider of health care, injury on or after Oct. 1, 2023 | 3 years from injury or 2 years from discovery, whichever occurs first | NRS 41A.097(3) |
| Same, injury Oct. 1, 2002 – Sept. 30, 2023 | 3 years from injury or 1 year from discovery, whichever occurs first | NRS 41A.097(2) |
| Tort claim against the State or a political subdivision (administrative claim filing) | 2 years after the cause of action accrues | NRS 41.036 |
Statutes checked against the Nevada Legislature's online NRS on October 28, 2026. NRS 11.190(4)(e) excepts cases governed by NRS 11.215 and 11.217, which cover certain sexual abuse and exploitation claims involving minors.
2. Tolling and extensions to flag
- Minors and incapacity (NRS 11.250). The period generally does not run while the claimant is under 18, is "insane", or is in State custodial care. Medical malpractice is different: under NRS 41A.097(5) a parent or guardian must bring a minor's claim within the regular period, with limited extensions for brain damage, birth defect and sterility.
- Defendant out of state (NRS 11.300). If the defendant is absent from Nevada after the cause of action accrues, that absence may not count toward the period. Whether it applies depends on the facts, so route it to the attorney.
- Death of the claimant (NRS 11.310). If a person entitled to sue dies before the period expires, and the cause survives, their representatives may sue within 1 year after the death.
- Refiling after a jurisdictional dismissal (NRS 11.500). If a timely action is dismissed because the court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction, the statute provides a 90-day window to recommence in the proper court.
- Medical malpractice tolling (NRS 41A.097). The period is tolled for any time the provider concealed, through intentional or affirmative acts, information on which the action is based.
3. Government defendants (NRS 41.031 – 41.0337)
For a tort claim against the State or one of its agencies, NRS 41.036 provides for filing the claim with the Attorney General within 2 years after it accrues. For a political subdivision such as a county, city or school district, the claim is filed with its governing body. The statute also says this filing is not a condition precedent to suing under NRS 41.031. Damages caps and other procedural rules apply to government defendants, so identify any public entity, employee or vehicle at intake.
4. Intake checklist for limitations
- Date of incident confirmed from the police report or incident report, not just the client's memory
- Client's date of birth (minor status) and any guardianship or capacity issues
- All potential defendants, including any government entity, employee, or government-owned vehicle or property
- Whether any defendant is a health care provider (NRS 41A track)
- Separate deadlines for property damage and bodily injury
- Primary deadline and a 60/30/7-day internal warning entered in the case management system, with the attorney's sign-off recorded
5. Practicing in California or Arizona too?
Every state sets its own deadlines and exceptions. California's general personal injury period is in Code of Civil Procedure §335.1, and Arizona's is in A.R.S. §12-542. Both have their own government-claim rules. Confirm against the official code for the forum state on every file.
Sources
Official sources reviewed October 28, 2026. Always check the current version before relying on it.