State file: Nevada

Wrongful Death Attorneys in Nevada: Your Complete Legal Guide

3 min read

2 years General deadline, as the table of this guide gives it. Exceptions are in the guide.

Nevada’s wrongful death law is centered on one section, NRS 41.085, which covers actions by the person’s heirs and by the personal representative and the damages each may pursue. The filing period, found in NRS 11.190, is two years for an action for a death caused by a wrongful act.

Nevada Wrongful Death at a Glance

Question Nevada answer
Wrongful death statute NRS 41.085
Who may bring the action? The heirs and the personal representative, as NRS 41.085 provides
Damages Set out in NRS 41.085
Who is an heir? A person who would inherit the person's separate property if there were no will, excluding a killer (41.085)
Limitation period Two years (NRS 11.190)

Who May Bring the Case

NRS 41.085 is Nevada’s wrongful death section. It provides for actions by the heirs of the person who died and by the personal representative, and it sets out the damages recoverable in each. This guide does not restate the specific categories, because their exact wording was not reviewed.

Who Counts as an Heir

For this statute, an heir is a person who, under Nevada law, would succeed to the person’s separate property if the person had died without a will, subject to the rule excluding a person who killed the decedent. The heirs and the personal representative may each maintain an action against the person who caused the death, or against that person’s personal representative if the wrongdoer has died (NRS 41.085).

The Limitation Period

NRS 11.190(4)(e) places an action for a death caused by the wrongful act of another among the actions that must be commenced within two years.

Topics This Guide Does Not Cover

The specific damage categories in NRS 41.085, Nevada’s comparative negligence rule, the limits on claims against the state and its political subdivisions, and the medical malpractice damages limit are not summarized in this guide.

The firm listings below are separate from the legal information above. Statements about the law in a firm description are not part of this guide’s legal review.

Top 3 Wrongful Death Attorneys in Nevada

1. Claggett & Sykes Law Firm

An elite trial firm that frequently secures record-breaking, multi-million dollar verdicts. Because of the complex, shifting caps on medical malpractice in Nevada, their highly specialized medical-legal team knows exactly how to maximize the newly available non-economic limits while simultaneously pursuing completely uncapped economic damages.

2. Richard Harris Law Firm

The largest personal injury firm in Nevada, with virtually limitless resources. Given Nevada’s high volume of fatal tourist accidents, DUI crashes, and casino and hotel negligence, Richard Harris Law is uniquely equipped to handle massive corporate defendants. Because family members can file directly, their team provides immediate support to secure evidence.

3. Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC

A powerhouse in Nevada motor vehicle, rideshare, and commercial trucking fatalities. They are highly skilled at utilizing Nevada’s separate survival action to claim punitive damages if the death was caused by gross negligence, layering it on top of the family’s grief and loss of companionship wrongful death claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can heirs bring a wrongful death action in Nevada?

Yes. NRS 41.085 provides for actions by the heirs as well as by the personal representative.

How long does a family have to file in Nevada?

Two years, under NRS 11.190, for an action for a death caused by a wrongful act.

Sources and Last Review

Nevada Revised Statutes sections 11.190 and 41.085. This page summarizes these provisions from secondary descriptions of the statutes; the official statutory text was not reviewed for this guide. Last updated October 2026. This page is general information about Nevada law, not legal advice about a specific death.