Does Nevada operate under a contributory negligence standard?

Nevada operates under a comparative negligence standard. This means that in cases where negligence is determined, the responsibility and damages are allocated based on the degree of fault attributed to each party involved in an incident.

In this system, if a plaintiff is found to be partially at fault for an accident, their damages will be reduced in proportion to their percentage of fault. For example, if a plaintiff is awarded $100,000 in damages but is found to be 30% at fault, they would receive $70,000 instead. This approach contrasts starkly with contributory negligence, where any percentage of fault on the part of the plaintiff could result in them being barred from recovery altogether.

Understanding that Nevada follows comparative negligence is essential for anyone navigating the legal landscape regarding personal injury claims, as it emphasizes fairness and allows plaintiffs to recover even if they have some degree of fault in the incident.