What to Do After a Car Accident in Nevada: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

By John Quigley · NevadaAttorneyFinder.com · Updated May 9, 2026

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. NevadaAttorneyFinder is a directory, not a law firm.

Nevada sees more than 300 traffic fatalities and tens of thousands of injury accidents every year. Las Vegas's high-speed roadways — I-15, US-95, the 215 Beltway, and the Strip — are among the most accident-prone stretches of highway in the southwest. If you've been in a car accident in Nevada, what you do in the hours and days immediately after can make a significant difference in both your physical recovery and your ability to pursue a legal claim. Here is the complete step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Make Sure Everyone Is Safe — Move to Safety If Possible

Your first priority is physical safety. If the vehicles are drivable and you can move them without further risk, pull to the shoulder or a nearby parking area to prevent a secondary accident. Turn on your hazard lights. If someone is seriously injured, do not move them — wait for emergency services.

Call 911 immediately. Even if injuries appear minor, a police report is critical for your insurance claim and any future legal action.

Step 2: Call the Police — Nevada's Reporting Requirements

Under Nevada law (NRS 484E.070), you are required to report any accident that results in:

• Injury or death to any person
• Property damage that appears to exceed $750

In Las Vegas, call LVMPD at 311 (non-emergency) or 911. In Henderson, call Henderson PD. On state highways and the interstate, Nevada Highway Patrol responds. Get the responding officer's name and badge number, and ask for the incident report number — you'll need it to obtain the full police report later (usually available within 5–10 business days).

If police do not come to the scene (common in minor accidents in Clark County), you can file a written accident report with the Nevada DMV using SR-1 form within 10 days of the accident. This report is separate from a police report and is required when damage exceeds $750 or there is any injury.

Step 3: Seek Medical Attention — Even If You Feel Fine

This is the step most accident victims skip — and often regret. Many serious injuries from car accidents are not immediately painful. The adrenaline of a crash can mask pain. Common delayed-onset injuries include:

• Whiplash and soft tissue injuries: Often don't appear for 24–72 hours
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Concussions and brain bleeds can develop after a seeming minor impact
• Internal bleeding: No external signs; can be life-threatening
• Spinal injuries: Pain and neurological symptoms may take days to appear

Go to an emergency room, urgent care, or your primary care physician the same day as the accident. This serves two purposes: it gets you treated, and it creates a medical record that documents your injuries immediately after the crash — which is essential for any insurance claim or lawsuit.

Continue all recommended treatment. Insurance companies and juries look closely at gaps in treatment. If you stop going to follow-up appointments, it will be used to argue that your injuries were not serious.

Step 4: Document Everything at the Scene

Use your phone to photograph and document before anyone moves:

• All vehicles involved — close-ups of damage and wide shots showing positions
• License plates of all vehicles
• Road conditions, skid marks, debris field, traffic signals/signs
• Your own visible injuries
• The other driver's license, insurance card, and vehicle registration
• Names and contact information of all witnesses
• Weather and lighting conditions

Also write down your own account of what happened as soon as possible — memory fades quickly, and your written notes made within hours of the accident are valuable evidence.

Step 5: Exchange Information — What You Need

Nevada law (NRS 484E.020) requires drivers involved in an accident to exchange the following information:

• Full name and current address
• Vehicle registration number
• Driver's license number
• Proof of insurance (insurer name, policy number, and agent contact)

Do not admit fault at the scene — even a casual "I'm sorry" can be used against you later. Do not discuss the details of the accident beyond providing required information to the police.

Step 6: Notify Your Insurance Company

Report the accident to your own insurer promptly — most policies require notification within 24–72 hours. Nevada requires minimum liability insurance coverage of 25/50/20 under NRS 485.185:

• $25,000 bodily injury per person
• $50,000 bodily injury per accident
• $20,000 property damage per accident

When you notify your insurer, stick to the basic facts: date, time, location, vehicles involved. Do not speculate about fault. Your insurer will open a claim and begin investigating.

Step 7: Do Not Give a Recorded Statement to the Other Driver's Insurance Company

The other driver's insurance adjuster will likely contact you quickly — often within hours. They will ask you to give a recorded statement. You are not legally required to do this, and doing so without legal advice is almost always a mistake. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that elicit answers that minimize your claim. Common traps include:

• "How are you feeling today?" (Saying "fine" is recorded as an admission that you are not injured)
• Questions about your speed or what you were doing before the crash
• Questions about whether you had any prior injuries to the same body parts

Politely decline. Tell the adjuster your attorney will be in touch. If you don't have an attorney yet, say you will be retaining one.

Step 8: Understand Nevada's Comparative Negligence Rules

Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence system under NRS 41.141. This means:

• You can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident
• Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault (e.g., 20% at fault = 20% reduction in damages)
• If you are found 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing

Insurance companies try to assign as much fault as possible to the injured party to reduce their payout. Having an attorney document the accident properly — through police reports, witness statements, accident reconstruction if needed — helps ensure fault is assessed accurately.

Step 9: The Insurance Claim Process in Nevada — What to Expect

After you file a claim, here is the general timeline:

• Days 1–7: Insurer acknowledges claim, assigns adjuster, begins investigation
• Week 1–2: Vehicle inspection and damage assessment; rental car arrangement if covered
• Weeks 2–8: Medical records gathered; adjuster evaluates injury claim
• Week 4–12+: Settlement offer made (usually low); negotiation begins
• If no agreement: File lawsuit before the 2-year statute of limitations

Do not rush to settle while you are still in active medical treatment. You cannot fully know the value of your injury claim until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) — the point at which your condition has stabilized and future treatment needs can be assessed.

Step 10: Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

Personal injury attorneys in Nevada work on a contingency fee — you pay nothing unless you win. A good personal injury attorney will:

• Investigate the accident independently (sometimes hiring accident reconstruction experts)
• Preserve evidence before it disappears (surveillance footage is often overwritten within 30 days)
• Handle all communication with insurance companies
• Calculate your full damages — including future medical costs, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering
• Negotiate a fair settlement or take the case to trial

Studies consistently show that accident victims who hire attorneys receive significantly higher settlements than those who negotiate on their own — even after the attorney's contingency fee is deducted.