Joint and Several Liability in Nevada
State-specific overview · Tort Law
Nevada limits joint and several liability: defendants are jointly liable only for non-economic damages; economic damages follow proportional fault.
How Nevada treats Joint and Several Liability
Nevada law separates economic and non-economic damages. For non-economic damages (pain and suffering), defendants remain jointly and severally liable. For economic damages (medical bills, lost wages), each defendant is liable only for their proportional share of fault. This split applies when the defendant's fault is less than the combined fault of other parties, creating a significant limitation on traditional joint liability for monetary losses.
The general definition of Joint and Several Liability
Multiple defendants can each be held fully responsible for the entire judgment, not just their share.
When two or more people or companies are sued together for causing harm, the injured person can collect the full amount from any one of them, rather than having to split the recovery among all defendants. This means if you win a $100,000 judgment against three defendants, you can demand all $100,000 from just one of them, and that defendant can then try to recover their fair share from the others. It protects the injured person by ensuring they get paid even if some defendants can't pay.
Read the full Joint and Several Liability entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in Nevada.