Sexual Assault Attorneys in Nevada: Your Complete Legal Guide

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Nevada has no civil deadline for a lawsuit against the person who sexually abused a child, and since S.B. 129 the same is true for an adult survivor suing the person who assaulted them. The 2021 law reached claims that had already expired, and a federal court upheld it in 2025. Two limits matter in practice: the no-deadline rule names the perpetrator or a person convicted, not organizations, and it removes a deadline rather than creating a claim. This guide explains both, the criminal rules, and six firms that represent survivors in Nevada.

Call 911 if you are in immediate danger. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800-656-4673, and the Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence can be reached at 775-828-1115.

The Nevada Revised Statutes and court decisions below are quoted from CHILD USA’s analysis, which reports checking the statutes against the official NRS on September 5, 2026. This page is general information on Nevada law and does not assess any particular claim.

Abuse Before 18: Any Time, Against the Perpetrator

NRS 11.215(1), as enacted by S.B. 203 in 2021, provides: “An action to recover damages for an injury to a person arising from the sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of the plaintiff which occurred when the plaintiff was less than 18 years of age may be commenced against the alleged perpetrator or person convicted of the sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of the plaintiff at any time after the sexual abuse or sexual exploitation occurred.”

“Sexual abuse” and “sexual exploitation” take their meanings from NRS 432B.100 and 432B.110, the child-protection definitions. CHILD USA notes that these reach some conduct the criminal code does not, such as forcing or encouraging a child to view pornographic material.

Section 11.215(2) adds: “An action to recover damages pursuant to NRS 41.1396 may be commenced at any time.” The content of NRS 41.1396 is not summarized in this guide, so a lawyer should confirm whether it fits the facts.

Abuse of Adults: S.B. 129 and NRS 11.217

CHILD USA reports that NRS 11.217(1), enacted by S.B. 129, does for sexual assault of a person 18 or older what § 11.215 does for children. A federal court upheld the parallel adult provision in Lotte-Lublin v. Cosby (D. Nev. 2024), and the court in Lasha followed that decision.

Plead the Tort, Not the Statute

In Lasha v. Cosby, No. 2:24-cv-00214 (D. Nev. June 20, 2025), the court held that “under a plain reading of the NRS 11.215, there is no private cause of action under the statute.” The plaintiff’s standalone claim under § 11.215 was dismissed, while her claims for battery, assault, false imprisonment, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress went forward. Section 11.215 removes the time limit on those claims; it is not itself the claim.

Old Claims Are Revived

Nevada did not open a dated window. It removed the limitation for conduct whenever it occurred, so claims that had already expired became actionable. Lasha involved an alleged assault in 1986, and the court described the common law claims as “revived by SB 203.” It rejected arguments that the law was special legislation, violated due process, or was an ex post facto law, reasoning that its purpose was “to compensate victims of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation, not to punish alleged perpetrators.” The Nevada Supreme Court, in Clark County School District v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 534 P.3d 137 (Nev. 2023), as quoted in Lasha, described S.B. 203 as eliminating “any limitations period for claims for damages arising from sexual abuse that occurred when the plaintiff was under the age of 18.”

Organizations, Hotels, and Public Bodies

The text of § 11.215(1) names “the alleged perpetrator or person convicted.” A negligence claim against a school, church, employer, hotel, or casino is not described in that subsection, and the limitation period that governs it is a question for a Nevada lawyer. Claims against a school district or other public entity can carry their own procedural requirements. For any claim against an organization, the deadline should be the first thing a lawyer checks.

Criminal Limits and the Written-Report Rule

Prosecution is the state’s decision. CHILD USA reports these Nevada rules:

  • Sexual assault (NRS 171.085(2)): twenty years.
  • A written report removes the limit (NRS 171.083(1)): if, during the period, the victim “files with a law enforcement officer a written report concerning the sexual assault or sex trafficking,” there is “no limitation of the time within which a prosecution … must be commenced.” The officer must give the victim a copy of the report.
  • DNA (NRS 171.082): where the accused is identified through DNA analysis of a biological specimen, the period in NRS 171.085 “is removed.”
  • Child sexual abuse (NRS 171.095(1)(b)): prosecution must begin before the victim turns 36, or 43 if the victim did not discover and reasonably should not have discovered the abuse by age 36.

A civil claim does not depend on any prosecution.

Before a Nevada Consultation: Who Is the Defendant?

The analysis turns first on who is being sued. Bring the dates, the names of the abuser and of any organization involved, and any police report you filed. Ask the lawyer:

  1. Against the perpetrator, which torts (battery, assault, emotional distress) will be pleaded, given Lasha’s holding that § 11.215 is not itself a claim?
  2. Against an organization, hotel, or casino, which limitation period applies and has it started?
  3. Does NRS 41.1396 apply to the facts?
  4. For an adult assault, how does NRS 11.217 apply?
  5. Was a written report filed with law enforcement, and do you have a copy?
  6. Does the firm represent a hotel group, school district, church, or insurer that may be a defendant?

Nevada Sexual Assault Attorneys

Claggett & Sykes Law Firm

  • Las Vegas office: 4101 Meadows Lane, Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89107
  • Reno office: 245 East Liberty Street, Suite 510, Reno, NV 89501
  • Website: https://www.claggettlaw.com

Claggett & Sykes is Nevada’s most prominent sexual assault plaintiff firm. The firm’s trial team secured a $485 million verdict against Acadia Healthcare for placing children in a foster care home with a known child predator – believed to be the largest single-plaintiff sexual abuse verdict ever obtained. Over $3.3 billion in total verdicts and settlements has been attained through the firm’s trial, appellate, and consulting work. The firm represents survivors of all ages and genders in cases against treatment centers, schools, universities, churches, youth organizations, and individual abusers. Class action claims are handled when multiple survivors were abused by the same person or institution. Offices in both Las Vegas and Reno with statewide practice. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.

Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP

Panish Shea Ravipudi is a nationally recognized catastrophic injury and wrongful death firm with a Nevada office that handles sexual assault civil litigation. In 2017, the firm secured the largest single-plaintiff verdict in Nevada history. The firm pursues civil claims against perpetrators, institutional defendants, and negligent businesses, and advocates for maximum compensatory and punitive damages. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.

Cogburn Davidson Injury Lawyers

Cogburn Davidson represents survivors across Nevada with offices in Las Vegas and Henderson. Lead attorney Jamie Cogburn is one of only 19 Certified Personal Injury Specialists in Nevada, a designation earned through examination and demonstrated competency. The firm investigates institutional failures, documents trauma impact through expert testimony, and prepares every case for trial to ensure institutional accountability. The firm pursues claims against nursing homes, hotels, casinos, schools, churches, and other organizations where institutional negligence enabled assault. Contingency fee. Free consultation.

Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers

Benson & Bingham has an established Las Vegas sexual assault civil practice, handling cases involving inadequate hotel and casino security, workplace sexual assault, and abuse by professionals in positions of trust (physicians, therapists, attorneys, coaches). The firm represents survivors seeking to hold both individual abusers and institutional defendants accountable. Free confidential consultation. Contingency fee.

Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen

Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients across Nevada. The firm handles sexual assault civil claims involving nursing home abuse, hotel and casino inadequate security, and institutional misconduct. Over 85% of clients come via word-of-mouth referrals, reflecting sustained client satisfaction. Free confidential consultation. No fees until they win.

Greenberg Gross LLP

Greenberg Gross handles high-profile and complex sexual assault cases in Nevada. The firm has pursued sexual abuse claims against Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YMCA, and other youth organizations, as well as school abuse cases, medical professional abuse, and elder abuse in nursing homes. Free case review. Contingency fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

I was abused in Nevada in 1990 as a child. Has my deadline passed?

Not against the abuser. NRS 11.215(1) allows an action against the alleged perpetrator or a person convicted “at any time,” and the federal court in Lasha applied it to claims over an alleged 1986 assault.

Can I sue under NRS 11.215 itself?

No. In Lasha v. Cosby (2025), the court held that the statute creates no private cause of action; the claims are battery, assault, and similar torts, which § 11.215 frees from the time limit.

Does the no-deadline rule cover the hotel where I was assaulted?

Section 11.215(1) names the perpetrator or a person convicted. A claim against a hotel, casino, or other organization has to be checked against the limitation period for that claim.

Does reporting to police change the criminal deadline?

Yes. Under NRS 171.083(1), a written report to a law enforcement officer during the limitation period removes the deadline for prosecuting the sexual assault.

Support and Reporting Lines

  • Emergency: 911
  • Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (office): 775-828-1115
  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

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