Nevada Workers' Compensation: Deadlines, Benefits and How to File
Nevada workers' comp rules: who must carry it, deadlines to report and file, weekly benefit rate and maximum, choosing a doctor, appeals and retaliation.
Quick answers for Nevada
- Deadline to report the injury
- The worker (or a dependent, if the worker died) must give the employer written notice of the injury as soon as practicable, but within 7 days after the accident, on the state's Notice of Injury form (Form C-1). NRS 616C.015; NRS 616C.025
- Deadline to file a claim
- If the worker sought medical treatment or missed work because of the injury, a claim for compensation (Form C-4) must be filed with the insurer within 90 days after the accident. NRS 616C.020; NRS 616C.025
- Weekly benefit rate
- Temporary total disability is 66 2/3% of the worker's average monthly wage. The average monthly wage used is capped at 150% of the state average weekly wage multiplied by 4.33. NRS 616C.475; NRS 616A.065
- Maximum weekly benefit
- For injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (fiscal year 2027), the maximum average monthly wage is $8,537.68, so the maximum disability compensation is $5,691.79 per month, which the Division lists as $1,308.86 per week ($186.98 per day). Nevada Division of Industrial Relations, Maximum Compensation Fiscal Year 2027 memorandum (June 29, 2026)
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Coverage and deadlines
| Which employers must carry it | Workers' compensation is compulsory for every employer that has at least one employee under a contract of hire, unless the law expressly provides otherwise. People who are not counted as employees include those in casual employment outside the employer's usual business, household domestic workers, farm, dairy, agricultural and ranch labor (except as the law otherwise provides), theatrical performers, casual musicians, clergy, licensed real estate agents and brokers, certain direct sellers, volunteer ski patrollers and amateur sports officials paid a nominal fee. An injured worker whose employer failed to provide coverage may sue the employer for damages. Exclusions: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616A.html#NRS616ASec110 |
|---|---|
| Deadline to report the injury | The worker (or a dependent, if the worker died) must give the employer written notice of the injury as soon as practicable, but within 7 days after the accident, on the state's Notice of Injury form (Form C-1). The employer or supervisor signs it to acknowledge receipt, and each side keeps a copy. The insurer may excuse a late notice if the injury or another cause beyond the worker's control prevented it, or because of mistake or ignorance of fact or law, physical or mental inability, or fraud or deceit. Division time-frames sheet: https://dir.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/dirnvgov/content/WCS/InjuredWorkersDocs/TimeFrameforClaimFiling.pdf Source: NRS 616C.015; NRS 616C.025 |
| Deadline to file a claim | If the worker sought medical treatment or missed work because of the injury, a claim for compensation (Form C-4) must be filed with the insurer within 90 days after the accident. In a death case, a dependent must file within 1 year after the death. The insurer may excuse a late claim for the same reasons as a late notice. Division time-frames sheet: https://dir.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/dirnvgov/content/WCS/InjuredWorkersDocs/TimeFrameforClaimFiling.pdf Source: NRS 616C.020; NRS 616C.025 |
| Waiting period | Temporary disability benefits are not paid for an injury that keeps the worker from earning full wages for fewer than 5 consecutive days, or 5 days total within a 20-day period. If the incapacity reaches 5 consecutive days, or 5 days within a 20-day period, compensation is figured from the date of the injury. Medical (accident) benefits are not subject to this waiting period. Source: NRS 616C.400 |
Benefits
| Weekly benefit rate | Temporary total disability is 66 2/3% of the worker's average monthly wage. The average monthly wage used is capped at 150% of the state average weekly wage multiplied by 4.33. The first payment is due within 14 working days after the insurer receives the initial certification of disability. Payments stop when a doctor finds the worker able to do suitable gainful work, or the employer offers light-duty or modified work within the doctor's restrictions. Average monthly wage cap: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616A.html#NRS616ASec065 Source: NRS 616C.475; NRS 616A.065 |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | For injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (fiscal year 2027), the maximum average monthly wage is $8,537.68, so the maximum disability compensation is $5,691.79 per month, which the Division lists as $1,308.86 per week ($186.98 per day). A worker who earned less receives 66 2/3% of the actual wage. The state average weekly wage certified for this period is $1,314.50. Nevada sets benefits monthly; no statutory minimum weekly benefit was identified. |
| How long benefits last | Temporary total disability has no fixed maximum period; payments must stop when a physician or chiropractic physician finds the worker physically capable of any gainful employment, when the employer offers light-duty or modified work within the worker's limitations, or when the worker is incarcerated (with limited exceptions). Temporary partial disability is payable for no more than 24 months during the period of disability. Permanent total disability is paid only as long as the permanent total disability continues to exist; the insurer has the burden of proving that it no longer exists. Source: NRS 616C.475, 616C.500, 616C.440 |
| Permanent disability | When the worker's condition is stable and ratable, the insurer schedules an exam with a rating physician chosen at random from the Division's list (unless both sides agree on one), who rates impairment of the whole person under the AMA Guides. For injuries on or after January 1, 2000, each 1% of whole-person impairment is paid as a monthly payment of 0.6% of the average monthly wage, for 5 years or until age 70, whichever is later (a lump sum may be available). Permanent total disability is paid at 66 2/3% of the average monthly wage per month; certain severe losses, such as loss of sight in both eyes or of both legs or both arms, are presumed total and permanent. Permanent total disability: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616C.html#NRS616CSec440 |
| Death benefits | If a work injury causes death, burial expenses are paid up to $10,000, plus the cost of transporting the remains. A surviving spouse receives 66 2/3% of the worker's average monthly wage until the spouse's death. If there are surviving children who are not the spouse's children, the benefit is split, with 50% to the spouse and 50% shared among the children while they remain eligible. Other rules cover children, dependent parents and other dependents. Source: NRS 616C.505 |
Doctors, filing, settlements and appeals
| Choosing a doctor | If the employer's insurer does not use a managed care contract, the worker chooses a treating physician or chiropractor from the Division's panel, and may make one alternative choice from the panel within 90 days after the injury. If the insurer has a managed care contract, the worker chooses under that contract and may make one change within 90 days without the insurer's approval. Other changes need the insurer's approval or an order from a hearing officer or appeals officer; the insurer must grant or deny a written request within 10 days, or it is deemed granted. Source: NRS 616C.090 |
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| How to file | Give your employer a Notice of Injury (Form C-1) within 7 days. When you see a doctor or chiropractor, the Employee's Claim for Compensation/Report of Initial Treatment (Form C-4) is completed and filed with the employer and insurer within 3 working days; the employer then files its own report (Form C-3) with the insurer. The insurer generally has 30 days after notice of the accident to accept or deny the claim. Forms are on the Division's Workers' Compensation Section website. The Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers can represent injured workers at appeals. |
| Settlements | Nevada law generally prohibits insurers from making or allowing lump-sum settlements, except as provided in specific sections (NRS 616C.380, 616C.427, 616C.495, 616C.505, 616C.580 and 616C.595). The main exception is for permanent partial disability awards: for workers injured on or after July 1, 2017, a worker with a disability rating of 30% or less may elect to receive the whole award in a lump sum, and a worker rated above 30% may take a lump sum equal to the present value of an award of up to 30%, with the rest paid in installments (earlier injury dates have different percentage limits). Every injured worker or dependent is entitled to an explanation from a qualified employee of the insurer of the alternatives involved in lump-sum compensation or other settlements and their long-range effects; the insurer must give this explanation in writing, and the worker must make the selection in writing to the insurer. Source: NRS 616C.410, 616C.415, 616C.495 |
| Appealing a denial | A worker who disagrees with an insurer's written determination, or whose written request goes unanswered for 30 days, may request a hearing before a hearing officer within 70 days after the determination was mailed; the insurer must provide the request forms free. A decision of the hearing officer may be appealed to an appeals officer within 30 days. After a final decision by an appeals officer, a petition for judicial review in court must be filed within 30 days after entry and service of that decision. The Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers can be appointed to represent the worker before the appeals officer. Hearings are conducted by the Nevada Department of Administration, Hearings Division: http://hearings.nv.gov/ |
| Deadline to challenge a denial | A worker who disagrees with the insurer's written determination may request a hearing before a hearing officer within 70 days after the notice of the determination was mailed. A hearing officer's decision may be appealed by filing a notice of appeal with an appeals officer within 30 days after the date of the decision. A petition for judicial review of the appeals officer's decision must be filed within 30 days after entry and service of the decision and order. Appeals officer: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616C.html#NRS616CSec345 ; judicial review: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616C.html#NRS616CSec370 . Source: NRS 616C.315, 616C.345, 616C.370 |
| Filing or checking a claim online | In Nevada, an injured employee's claim for compensation is filed on a form prescribed by the Administrator of the Division of Industrial Relations; when a medical provider files the claim, it is signed by the employee and the treating provider, and the employer must file its report on the prescribed form within 6 working days after receiving the provider's claim. The Division of Industrial Relations' Workers' Compensation Section oversees the system and publishes claim-filing time frames, an employee brochure and injured-worker FAQs. Disputes go to the Hearings Division; at the Appeals Officer level, injured workers may request free representation from the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers. Statute text: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616C.html |
| Lawyer fees in comp cases | Nevada offers free legal help through the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers (NAIW), a state agency that represents injured workers free of charge, generally after a case has gone before a Hearing Officer and is appealed to an Appeals Officer. Insurers must tell claimants of their right to request NAIW representation. NAIW: Northern Nevada (775) 684-7555, information line (775) 684-7559; Southern Nevada (702) 486-2830; offices in Carson City and Las Vegas. |
Lawsuits and uninsured employers
| Suing your employer | Generally no. The rights and remedies of NRS chapters 616A to 616D for a work injury are exclusive of all other rights and remedies of the employee and family, at common law or otherwise, except as those chapters provide, and the compensation terms are compulsory for covered employers and employees. One statutory exception: if the employer failed to provide and secure compensation, the injured employee may sue the employer for damages as if those chapters did not apply. Uninsured employer exception: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616B.html#NRS616BSec636 . Source: NRS 616A.020, 616B.636 |
|---|---|
| Suing someone other than your employer | Yes. If someone other than the employer is liable, the injured employee may sue that person; compensation is reduced by damages recovered, and the insurer (or the Administrator) is subrogated to the claim and has a lien on the total proceeds of the recovery. Before starting a lawsuit or claim, the employee or the employee's attorney must notify the insurer or Administrator in writing. Within 15 days after receiving the recovery, the employee (or representative) and the third party's insurer must notify the insurer or Administrator and pay the amount due with an itemized statement. Lien-reduction details in subsection 7 were not relied on. Source: NRS 616C.215 |
| If your employer has no workers' comp | An employee of an employer that failed to provide mandatory coverage may receive compensation from Nevada's Uninsured Employers' Claim Account if the employee was hired or regularly employed in Nevada, was injured on the job in Nevada (or on a temporary out-of-state assignment of up to 12 months), files a claim, and irrevocably assigns subrogation rights. The employer must prove it had coverage or was not required to, and is liable for interest on amounts the Account pays. Separately, the employee may sue the uninsured employer for damages as if the workers' compensation chapters did not apply; the employer cannot use assumption of risk, co-worker negligence or the employee's negligence as defenses, and the injury is presumed to result from the employer's negligence. Lawsuit: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-616B.html#NRS616BSec636 . Source: NRS 616C.220, 616B.636 |
Where to get help in Nevada
Workers' Compensation FAQ
Which employers must have workers' comp in Nevada?
Workers' compensation is compulsory for every employer that has at least one employee under a contract of hire, unless the law expressly provides otherwise. People who are not counted as employees include those in casual employment outside the employer's usual business, household domestic workers, farm, dairy, agricultural and ranch labor (except as the law otherwise provides), theatrical performers, casual musicians, clergy, licensed real estate agents and brokers, certain direct sellers, volunteer ski patrollers and amateur sports officials paid a nominal fee. An injured worker whose employer failed to provide coverage may sue the employer for damages.
How long do you have to report a work injury in Nevada?
The worker (or a dependent, if the worker died) must give the employer written notice of the injury as soon as practicable, but within 7 days after the accident, on the state's Notice of Injury form (Form C-1). The employer or supervisor signs it to acknowledge receipt, and each side keeps a copy. The insurer may excuse a late notice if the injury or another cause beyond the worker's control prevented it, or because of mistake or ignorance of fact or law, physical or mental inability, or fraud or deceit.
What is the deadline to file a workers' comp claim in Nevada?
If the worker sought medical treatment or missed work because of the injury, a claim for compensation (Form C-4) must be filed with the insurer within 90 days after the accident. In a death case, a dependent must file within 1 year after the death. The insurer may excuse a late claim for the same reasons as a late notice.
Is there a waiting period for workers' comp in Nevada?
Temporary disability benefits are not paid for an injury that keeps the worker from earning full wages for fewer than 5 consecutive days, or 5 days total within a 20-day period. If the incapacity reaches 5 consecutive days, or 5 days within a 20-day period, compensation is figured from the date of the injury. Medical (accident) benefits are not subject to this waiting period.
How much does workers' comp pay in Nevada?
Temporary total disability is 66 2/3% of the worker's average monthly wage. The average monthly wage used is capped at 150% of the state average weekly wage multiplied by 4.33. The first payment is due within 14 working days after the insurer receives the initial certification of disability. Payments stop when a doctor finds the worker able to do suitable gainful work, or the employer offers light-duty or modified work within the doctor's restrictions.
What is the maximum workers' comp benefit in Nevada?
For injuries from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (fiscal year 2027), the maximum average monthly wage is $8,537.68, so the maximum disability compensation is $5,691.79 per month, which the Division lists as $1,308.86 per week ($186.98 per day). A worker who earned less receives 66 2/3% of the actual wage. The state average weekly wage certified for this period is $1,314.50.
Can you choose your own doctor for workers' comp in Nevada?
If the employer's insurer does not use a managed care contract, the worker chooses a treating physician or chiropractor from the Division's panel, and may make one alternative choice from the panel within 90 days after the injury. If the insurer has a managed care contract, the worker chooses under that contract and may make one change within 90 days without the insurer's approval. Other changes need the insurer's approval or an order from a hearing officer or appeals officer; the insurer must grant or deny a written request within 10 days, or it is deemed granted.
How does permanent disability work under workers' comp in Nevada?
When the worker's condition is stable and ratable, the insurer schedules an exam with a rating physician chosen at random from the Division's list (unless both sides agree on one), who rates impairment of the whole person under the AMA Guides. For injuries on or after January 1, 2000, each 1% of whole-person impairment is paid as a monthly payment of 0.6% of the average monthly wage, for 5 years or until age 70, whichever is later (a lump sum may be available). Permanent total disability is paid at 66 2/3% of the average monthly wage per month; certain severe losses, such as loss of sight in both eyes or of both legs or both arms, are presumed total and permanent.
What workers' comp death benefits are available in Nevada?
If a work injury causes death, burial expenses are paid up to $10,000, plus the cost of transporting the remains. A surviving spouse receives 66 2/3% of the worker's average monthly wage until the spouse's death. If there are surviving children who are not the spouse's children, the benefit is split, with 50% to the spouse and 50% shared among the children while they remain eligible. Other rules cover children, dependent parents and other dependents.
How do you file a workers' comp claim in Nevada?
Give your employer a Notice of Injury (Form C-1) within 7 days. When you see a doctor or chiropractor, the Employee's Claim for Compensation/Report of Initial Treatment (Form C-4) is completed and filed with the employer and insurer within 3 working days; the employer then files its own report (Form C-3) with the insurer. The insurer generally has 30 days after notice of the accident to accept or deny the claim. Forms are on the Division's Workers' Compensation Section website. The Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers can represent injured workers at appeals.
How do you appeal a denied workers' comp claim in Nevada?
A worker who disagrees with an insurer's written determination, or whose written request goes unanswered for 30 days, may request a hearing before a hearing officer within 70 days after the determination was mailed; the insurer must provide the request forms free. A decision of the hearing officer may be appealed to an appeals officer within 30 days. After a final decision by an appeals officer, a petition for judicial review in court must be filed within 30 days after entry and service of that decision. The Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers can be appointed to represent the worker before the appeals officer.
How long can you receive workers' comp in Nevada?
Temporary total disability has no fixed maximum period; payments must stop when a physician or chiropractic physician finds the worker physically capable of any gainful employment, when the employer offers light-duty or modified work within the worker's limitations, or when the worker is incarcerated (with limited exceptions). Temporary partial disability is payable for no more than 24 months during the period of disability. Permanent total disability is paid only as long as the permanent total disability continues to exist; the insurer has the burden of proving that it no longer exists.
How do workers' comp settlements work in Nevada?
Nevada law generally prohibits insurers from making or allowing lump-sum settlements, except as provided in specific sections (NRS 616C.380, 616C.427, 616C.495, 616C.505, 616C.580 and 616C.595). The main exception is for permanent partial disability awards: for workers injured on or after July 1, 2017, a worker with a disability rating of 30% or less may elect to receive the whole award in a lump sum, and a worker rated above 30% may take a lump sum equal to the present value of an award of up to 30%, with the rest paid in installments (earlier injury dates have different percentage limits). Every injured worker or dependent is entitled to an explanation from a qualified employee of the insurer of the alternatives involved in lump-sum compensation or other settlements and their long-range effects; the insurer must give this explanation in writing, and the worker must make the selection in writing to the insurer.
How do I file or check a workers' comp claim online in Nevada?
In Nevada, an injured employee's claim for compensation is filed on a form prescribed by the Administrator of the Division of Industrial Relations; when a medical provider files the claim, it is signed by the employee and the treating provider, and the employer must file its report on the prescribed form within 6 working days after receiving the provider's claim. The Division of Industrial Relations' Workers' Compensation Section oversees the system and publishes claim-filing time frames, an employee brochure and injured-worker FAQs. Disputes go to the Hearings Division; at the Appeals Officer level, injured workers may request free representation from the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers.
How much can a workers' comp lawyer charge in Nevada?
Nevada offers free legal help through the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers (NAIW), a state agency that represents injured workers free of charge, generally after a case has gone before a Hearing Officer and is appealed to an Appeals Officer. Insurers must tell claimants of their right to request NAIW representation. NAIW: Northern Nevada (775) 684-7555, information line (775) 684-7559; Southern Nevada (702) 486-2830; offices in Carson City and Las Vegas.
Can you sue your employer for a work injury in Nevada?
Generally no. The rights and remedies of NRS chapters 616A to 616D for a work injury are exclusive of all other rights and remedies of the employee and family, at common law or otherwise, except as those chapters provide, and the compensation terms are compulsory for covered employers and employees. One statutory exception: if the employer failed to provide and secure compensation, the injured employee may sue the employer for damages as if those chapters did not apply.
Can you sue a third party for a work injury in Nevada?
Yes. If someone other than the employer is liable, the injured employee may sue that person; compensation is reduced by damages recovered, and the insurer (or the Administrator) is subrogated to the claim and has a lien on the total proceeds of the recovery. Before starting a lawsuit or claim, the employee or the employee's attorney must notify the insurer or Administrator in writing. Within 15 days after receiving the recovery, the employee (or representative) and the third party's insurer must notify the insurer or Administrator and pay the amount due with an itemized statement.
What if my employer doesn't have workers' comp insurance in Nevada?
An employee of an employer that failed to provide mandatory coverage may receive compensation from Nevada's Uninsured Employers' Claim Account if the employee was hired or regularly employed in Nevada, was injured on the job in Nevada (or on a temporary out-of-state assignment of up to 12 months), files a claim, and irrevocably assigns subrogation rights. The employer must prove it had coverage or was not required to, and is liable for interest on amounts the Account pays. Separately, the employee may sue the uninsured employer for damages as if the workers' compensation chapters did not apply; the employer cannot use assumption of risk, co-worker negligence or the employee's negligence as defenses, and the injury is presumed to result from the employer's negligence.
How long do you have to appeal a denied workers' comp claim in Nevada?
A worker who disagrees with the insurer's written determination may request a hearing before a hearing officer within 70 days after the notice of the determination was mailed. A hearing officer's decision may be appealed by filing a notice of appeal with an appeals officer within 30 days after the date of the decision. A petition for judicial review of the appeals officer's decision must be filed within 30 days after entry and service of the decision and order.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.