Dog Bite Defenses, Fault and the Dangerous Dog Law

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Because Nevada decides dog bites under negligence, the owner's defenses are about knowledge, care and fault.

No notice and reasonable care

The owner's first line of defense is that it did not know and had no reason to know the dog was dangerous, and that it used reasonable care in controlling it. Evidence of prior incidents, complaints, leash-law violations or an unsecured property defeats it.

Your own fault

Under NRS 41.141, your negligence does not bar recovery if it was not greater than the negligence of the defendant, but your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. If your fault is greater than the defendant's, you recover nothing.

Several liability

If more than one party is at fault, such as an owner and a person supervising the dog, each negligence defendant is generally liable for its own share.

NRS 202.500

A dog can be declared dangerous when, without provocation, it behaves menacingly on two separate occasions within 18 months, and vicious in more serious cases. Summaries note that this is a criminal and regulatory framework; a declaration helps show notice but a bite victim does not have to wait for one.

Insurance

A bite claim is often paid by the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance, which matters for collecting an award.

This is general information, not legal advice, and the state comparisons above are illustrative, not an exhaustive survey. Confirm how Nevada's rules apply to your specific case with a licensed Nevada attorney.