Deer Collision Liability Laws in Nevada: Insurance, Reporting, and Your Legal Options

Deer collision liability laws in Nevada start from a fact that surprises many drivers. When you hit a wild deer, the law usually doesn’t blame anyone. No legal liability exists when a motorist hits a wild animal, so you face no penalties or fines for the collision.

That doesn’t make the crash simple. One Nevada injury firm’s summary of Nevada DOT guidance reports more than 500 vehicle crashes involving animals each year, with around $20 million in damages. Your insurance policy, your split-second reaction, and the reports you file afterward decide who pays.

Below, you’ll find the answers to the eight questions Nevada drivers ask most after a deer strike. They cover fault, coverage, swerving, leaving the scene, reporting, salvage, suing the government, and filing deadlines. Statutes change, so check the current text before you rely on any section number.

Who Is Liable When You Hit a Deer in Nevada

In most cases, nobody is. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are among the larger animals, along with antelope, elk, and bighorn sheep, that Nevada drivers collide with. Nevada is a fault-based state, and the driver who causes a crash is financially responsible for the damage. A wild animal can’t be negligent, so no one is at fault.

The flip side is that you can’t recover your losses from anyone else. Neither the state nor anyone else is at fault, which leaves little opportunity to pursue damages through a personal injury claim. Your own insurance usually becomes your only source of repair money.

Liability changes when the animal isn’t wild or when another person’s conduct contributes. If a motorist hits a domesticated animal or livestock that wanders onto the road, the owner who negligently let it loose can be clearly liable. Our guide to open range laws in Nevada explains why livestock on rural highways raises its own rules, and the leash law rules matter if the animal was a loose dog.

Scenario	Likely Responsible Party
You hit a wild deer and nothing else	No one; you file with your own insurer
You hit a stray cow or horse	The animal’s owner, if negligent
A tailgater rear-ends you after you brake for a deer	Usually the following driver
You swerve into another vehicle	Possibly you, or shared fault

Does Car Insurance Cover Deer Collisions in Nevada

It does if you bought the right optional coverage. Nevada only requires liability insurance, commonly called 25/50/20 coverage. That minimum does not cover your own damage and injury costs after an accident.

Deer damage usually falls under comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive policies typically cover damage caused by wild animals. Some insurers file a deer strike under collision instead, so read your policy language and ask your agent before you submit the claim.

Coverage Type	Role After a Deer Collision
Liability (25/50/20 minimum)	Pays other people’s losses, not your own vehicle
Comprehensive	Typically covers damage from hitting a wild animal
Collision	Pays for your own repairs regardless of fault
Medical Payments (MedPay)	Covers your medical bills regardless of fault
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist	Generally not typically applicable to deer collisions

Pro Tip: Photograph the damage, the road, and any animal remains before anyone moves your vehicle. Then call your insurer the same day. Your deductible applies before the policy pays, so confirm the amount you’ll owe before you authorize repairs.

Who Is at Fault If You Swerve to Avoid a Deer in Nevada

This is where deer collisions turn legally messy. Hitting the deer carries no blame, but swerving can move the crash into oncoming traffic, a parked car, or a guardrail. If another driver or property owner is harmed, they may argue your maneuver was unreasonable.

Nevada apportions damages by degree of fault when blame is shared. The state also applies a 51% fault rule, which Blake Friedman Law Group covers in its Nevada claims guide. In plain terms, a person found mostly at fault can lose the right to recover from others. Courts generally give some room to drivers who react to a sudden emergency, but that depends on the facts.

If you swerve and strike only a fixed object, you’re in a single-vehicle crash with no one to blame but yourself on paper. Collision coverage then pays your repairs, and insurers often treat this differently from a direct deer strike. Many safety guides advise braking firmly and staying in your lane when a collision is unavoidable, which keeps the outcome in the no-fault category.

Common Mistake: Assuming the deer is “to blame” when you hit another car. The other driver’s insurer will still look at whether your swerve was reasonable, and your own policy may not respond the way you expect.

Is It Illegal to Hit a Deer and Drive Off in Nevada

Usually not, if a deer is the only thing involved. Nevada’s duty to give your information applies to crashes causing injury or death of any person, or damage to any vehicle or other property which is driven or attended by any person. A wild deer isn’t a vehicle or attended property. The statute’s text doesn’t make a deer-only strike a hit-and-run.

The picture changes fast if anyone or anything else is involved. If another vehicle, a pedestrian, or a person’s property is hit, leaving is a crime. Leaving the scene of a property-damage-only crash is a misdemeanor, which carries up to 6 months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. If someone is injured, you must stay at the scene until you’ve met the requirements of NRS 484E.030.

Even when you’re legally free to go, staying is the better call. Nevada DOT guidance says you should stop and call 911, which lets authorities rescue and treat the animal, euthanize it, or safely dispose of it. A wounded deer left on the shoulder is a hazard for the next driver.

Deer Collision Reporting Requirements in Nevada

Reporting depends on injuries, damage, and whether police arrive. Three separate duties can apply, and you may also owe notice to your insurer. This sequence covers most situations:

1. Move to a safe spot, turn on your hazards, and call 911 if anyone is hurt or the animal or wreckage blocks traffic.
2. If no officer comes, report the crash to the nearest police authority or the Nevada Highway Patrol when the statute applies to your crash.
3. Check the damage total. Under NRS Chapter 484E, a crash with bodily injury or death, or damage of an apparent $750 or more, requires a written or electronic report to the Department within 10 days.
4. Notify your insurer and keep a copy of any police report number.

Many lawyers read the $750 line as an exemption for minor crashes. As one summary puts it, a filing isn’t necessary if there are no injuries and less than $750 in property damage. Most modern deer damage clears that threshold easily, so assume you need to file. The Nevada Legislature’s NRS 484E page has the current wording.

Important Note: Statutory dollar thresholds can be amended. Confirm the figure on the Nevada Legislature’s website or with the DMV before you decide a report isn’t needed.

Can You Keep or Salvage a Deer You Hit in Nevada

As far as the sources reviewed show, no. Nevada has long treated roadkill as state property. Nevada has no specific roadkill law, but the animal is considered state property and salvagers could face poaching charges. That means the buck you just hit isn’t yours to haul home, even though you paid for the damage.

Lawmakers have tried to change this. Assembly Bill 299 in 2021 proposed salvage permits for certain animals hit and killed by a motor vehicle. In 2025, the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources heard Senate Bill 215, which would authorize salvage permits for edible portions of animals killed in vehicle collisions. NDOW officials said they would retain the animal’s head for chronic wasting disease testing.

Important Note: The sources reviewed for this article don’t confirm whether SB 215 became law or how permits would work if it did. Before you take any part of a deer, call the Nevada Department of Wildlife or the local game warden and get authorization in writing.

Our roadkill laws in Nevada article tracks the salvage debate in more detail. If you want venison legally, the hunting laws in Nevada page covers tags and seasons. Taking a deer without authorization can bring game violations on top of any traffic issues.

Can You Sue the State or Local Government Over a Deer Collision in Nevada

Rarely, and not because deer are on the road. Wild animals move on their own, so the mere presence of a deer isn’t negligence by a highway agency. That’s why neither the state nor anyone else is typically at fault in a standard deer strike.

A claim becomes possible when something else the government controls contributed to the harm. Examples include a broken fence on a fenced corridor, a missing or hidden warning sign where the agency had notice of a hazard, or a dangerous road defect that worsened the crash. You would need to show the agency’s negligence, not just the deer’s presence.

Suing a government body also follows different rules than suing a private driver. Nevada allows suits against the state and its subdivisions only within limits set by statute, and those limits can include damage caps, formal notice requirements, and immunity for certain policy decisions. Because the procedure is strict and the deadlines can be shorter, talk to a Nevada attorney early if you think a government failure played a role.

Time Limits for Deer Collision Injury Claims in Nevada

Your deadlines depend on the type of claim. A lawsuit for injuries or wrongful death is time-limited more tightly than one for a damaged vehicle. The Nevada statute of limitations to sue for injuries or wrongful death is two years after the wreck, and three years if only property damage is involved.

Type of Claim	Typical Filing Deadline	Notes
Lawsuit for injuries	2 years from the crash	Applies when another party may be liable
Lawsuit for property damage only	3 years from the crash	Applies when another party may be liable
Your own insurance claim	Set by your policy	File as soon as possible
Claim against a government body	Often shorter, with notice rules	Ask an attorney immediately

These limits govern lawsuits. They don’t apply to insurance claims, which typically should be filed as soon as possible after the collision. Your policy may require prompt notice, and a late report can complicate coverage. Deer-only crashes usually involve no lawsuit at all, but the clock matters when another driver or a government hazard played a part.

If you’re injured, keep your medical records, photos, and any hit-and-run documentation in one folder from day one. A short consultation with a Nevada attorney can tell you whether anyone besides the deer could be held responsible.

Important Note: This article is general legal information for Nevada drivers, not legal advice. Laws, thresholds, and deadlines change, and your facts may differ. Consult a licensed Nevada attorney about your specific situation.