Document Type
Case Summary
Publication Date
11-27-2024
Case Synopsis
Nevada’s professional negligence statute—NRS 41A—is the governing law for malpractice cases where a patient dies by suicide. Nevada has no suicide rule that alleviates a medical provider from liability if a patient dies of suicide outside of the provider’s control and custody. Instead, the court must make factual findings to determine ordinary medical malpractice elements for a suicide case, including Duty, Breach, Foreseeability, and Proximate Causation. If a provider’s actions could foreseeably lead a patient to commit suicide, they can be held liable.
Recommended Citation
Wanlass, Nathan, "Bourne v. Valdes, 140 Nev. Adv. Op. 74 (Nov. 27, 2024)" (2024). Nevada Supreme Court Summaries. 1733.
https://scholars.law.unlv.edu/nvscs/1733