If you were hurt at a company picnic, holiday party, or team-building outing in Las Vegas, you may wonder whether workers’ compensation will cover your medical bills and lost wages. The answer: it depends. Under Nevada law, a work injury must “arise out of and in the course of the employment” to qualify for workers’ comp benefits. This legal standard, codified in NRS 616B.612, applies whether you were injured on a warehouse floor or at your employer’s annual event. Company events occupy a gray area because they blend social activity with workplace expectations, and insurers frequently use that ambiguity to deny legitimate claims.
If you were injured at a work event and need guidance on your claim, the team at Shook and Stone is ready to help. Call 702-570-0000 or contact us today for a case evaluation.
The Legal Standard for Workers’ Compensation Coverage in Nevada
Nevada’s workers’ compensation system operates under Chapters 616A through 616D of the Nevada Revised Statutes, collectively known as the Nevada Industrial Insurance Act. At the heart of any claim is one critical question: did the injury arise out of and in the course of employment?
Nevada’s workers’ compensation system requires that a covered employer provide compensation for personal injuries arising out of and in the course of employment. Under NRS 616C.150, the injured employee must establish this connection by a preponderance of the evidence. NRS 616B.612 addresses travel and certain specific employment circumstances within this framework, including when travel to off-site events is deemed to be in the course of employment. This two-part test requires a connection between the injury and both the work activity and the work setting. For a company event injury, the insurer will scrutinize whether your attendance served a work-related purpose or was purely voluntary and social.
Nevada workers’ comp is no-fault insurance. Benefits are provided regardless of who caused the injury. However, you must demonstrate that the event and injury had a sufficient connection to your employment. If you have questions, a Las Vegas workplace injury lawyer can evaluate your case.
When Company Event Injuries May Be Covered
Not every company event injury leads to a covered claim, but many do when certain conditions are present. Courts and insurers examine several factors to determine whether your attendance was connected to your employment.
Factors That Strengthen a Company Event Claim
The following circumstances help establish that your injury arose out of and in the course of employment:
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Employer required or strongly encouraged attendance
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Event took place on company property or during work hours
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Employer organized, funded, or supervised the event
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Activity promoted team-building, morale, or business purpose
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You were performing duties at the event
Under NRS 616C.150, the injured employee must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the injury arose out of and in the course of employment. This means showing it is more likely than not that the injury qualifies, requiring supporting documentation and often witness statements.
💡 Pro Tip: If your employer sends an email, memo, or group message about a company event, save it. Communications showing that attendance was expected, incentivized, or tied to job performance serve as critical evidence when filing your workers’ comp claim.
Travel to Company Events
Nevada law addresses situations where employees travel to off-site company events. Under NRS 616B.612(3), travel for which an employee receives wages is deemed to be in the course of employment. If your employer paid you for travel time to reach a company retreat or off-site gathering, that travel period may fall within coverage scope.
When Coverage May Be Denied: Alcohol and Substance Use at Company Events
One of the biggest risks at company parties is alcohol presence, and Nevada law addresses this directly. Under NRS 616C.230 (as amended in 2015), workers’ compensation benefits are not payable for an injury that occurred while the employee was in a state of intoxication. The law shifts the burden to the employee, and the employee must prove by clear and convincing evidence that intoxication was not the proximate cause of the injury.
Nevada law creates a rebuttable presumption that intoxication was the proximate cause of the injury when a positive drug or alcohol test result exists following the incident. This means that once a positive test is established, the burden shifts to the worker to affirmatively disprove causation — a demanding evidentiary standard. For company events where employers provide alcohol, workers should be aware that any post-incident testing will immediately trigger this presumption, making documentation of sobriety and the actual cause of injury especially important.
The source of alcohol at a company event can also affect the third-party claim analysis. When a company event is held at a commercial venue — a Las Vegas hotel, restaurant, or entertainment facility — and staff serve alcohol, the venue may face dram shop liability under Nevada law if they served a visibly intoxicated person who subsequently caused an injury. Nevada’s dram shop statute (NRS 41.1305) limits social host liability but preserves claims against commercial providers. If a third-party vendor’s over-service contributed to an event leading to your injury, a separate civil claim against that vendor may be available alongside the workers’ compensation claim.
This statute also applies to controlled substances. Company events in Las Vegas frequently involve open bars or social drinking, and insurers are well aware of this. Even if your employer provided the alcohol, your claim could face denial if intoxication played a role.
|
Factor |
Supports Coverage |
May Lead to Denial |
|---|---|---|
|
Employer required attendance |
✔ Strong indicator of work connection |
|
|
Event on company time/property |
✔ Supports “course of employment” |
|
|
Employee was performing duties |
✔ Clear employment nexus |
|
|
Employee was intoxicated |
✘ Bars coverage unless employee proves by clear and convincing evidence that intoxication was not the proximate cause (NRS 616C.230) |
|
|
Controlled substance use |
✘ May bar compensation entirely |
|
|
Purely voluntary social activity |
✘ Weakens “arising out of” employment |
💡 Pro Tip: If alcohol is served at a company event and you are injured, the insurer may request a toxicology report. Demonstrating sobriety at the time of injury or otherwise proving by clear and convincing evidence that intoxication was not the proximate cause can be essential to overcoming a denial based on NRS 616C.230.
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How Nevada Decides Claims: Merits Over Liberal Construction
Unlike some states that interpret workers’ comp statutes broadly in favor of injured workers, Nevada takes a different approach. Under NRS 616A.010, claims must be decided on their merits and not according to the common-law principle that requires liberal construction of remedial statutes.
This approach makes thorough documentation critical. If you were hurt at a company-sponsored event in Las Vegas, collecting evidence early, including photos, witness names, event invitations, and medical records, strengthens your ability to meet the preponderance-of-evidence standard. For more on what qualifies as being “at work” when injured, read about workplace injury scenarios.
Benefits Available if Your Company Event Injury Is Covered
If your injury at a company event qualifies for workers’ comp, Nevada law provides several categories of benefits.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD)
If your injury prevents you from working temporarily, you may receive Temporary Total Disability benefits. TTD pays 66.66% of your average monthly wage on a bi-weekly basis while you are unable to return to work.
Medical Benefits and Claim Reopening
Nevada law protects injured workers’ access to ongoing medical care. Workers’ comp insurers must provide all reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to the accepted claim. Additionally, Nevada allows an injured worker to reopen a workers’ comp claim, even after closure, provided they supply medical certification showing a change in condition or need for further treatment. You can review the Nevada Industrial Insurance Act for the full statutory framework.
💡 Pro Tip: Do not assume a closed claim is final. If your injury from a company event worsens months or years later, Nevada’s reopening provision may allow you to seek additional benefits with proper medical documentation.
Third-Party Claims: When Someone Else Caused Your Injury at a Work Event
Sometimes a company event injury is caused by someone other than your employer or a coworker, such as a venue operator, caterer, or outside contractor. Under Nevada law, if a worker is injured on the job due to a third party’s fault, they may sue that third party while still receiving workers’ comp benefits. This dual-recovery option can be especially relevant at off-site company events held at Las Vegas venues.
Nevada’s SB 258, signed in May 2025, amended NRS 616C.215 to limit how much a workers’ comp insurer can recover from a third-party settlement. The insurer’s lien recovery is capped at the lesser of the full lien amount or one-third of the total third-party recovery. This ensures injured workers retain at least two-thirds of any settlement obtained through a third-party lawsuit. You can read a guide to NRS 616C.215 for more detail.
💡 Pro Tip: If a third party contributed to your injury at a company event, do not settle your third-party claim without understanding how the workers’ comp lien will affect your recovery. An attorney can help coordinate both claims to maximize your total recovery.
What a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Do for Your Company Event Claim
Injuries at company events often fall into a gray area that insurers use to deny or undervalue claims. A workers’ compensation attorney familiar with Nevada law can help you gather evidence, file your claim properly, and challenge denials. Any challenge to a denial must be filed within 70 days of receiving the written determination under NRS 616C.315. This deadline applies to company event injury denials as it does to all workers’ compensation adverse determinations. Read every denial letter immediately and note the hearing request deadline on the accompanying Request for Hearing form. Because workers’ comp in Nevada serves as an exclusive remedy under NRS 616A.020, ensuring you receive full benefits through the workers’ comp system is essential.
An attorney can also help you identify whether a third-party claim exists alongside your workers’ comp case. In Las Vegas, where company events frequently take place at hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues, third-party negligence is common. Pursuing both avenues can significantly increase your total recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I file a workers’ comp claim if I was injured at a voluntary company party?
You may still have a valid claim even if attendance was voluntary. Insurers and courts examine whether the employer organized, funded, or benefited from the event. If the employer encouraged attendance or the event served a business purpose, the injury may still arise out of and in the course of employment.
2. What happens if I was drinking at a company event and got hurt?
Under NRS 616C.230 (as amended in 2015), workers’ compensation benefits are not payable for an injury that occurred while the employee was in a state of intoxication. The statute requires the employee to prove by clear and convincing evidence that intoxication was not the proximate cause in order to obtain benefits.
3. How long do I have to file a workers’ comp claim for a company event injury in Nevada?
Nevada law imposes two distinct deadlines. Under NRS 616C.015, written notice of injury (C-1 form) must be provided to the employer within 7 days of the injury or the date you knew or should have known it was work-related. Under NRS 616C.020, the formal claim for compensation (C-4 form) must be filed within 90 days of that same date. For company event injuries where the work-connection is disputed, acting within both windows is especially important — delay can be used by insurers to question both the claim’s validity and its timeliness.
4. Can I sue my employer if I was injured at a company event?
Generally, no. Workers’ compensation is an exclusive remedy in Nevada, meaning employers who provide coverage are protected from separate damage claims. However, if a third party caused or contributed to your injury, you may pursue a separate lawsuit against that party.
5. What if my company event injury gets worse years later?
Nevada allows injured workers to reopen a workers’ comp claim if they provide medical certification showing a change in condition. If your condition from a company event injury deteriorates over time, you may seek additional medical treatment and benefits.
Protecting Your Rights After a Company Event Injury in Las Vegas
Injuries at company events raise unique questions under Nevada workers’ compensation law, but they do not automatically fall outside coverage scope. The key is whether the injury arose out of and in the course of your employment. From documenting employer involvement to understanding intoxication defenses, being informed puts you in a stronger position to protect your claim.
If you were injured at a company event in Las Vegas and need help navigating Nevada workers’ comp law, Shook and Stone is here to fight for your rights. Call 702-570-0000 or reach out online to discuss your case with a dedicated legal team today.
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