NRS41.1399. Action by victim of human trafficking; venue; damages and other relief; attorney’s fees and costs; statute of limitations; joinder of parties; limitation on defenses.

      1.  Any person who is a victim of human trafficking may bring a civil action against any person who caused, was responsible for or profited from the human trafficking.

      2.  A civil action brought under this section may be instituted in the district court of this State in the county in which the prospective defendant resides or has committed any act which subjects him or her to liability under this section.

      3.  In an action brought under this section, the court may award such injunctive relief as the court deems appropriate.

      4.  A plaintiff who prevails in an action brought under this section may recover actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages or any other appropriate relief. If a plaintiff recovers actual damages in an action brought under this section and the acts of the defendant were willful and malicious, the court may award treble damages to the plaintiff. If the plaintiff prevails in an action brought under this section, the court may award attorney’s fees and costs to the plaintiff.

      5.  The statute of limitations for an action brought under this section does not commence until:

      (a) The plaintiff discovers or reasonably should have discovered that he or she is a victim of human trafficking and that the defendant caused, was responsible for or profited from the human trafficking;

      (b) The plaintiff reaches 18 years of age; or

      (c) If the injury to the plaintiff results from two or more acts relating to the human trafficking, the final act in the series of acts has occurred,

Ê whichever is later.

      6.  The statute of limitations for an action brought under this section is tolled for any period during which the plaintiff was under a disability. For the purposes of this subsection, a plaintiff is under a disability if the plaintiff is insane, a person with an intellectual disability, mentally incompetent or in a medically comatose or vegetative state.

      7.  A defendant in an action brought under this section is estopped from asserting that the action was not brought within the statute of limitations if the defendant, or any person acting on behalf of the defendant, has induced the plaintiff to delay bringing an action under this section by subjecting the plaintiff to duress, threats, intimidation, manipulation or fraud or any other conduct inducing the plaintiff to delay bringing an action under this section.

      8.  In the discretion of the court in an action brought under this section:

      (a) Two or more persons may join as plaintiffs in one action if the claims of those plaintiffs involve at least one defendant in common.

      (b) Two or more persons may be joined in one action as defendants if those persons may be liable to at least one plaintiff in common.

      9.  The consent of a victim is not a defense to a cause of action brought under this section.

      10.  For the purposes of this section:

      (a) A victim of human trafficking is a person against whom a violation of any provision of NRS 200.463 to 200.468, inclusive, 201.300 or 201.320, or 18 U.S.C. § 1589, 1590 or 1591 has been committed.

      (b) It is not necessary that the defendant be investigated, arrested, prosecuted or convicted for a violation of any provision of NRS 200.463 to 200.468, inclusive, 201.300 or 201.320, or 18 U.S.C. § 1589, 1590 or 1591 to be found liable in an action brought under this section.

      (Added to NRS by 2013, 2417)