Opinion ID: 2604705
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: The district court properly refused to allow the Mackintoshes to present evidence to support a claim for punitive damages.

Text: NRS 42.005(1) establishes the circumstances under which punitive damages are available: [I]n an action for the breach of an obligation not arising from contract, where it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant has been guilty of oppression, fraud or malice, express or implied, the plaintiff, in addition to the compensatory damages, may recover damages for the sake of example and by way of punishing the defendant. Additionally, we have stated that punitive damages must be based on a cause of action sounding in tort and that compensatory damages must be awarded before the court can award punitive damages. Sprouse v. Wentz, 105 Nev. 597, 602, 781 P.2d 1136, 1138-39 (1989). This is a tort action. However, we have stated that punitive damages should not be awarded in the case which initially adopts this new cause of action. Hansen v. Harrah's, 100 Nev. 60, 65, 675 P.2d 394, 397 (1984). This rule precludes an award of punitive damages in this case because the cause of action underlying any award of punitive damages was first adopted by this court in Mackintosh I. Therefore, the district court's conclusion that punitive damages were not available in this case was proper.