Spreadsheet checks before running Damages Allocation in Nevada

What the checker catches

Before you run Damages Allocation in DocketMath for Nevada (US-NV), a spreadsheet can silently introduce errors that cascade into your damages outputs. The Spreadsheet Checker is designed to catch issues that commonly break (or distort) allocation calculations—especially when your model uses time-based inputs, category totals, and settlement/judgment distributions.

Here’s what the checker is built to flag in a Nevada damages workflow:

• Missing or inconsistent time windows

  • Damages allocation spreadsheets often include date columns (e.g., “incident date,” “end date,” “payment date,” “through date”).
  • If you have blank dates, reversed ranges, or mismatched start/end pairs, allocation periods can become incorrect.

• Damages values that don’t reconcile

  • The checker verifies that your numbers add up the way your spreadsheet intends by comparing:

    • Line-item totals vs. category totals
    • Category totals vs. grand totals
  • It also flags common “looks numeric but isn’t” problems, such as:

    • Cells that appear numeric but are stored as text
    • Rounding drift (for example, penny-level differences that accumulate across hundreds of lines)

• Wrong sign conventions

  • Some models store recoverable amounts as positive numbers and deductions as negative.
  • If your spreadsheet mixes approaches (or accidentally flips signs), your net allocation may be wrong even if the totals look plausible at a glance.

• Allocation weights that won’t sum

  • When the model relies on weights (percentages or ratios), the checker confirms they sum properly (for example, 100% or a normalized total).
  • It also detects entry mistakes such as weights entered as whole numbers instead of decimals (e.g., 25 instead of 0.25), which can dramatically skew the distribution while leaving the grand total unchanged.

• **Out-of-range dates that affect eligibility (baseline screening)

  • Nevada has a general, default statute of limitations period of 2 years for many claims.
  • This checker is not a substitute for legal advice or claim-specific limitations analysis, but it can help you spot when your spreadsheet’s damages time window includes periods that may fall outside a baseline eligibility window.

Nevada baseline limitations reference used by the checker

• General statute of limitations (baseline): 2 years
• Statute: **NRS § 11.190(3)(d)
• Source: https://law.justia.com/codes/nevada/chapter-11/statute-11-190/

When to run it

Run the checker right before you start allocation math in DocketMath, and again whenever you change anything that affects:

• time windows (start dates, through dates, measurement end dates)
• totals (line items, categories, grand totals)
• distribution structure (weights/percentages/ratios)
• formatting or rounding rules (whole dollars vs two decimals)

A practical cadence that prevents rework:

• Before first run

  • Upload/import your spreadsheet inputs into DocketMath.
  • Run the checker first to confirm your data is “calculation-ready.”

• After any spreadsheet edits

  • Re-run the checker if you:

    • change any date fields
    • update totals or add/remove rows
    • edit allocation percentages/weights
    • adjust rounding behavior

• After you finalize a new “through” date

  • Many damages allocations depend on a “damages through” date or measurement end date.
  • If you move that end date forward/backward, the checker’s date consistency checks can help you avoid misalignment with the 2-year baseline used for screening.

What changes in DocketMath output when the checker finds issues

Use these examples as a quick mental model:

• If the checker finds category totals don’t equal line-item sums:

  • Expect allocation results to change, because distributions often depend on your totals.

• If the checker finds weights don’t sum (or are entered in the wrong scale):

  • You’ll see misallocated shares—sometimes net totals look reasonable while the internal distribution is wrong.

• If the checker finds out-of-order or missing dates:

  • Your allocation window can shift, changing what damages land in each period.

Try the checker

You can start with a straightforward workflow:

1. Open DocketMath → Damages Allocation
2. Select the action path: /tools/damages-allocation
3. Upload or map your spreadsheet columns to the allocation inputs
4. Run the Spreadsheet Checker first
5. Fix any flagged items, then run Damages Allocation

Use these input guidelines (Nevada-aware, baseline screening)

Because the Nevada rule in the provided data is a general 2-year default baseline, you can treat it as a screening constraint for your spreadsheet’s time window:

• Maintain a clear start date and end/through date for damages measurement.
• If your spreadsheet includes measurement periods older than 2 years, the checker can help you identify those rows/blocks so you can decide how your model scopes damages.
• Don’t assume the baseline applies automatically to every element of a case. It’s general screening, not a claim-specific ruling.

Checklist for a clean Damages Allocation run

Before you proceed, confirm:

If you want to jump straight in, use the primary call to action:

• Primary CTA: Run Damages Allocation in DocketMath

Related reading

• Damages Allocation Guide for Alabama — Comparative Fault Rules
• Damages Allocation Guide for Alaska — Comparative Fault Rules
• Damages Allocation Guide for American Samoa — Comparative Fault Rules