Assessment of compensation and damages: Date of valuation; exception; just compensation

1. To assess compensation and damages as provided in NRS 37.110, the date of the first service of the summons is the date of valuation, except that, if the action is not tried within 2 years after the date of the first service of the summons, and the court makes a written finding that the delay is caused primarily by the plaintiff or is caused by congestion or backlog in the calendar of the court, the date of valuation is the date of the actual commencement of the trial. If a new trial is ordered by a court, the date of valuation used in the new trial must be the date of valuation used in the original trial. 2. No improvements put upon the property after the date of the service of the summons may be included in the assessment of compensation or damages, regardless of the date of valuation. 3. In all actions in eminent domain, the court shall award just compensation to the owner of the property that is being taken. Just compensation is that sum of money necessary to place the property owner in the same position monetarily as if the property had never been taken, excluding any governmental offsets except special benefits. Special benefits may only offset severance damages and may not offset the value for the property. Just compensation for the property taken by the exercise of eminent domain must include, without limitation, interest computed pursuant to NRS 37.175 and reasonable costs and expenses, except attorney’s fees, incurred by the owner of the property that is the subject of the action. 4. As used in this section, “primarily” means the greater amount, quantity or quality of acts of the plaintiff or the defendant or, if there is more than one defendant, the total delay caused by all the defendants, that would cause the date of the trial to be continued past 2 years after the date of the first service of the summons.