The statute of limitations in medical malpractice cases refers to the amount of time a patient has to file a case against the caregiver or medical establishment. The time usually starts from the day the incident occurred but may be pushed off. Additionally, if the person doesn’t realize there was malpractice until a later date, their time will only start ticking when they recognized the negligence. Statutes of limitations for medical malpractice can range from 1 year to 20 years, depending on the circumstance and state that the case occurred. Contact a medical malpractice attorney in your state to better understand how much time you have to file your lawsuit.