The statute of limitations in medical malpractice lawsuits differs by state.   If a victim does not take steps to ensure their claim for malpractice, all rights to bring any action may be lost one year after the patient discovers the injury, or three years after the date of the injury, whichever occurs first.  The time limit for bringing a claim against a governmental entity (county-owned hospital) is usually even shorter.  There may be exceptions to the rule pertaining to minors, if the professional health care provider committed fraud and in an unusual circumstance of a physician leaving a foreign object inside of a patient during surgery.  Most generally, however, there is a very limited window of opportunity for a patient to bring a medical malpractice action.