If you think you might have a valid medical malpractice case -- meaning you believe you've been harmed by sub-standard medical care at the hands of a doctor or other health care professional -- it's time to understand the statute of limitations that applies to these kinds of lawsuits in your state.

A statute of limitations is a law that puts a limit on the amount of time you have to get a case started in the state's civil courts. These laws are important because if you wait too long to file your medical malpractice case, you'll almost certainly lose your right to any legal remedy, meaning you won't be able to get compensation for your losses, no matter how substantial they may be.

The statute of limitations deadline can get tricky in medical malpractice cases. The "clock" doesn't typically start running until you discover (or should have discovered) that you may have been harmed, and each state law comes with exceptions and nuances that could affect the filing deadline. To learn the details on the statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits in your state, choose a link from the list below.