There are many things that may extend the statute of limitations in an appropriate case. For example, the statute of limitations may not begin to run until you discovered, or should have discovered, the malpractice. Also, the statute of limitations is extended for children and people who are incapacitated. You must contact a lawyer immediately if time is an issue. Doctors in the same community will not likely be willing to testify against a colleague.
Experts normally have to be found in other states.
Another reason that malpractice cases are so expensive is that they are usually the most hard fought of all types of personal injury cases. They normally do not settle until a lawsuit is filed and thoroughly litigated. Lawsuits require expenses for expert witness bills, deposition costs, travel, and other major expenditures. Expert medical testimony is almost always required to establish negligence or lack of reasonable care on the part of a doctor in making a medical diagnosis, performance of medical procedures, or the care and treatment of patients. It applies only when a layman can say as a matter of common knowledge and observation that the consequences of professional treatment were not such as ordinarily would have followed had due care been exercised.