In contrast to many other kinds of personal injury lawsuits, nursing home abuse claims are not based on the legal theory of negligence. While the general idea that a person made a mistake that caused an injury remains in place, these claims fall under the umbrella of medical malpractice. This makes both the filing and litigation of a lawsuit for nursing home abuse far more complex than a normal personal injury case. The statute of limitations, a time limit on how long individuals have to file their claim, can also complicate matters. It is imperative that anyone with a case, file their case within the first year, otherwise the statute expires and they no longer have a case.