All civil cases in Missouri have a time limit on filing a lawsuit, known as its statute of limitations. For medical malpractice cases, this time limit is two years after the injury occurs, or two years after the date of discovery. The latter allows patients the opportunity to extend the statute of limitations if they were unaware that potential medical malpractice has occurred. For example, if a patient undergoes a surgical procedure and the doctor leaves a foreign object in their body which causes an infection, the clock starts ticking when the patient discovers the surgeon’s error through future treatment. If you are unsure what day your statute of limitations clock started, seek the help of an attorney well-versed in Missouri medical malpractice law.