Statutes of limitations are different for different types of civil cases. Factors that impact the time limits include state laws and the type of case. A medical malpractice case is one type of personal injury case, and there’s a separate statute of limitations for taking action over medical malpractice. State laws vary regarding how long you have to take legal action over medical malpractice. Some states only allow one year, while others allow much longer periods. Virginia allows two years from the date of the injury, although certain situations might lead to an extension of that time limit.