Section 430.230

Title XXVII DEBTOR-CREDITOR RELATIONS

Chapter 430

Effective - 28 Aug 1971   

  430.230.  Hospitals to have liens — when, against whom. — Every public hospital or clinic, and every privately maintained hospital, clinic or other institution for the care of the sick, which is supported in whole or in part by charity, located within the state of Missouri, or any such hospital duly incorporated under the laws of Missouri providing for the incorporation of eleemosynary institutions, shall have a lien upon any and all claims, counterclaims, demands, suits, or rights of action of any person admitted to any hospital, clinic or other institution and receiving treatment, care or maintenance therein for any cause including any personal injury sustained by such person as the result of the negligence or wrongful act of another, which such injured person may have, assert or maintain against the person or persons causing such injury for damages on account of such injury, for the cost of such services, computed at reasonable rates not to exceed twenty-five dollars per day and the reasonable cost of necessary X-ray, laboratory, operating room and medication service, as such hospital, clinic, or other institution shall render such injured person on account of his conditions; provided further, that the lien herein set forth shall not be applied or considered valid against anyone coming under the workers' compensation law in this state.

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(L. 1941 p. 371 § 1, A.L. 1971 H.B. 552)

(1989)  Because a wrongful death settlement is for the use and benefit of those who sue or are entitled to sue and because wrongful death is not a claim or cause of action brought on the part of the injured person, a hospital lien does not attach the settlement of a wrongful death claim.  American Family Mutual Insurance Company v. Ward, 774 S.W.2d 135 (Mo. banc).