What You Should Know About Columbia, MO Personal Injury Claims

About the Author

Ethan Charles (“EC”) Duckworth is the founding attorney of Duckworth Injury Law. EC earned his law degree from the University of Missouri - Columbia, where he graduated in the top 10 of his class and served as an Editor of the Missouri Law Review. EC currently serves as a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA) and is a graduate of the Ross T. Roberts Trial Academy. EC has represented hundreds of injury victims throughout his career resulting in tens of millions of dollars in compensation recovered. The firm routinely handles personal injury cases in Boone County, including Columbia, such as car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, premises liability cases, and dog bite incidents.

Understand How Personal Injury Claims Are Managed in Columbia, MO & Contact Duckworth Injury Law to Pursue a Claim

Columbia, Missouri, affectionately referred to as “CoMo” by locals, is a college town situated in mid-Missouri, approximately halfway between Kansas City and St. Louis. The town is located entirely within Boone County, Missouri. As of 2025, Columbia had an estimated population of approximately 131,000 people, making it the largest city in Boone County and the 4th most populous city in the state. Columbia is also the fastest growing city in Missouri. Home to several universities and colleges, Columbia is often referred to as a college town, despite its heavy non-student population growth. These colleges include the University of Missouri, Columbia College, and Stephens College, among others. 

With an ever-expanding population, and an influx of an additional 36,000 college students during the school year, it’s no surprise that there is an associated large number of personal injury claims across Columbia each year. Whether you or a loved one is involved in a car accident on Interstate 70 HW, a motorcycle accident on Stadium Blvd., or you’re injured while at a business on Broadway, it’s important to understand the unique factors particular to pursuing a Columbia, MO personal injury claim or lawsuit.

Who investigates a Columbia, MO car accident?  

When a motor vehicle collision occurs within the Columbia city limits, odds are that the Columbia Police Department will be the law enforcement agency to respond to and investigate the crash. The CPD Operations/Patrol Bureau is divided into a North Patrol Bureau (based at the Molly Thomas Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center, 1204 International Dr.) and a South Patrol Division (based at 600 E. Walnut St.). The two Bureaus are organized to serve the north and south areas of Columbia, respectively. Within the Columbia Police Department is a sub-division called Community Service Aides. Community Service Aides provide support to CPD officers by responding to traffic accidents and occasionally handling minor traffic accidents on their own. 

For car accidents occurring on or around the University of Missouri’s campus, the University of Missouri Police Department will likely be the responding law enforcement agency. MUPD consists of 50 commissioned officers and 8 security officers who are collectively tasked with responding to motor vehicle collisions and other events on the streets and roadways running through MU’s campus, including sororities and fraternities. 

Along with CPD and MUPD, the Missouri State Highway Patrol may also respond to certain motor vehicle accidents in Columbia, particularly those that occur on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 63. Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F is assigned to the area which encompasses Columbia, MO. MSHP Troop F is headquartered at P.O. Box 568, Jefferson City, MO 65102. 

Finally, for crashes occurring outside of Columbia’s city limits, often the Boone County Sheriff’s Office has authority to respond and investigate the collision. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is located at 2121 County Dr., Columbia, MO 65202.

Regardless of the specific law enforcement agency that responds to your Columbia, MO car accident, each will likely use the Missouri Uniform Crash Report to document motor vehicle collision information. All Missouri law enforcement agencies are required by law (RSMO 43.250) to complete a Missouri Uniform Traffic Crash Report if a traffic crash involves a death, personal injury, an apparent property damage of five hundred dollars or more to one person. 

Who provides medical care for victims of personal injury accidents in Columbia, MO? 

Along with its colleges and universities, its hospitals and medical providers are perhaps Columbia’s second most well-known industry. In Columbia, there are three major hospitals: the University of Missouri Hospital (1 Hospital Dr., Columbia, MO 65212), Boone Hospital Center (1600 E Broadway, Columbia, MO 65201), and Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital (VA) (800 Hospital Dr., Columbia, MO 65201). Each of these hospitals has its own respective advantages for personal injury victims, depending on the particular facts and circumstances. University Hospital’s emergency department is a Level I Trauma Center, meaning it’s capable of providing the highest level of emergency care for injured patients. University Hospital also has a Helicopter Service, which can provide a rapid response to personal injury victims who have sustained serious or life-threatening injuries. Both University Hospital and Boone Hospital Center have their own EMS/Ambulance divisions that serve the Columbia area. 

Once initial injuries are triaged and stabilized, additional care can be provided at a litany of CoMo medical providers. In addition to each of the aforementioned hospitals (University, Boone, & VA), which each have their own respective inpatient and/or outpatient departments for areas such as intensive care, orthopedics, rehabilitation, pain management and more, there are many other providers to choose from. 

Other medical providers that frequently treat Columbia, MO personal injury victims include Columbia Orthopaedic Group, the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, Spine and Joint Centers of Missouri, Select Physical Therapy, Peak Sport & Spine, and Athletico PT. Chiropractors include Compass Chiropractic and Wellness, Lordex Spine, and Bowers Chiropractic, among others.

What court will my Columbia personal injury claim be filed in? 

Missouri law typically requires that a personal injury case be filed in the county court where the accident occurred. See RSMo. § 508.010. For personal injury accidents in Columbia, that means your case will need to be filed in the Circuit Court of Boone County, MO – 13th Judicial Circuit. The Boone County Courthouse is located downtown Columbia at 705 E. Walnut St., Columbia, MO 65201. 

It's important to note, though, that from time to time your case will be moved to a different county court or possibly even to a federal court. For cases filed in Boone County, a party may request a “change of venue” to another county court if one of the parties can show that the inhabitants of the county are prejudiced against them or if the opposing party has “undue influence” over the inhabitants of the county. See Rule 51.04. As Boone County has a population over 75,000, parties cannot change venues to another county court “as matter of right” under Rule 51.03. 

Your case may also be transferred to the U.S. Federal Court – Western District, Central Division, if certain conditions are met. Typically, this transfer (formally called “removal”) is done by the defendant's counsel where the parties (plaintiffs and defendants) are from different states and the amount of money in controversy exceeds $75,000. For Boone County cases removed to federal court, the case will be brought before the U.S. Federal Court – Western District, Central Division. The U.S. Federal Court – Western District, Central Division is located at the Christopher S. Bond Court House (80 Lafayette St., Jefferson City, MO 65101). 

What personal injury law firms serve Columbia, MO?

As Missouri’s 4th largest city, Columbia, Missouri certainly has a plethora of personal injury firms and lawyers to choose from. More so, as Columbia is in the middle of the state, many out of town firms from St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield heavily advertise in the area. However, just because there is a lot of quantity when it comes to personal injury lawyers in the area, that does not mean that these are all quality options to handle your case. In choosing a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim, focus on the following factors:

• Check to see where the firm is located. Focus on the firm’s headquarters, rather than if they simply have a “satellite office” in Columbia
• Ensure the firm focuses primarily on personal injury and wrongful death law (be careful if the firm also handles other areas of law such as family law, criminal law, or estate planning)
• Look for proven results. Ask if the attorney frequently litigates or has tried a case in Boone County
• Attorney’s fees charged. Attorney fees should generally not exceed 40% of the gross recovery, and they should generally be less if your case is resolved pre-suit
• Your injury lawyer’s handling of your case. The lawyer you meet with should be the lawyer that works on your case – not an associate or paralegal

When choosing a personal injury lawyer in Columbia, MO, ask trusted family & friends what injury firm they would recommend

When beginning your research for the best Columbia personal injury lawyer for your case, it never hurts to start by asking friends and family for a recommendation. If they have been involved in an injury causing car accident or personal injury claim themself, and if they had a positive experience with a local firm, that is a positive sign. You can also perform research of potential firms online. Look up the firm’s qualifications, physical office location, and track record. 

Contact Duckworth Injury Law for a free evaluation of your potential personal injury claim in Columbia, MO

Duckworth Injury Law is a mid-Missouri law firm headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. Founding attorney EC Duckworth grew up in Southern Boone County (just south of Columbia), attended both undergrad and law school at the University of Missouri, and calls Columbia home today. Duckworth Injury Law routinely litigates cases in the Boone County Circuit Court, and attorney EC Duckworth has appeared before every current Boone County Circuit Judge.

Duckworth Injury Law is proud to serve as The Columbia, Missouri Personal Injury firm and as Columbia’s go-to car accident lawyer, motorcycle accident lawyer, truck accident lawyer, boat accident lawyer, slip and fall lawyer, or dog bite lawyer.

Reach out to Duckworth Injury Law today for a free consultation on your Columbia personal injury case.