What You Should Know About Lake of the Ozarks, 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. EC’s firm routinely handles personal injury cases in Morgan County (Laurie and Versailles), Camden County (Osage Beach and Camdenton), Benton County (Cole Camp and Warsaw), and Miller County (Eldon and Tuscumbia) such as car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, premises liability cases, and dog bite incidents. 

If You’ve Been Involved in a Personal Injury Accident at the Lake of the Ozarks, Learn How to File a Claim & Find an Attorney Who Can Lead Your Case

The Lake of the Ozarks (often referred to as “LOZ” by locals) is a man-made reservoir created in 1929 (and flooded in 1931) by damming the Osage River. The Lake spans across portions of four counties, which include Benton, Camden, Miller, and Morgan counties. While it’s not Missouri’s largest lake (Truman Lake is a slightly larger reservoir by water acreage), it is certainly Missouri’s most well-known lake. However, over the years, the Lake of the Ozarks has developed from simply a recreational lake primarily visited by Missouri locals, into a vacation hotbed known across the country (Netflix released as TV series called “Ozark” in 2017, which is a fictional drama based on the Lake of the Ozarks). 

With lavish homes and ocean yachts mixed amongst modest dwellings and Jon Boats, the Lake of the Ozarks has a little something for everyone. It’s no surprise then to see the increased tourism and population growth across the region year after year. It’s currently estimated that the Lake of the Ozarks receives 2.5 million visitors per year and possesses an estimated total resident population of around 100,000 people (according to data acquired by the Lake of the Ozarks Regional Economic Development Council). The largest towns across the LOZ region include Osage Beach (5,080 residents), Camdenton (4,035 residents), and Lake Ozark (2,210 residents). Other notable towns and communities across the Lake include Laurie, Sunrise Beach, Rocky Mount, Bagnell, Village of Four Seasons, Linn Creek, Kaiser and Gravois Mills. 

With so many communities collectively encompassing the Lake of the Ozarks, it can be difficult for residents and visitors to know where to turn and what to do if they are involved in an injury-causing accident in the area. From car crashes on the winding and hilly lake roads, to premises liability claims across the many lake businesses, to boat and jet ski accidents out on the water, personal injury-causing accidents are an unfortunate reality of lake life. As such, this article seeks to provide guidance for what you should know (both visitors and locals alike) about personal injury cases across the Lake of the Ozarks region.

Who investigates car accidents & boat crashes at the Lake of the Ozarks? 

When it comes to responding to and investigating motor vehicle collisions at the Lake of the Ozarks, there is a litany of different municipal police departments, sheriff’s departments, and state agencies that may respond to the scene. The exact agency that will respond to your car accident will depend on where your crash occurs. On the west side of the Lake, both the City of Laurie, Missouri and the City of Sunrise Beach, Missouri have police departments which may respond to accidents occurring in their respective city limits. On the east side of the Lake, the Osage Beach Police Department or the City of Lake Ozark Police Department are likely to respond to a car accident occurring within their respective jurisdictions. And on the south side of the Lake, the City of Linn Creek, Missouri Police Department or City of Camdenton, MO Police Department are both prepared to investigate motor vehicle crashes in their towns. 

For crashes occurring outside of incorporated cities and towns across the Lake of the Ozarks, you’re more likely to run across county sheriffs investigating car accidents. This includes the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office (211 Newton St., Ste. #2, Versailles, MO 65084), the Miller County Sheriff’s Office (1999 MO-52, Tuscumbia, MO 65082), and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office (1 Court Circle, Ste. 13, Camden, MO 65020).

In addition to these municipal and county agencies, the state of Missouri also provides a law enforcement presence in the Lake region through the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The MSHP is likely to respond to car accidents on major roadways across the Lake region including U.S. 54, MO Route 5, Highway W, and MO Route 52.  Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F is assigned to most of the counties, which encompass the Lake of the Ozarks, including Morgan, Miller, and Camden counties. MSHP Troop F is headquartered at P.O. Box 568, Jefferson City, MO 65102. 

Regardless of the reporting agency, 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, and/or apparent property damage of five hundred dollars or more to one person. 

Finally, for boat, jet ski, or drownings, which occur out on the water of Lake of the Ozarks, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Patrol Division is tasked with emergency response and investigation. The MSHP completes a Boat Crash Report Form with pertinent details of the incident following their investigation of a boat or PWC, accident.

Who provides medical care for victims of personal injury accidents in the Lake area? 

If you’re involved in a serious injury-causing accident at the Lake, you’ll likely need emergency medical care as soon as possible. The most prominent medical provider in the region is Lake Regional Health System. Lake Regional Hospital is located at 54 Hospital Drive, Osage Beach, MO 65965. The hospital includes 121 patient beds with a 35-bed emergency department. Lake Regional Hospital’s Emergency Department is a Level III Trauma Center, which means it offers 24-hour immediate medical coverage by emergency medicine physicians and “has demonstrated an ability to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of injured patients and emergency operations.”  (Per American Trauma Society). Lake Regional Hospital’s emergency department treats approximately 39,000 patients per year. In addition to its main hospital/campus, Lake Regional Health System has seven primary care clinics, twenty-plus specialty clinics, three express care clinics, and a skilled nursing facility across the Lake area. 

In addition to Lake Regional Hospital, Lake of the Ozarks accident victims are often transported to Jefferson City and Columbia, Missouri for emergency medical care as well. Jefferson City has two major hospitals: SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital (2505 Mission Dr., Jefferson City, MO 65109) and Capital Region Medical Center (1125 Madison St., Jefferson City, MO 65101), both with Level II Trauma Centers. If a patient is transported from the Lake to Columbia, the patient is likely being transported to the University of Missouri Hospital (1 Hospital Dr., Columbia, MO 65212), as the University has the closest Level I Trauma Center in the region. 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 while at the Lake of the Ozarks.

After emergency medical care has been addressed, the Lake region has various outpatient providers who routinely treat personal injury victims including Lake Regional Orthopedics (Osage Beach), PEAK Sport & Spine (Camdenton, Eldon), American PT (Osage Beach), Active Care PT (Osage Beach), Osage Beach Rehab and Health Care Center (Osage Beach), Mid-America PT (Laurie), and Lake Regional Rehab Therapy (Laurie, Camdenton, Lake Ozark). Chiropractor care in the Lake region includes Advanced Spinal Rejuvenation (Lake Ozark), Morrow Chiropractic (Lake Ozark), Beck Wellness Center (Sunrise Beach), Lake of the Ozarks Chiropractic Center (Camdenton), ABC Wellness (Camdenton), Family Chiropractic (Osage Beach), Family Chiropractic (Osage Beach), Well Aligned Chiropractic (Osage Beach), Pike Chiropractic (Osage Beach), Real Life Chiropractic (Osage Beach), and Kinetic Chiropractic (Osage Beach). 

What court will my Lake of the Ozarks personal injury claim be filed in? 

In Missouri, your personal injury case will generally need to be filed in the county court where the personal injury accident took place. See RSMo. § 508.010. As the Lake of the Ozarks is primarily composed of three different counties (Miller, Morgan, and Camden – with a small portion in Benton), your case will likely need to be filed in one of those counties. The Lake of the Ozarks is part of Missouri’s 26th Judicial Circuit, which includes Camden, Laclede, Miller, Moniteau, and Morgan Counties. Each has its own respective county court. Camden County Court is located at 1 Court Circle, Camdenton, MO. Miller County Court is located at 2001 MO-52, Tuscumbia, MO. Morgan County Court is located at 211 E Newton St, Versailles, MO 65084. 

The specific county the case is filed in depends on exactly where your car accident, boat accident, motorcycle accident, or premises liability accident occurred. That means if you were involved in a boat crash while near Backwater Jacks, any lawsuit would likely need to be filed in the Circuit Court of Camden County in Camdenton, Missouri. Or if you were injured while walking up a boat dock at Coconuts At The Lake, your claim would need to be pursued in the Circuit Court of Morgan County in Versailles, MO. Or if a loved one was killed in a car accident while driving on U.S. 54 HW near Eldon, that lawsuit would need to be litigated in the Circuit Court of Miller County in Tuscumbia, Missouri. However, as each of the Lakes’ counties are under 75,000 in total population, any party can request a change of venue to another county court “as matter of right” under Rule 51.03. If a change of county is made under Rule 51.03, typically, the case will be transferred to another county within the 26th Judicial Circuit.

A case filed at the Lake of the Ozarks may also be transferred to the U.S. the U.S. Federal Court – Western District, Central Division, if the case was originally filed in either Morgan, Miller, or Camden county, and other certain conditions are met. Typically, this transfer (formally called “removal”) is done by defendant’s counsel where the parties (plaintiffs and defendants) are from different states and the amount of money in controversy exceeds $75,000. For LOZ cases filed in Morgan, Miller, or Camden County, and 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 service the Lake of the Ozarks?

Tucked between the Columbia/Jefferson City market and the Springfield market – and with several small local firms located there as well – there are many options when it comes to choosing the best lawyer for your Lake of the Ozarks personal injury claim. While there are too many options to list in this article, here some key factors you should consider in finding the best Lake Ozarks’ lawyer for you: 

• Knowledge of Lake of the Ozarks’ courts. Local county courts are unique, each with their own judges and local rules. Having an attorney with knowledge of the Lake’s court system is key.
• Experience handling boating or jet ski accident cases. These are complex claims requiring a boating accident lawyer who knows the issues surrounding liability and insurance coverage with these crashes. Check out Duckworth Injury Law’s boat and jet ski accident article here. 
• Location of the firm. While the firm doesn’t need to be physically located at the Lake, it should be fairly close by. A firm located in KC, STL, or out-of-state will likely lack experience at the Lake and incur unnecessary costs on your behalf traveling back and forth.
• Attorney’s fees charged on your LOZ injury case (attorney fees should generally not exceed 40% of the gross recovery, and they should generally be less if your case is resolved pre-suit).
• PI attorney’s role in your personal injury case (the lawyer you meet with should be the lawyer that works on your case – not an associate or paralegal).

While these are just a handful of the major factors to consider in choosing the best Lake Ozarks’ injury attorney for you, do your own research prior to making a decision. Do a quick Google search of local firms and check for qualifications, Lake dedicated service and practice areas, and results. Further, it may be helpful to ask friends, family, or co-workers for a Lake area personal injury referral if they have experience with one themself. 

Lake of the Ozarks Residents & Visitors Can Trust Duckworth Injury Law to Manage Their Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Case With Determination & Care 

If you’ve been involved in an injury-causing personal injury accident at the Lake of the Ozarks, you need an accident attorney who actually practices at the Lake of the Ozarks. EC Duckworth takes pride in acting as a go-to car accident lawyer, motorcycle accident lawyer, truck accident lawyer, boat accident lawyer, slip and fall lawyer, or dog bite lawyer at the Lake. 

Duckworth Injury Law is located just an hour north of the Lake of the Ozarks. Attorney EC Duckworth has practiced law across the Lake of the Ozarks, including handling personal injury claims in Morgan County (Laurie and Versailles), Camden County (Osage Beach and Camdenton), Benton County (Cole Camp and Warsaw), and Miller County (Eldon and Tuscumbia). EC Duckworth is an avid boater himself, enjoying the Lake of the Ozarks from his family’s home on the Gravois Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. 

Duckworth Injury Law is proud to represent and stand up for victims and their families involved in serious injury and wrongful death caused by boating accidents across the Lake of the Ozarks. If you’d like to learn more about how Duckworth Injury Law can recover maximum compensation for you and your family following a boat or PWC accident, or any other injury-causing accident, reach out to Duckworth Injury Law today for a free case evaluation and consultation.