419 S.W.3d 875
Mo. Ct. App.2013Background
- Huey was involved in a Dec. 20, 2010 motor vehicle collision resulting in injuries treated by Meek, a Missouri chiropractor.
- Before receiving care, Huey signed a Consensual Lien (lien) and an Assignment of Benefits (assignment) purporting to transfer some proceeds to Meek.
- The lien claimed Meek would be paid from Huey’s eventual personal-injury recovery, with language aiming to bind insurers and others to pay Meek directly.
- Huey filed a declaratory-judgment action seeking to void the lien and assignment; Meek sought validation of the lien and assignment.
- The trial court granted summary judgment sustaining both the lien and the assignment, relying on Ford Motor Credit and Marvin’s Midtown, and § 376.427.
- The 2003 amendments to the hospital lien statute clarified a statutory remedy that superseded common-law notions of assignments of personal-injury claims.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the lien is valid under Missouri hospital lien statute after 2003 amendments | Huey argues the lien conflicts with statute and is not valid | Meek argues the lien falls within the statutory framework | Lien is invalid; statute is exclusive and preempts Marvin’s Midtown |
| Whether the assignment is valid as applied to personal-injury proceeds | Huey contends assignments of personal-injury actions are void | Meek contends assignment is supported by hospital-lien framework | Assignment invalid under § 376.427 as it does not apply to liability-coverages; not applicable to Huey’s case |
| Whether § 376.427 applies to the coverage at issue | Huey alleges § 376.427 governs assignment of benefits | Meek relies on statutory hook for providers | § 376.427 does not apply to Huey’s liability-policy context |
| Whether the hospital-lien remedy is exclusive over Marvin’s Midtown | Huey argues common-law lien survives | Meek argues statutory remedy controls | Statutory remedy exclusive; Marvin’s Midtown superseded by § 430.225 |
Key Cases Cited
- McGhee v. Dixon, 973 S.W.2d 847 (Mo. banc. 1998) (statutory remedy controls when conflicting with common-law remedy)
- Chandler v. Chicago & A.R. Co., 251 Mo. 592, 158 S.W. 35 (Mo. 1913) (general rule when statute creates a new remedy; exclusivity if conflict)
- State ex rel. Slibowski v. Kimberlin, 504 S.W.2d 237 (Mo. App. K.C.D. 1973) (statutory remedy may be exclusive when it fully comprehends common-law remedies)
- Kelly v. Marvin’s Midtown Chiropractic, LLC, 351 S.W.3d 833 (Mo. App. W.D. 2011) (discusses hospital lien statute history and scope)
- Ford Motor Credit Co. v. Allstate Ins. Co., 2 S.W.3d 810 (Mo. App. W.D. 1999) (distinguishes between lien and assignment; supports lien validity under statute when applicable)