1. Any action pending against the ward at the time the conservator is appointed shall also be considered a claim filed in the conservatorship if notice of substitution is served on the conservator as defendant and a duplicate of the proof of service of notice of such proceeding is filed in the conservatorship proceeding.
 2. A separate action based on a debt or other liability of the ward may be commenced against the conservator in lieu of filing a claim in the conservatorship. Such an action shall be commenced by serving an original notice on the conservator and filing a duplicate of the proof of service of notice of such proceeding in the conservatorship proceeding. Such an action shall also be considered a claim filed in the conservatorship. Such an action may be commenced only in a county where the venue would have been proper if there were no conservatorship and the action had been commenced against the ward.