Jenny Tetlow
Senior Associate - Medical Negligence
"I am a lawyer who specialises in a wide variety of medical negligence claims. I assist individuals and families who have been affected by negligent medical treatment.”
I am a senior associate in the medical negligence team, having completed my legal training at Higgs in September 2019.
I act on behalf of people who have received negligent medical treatment. I have experience in bringing various types of claims which involve care provided by both the NHS and private healthcare providers. My role is to guide my clients through the legal protocol and complexities of bringing a claim, which is often a very daunting process for people.
By working collaboratively with my clients and independent medical experts we seek to understand what has happened and why, as well as the likely outcome had the treatment been reasonable. This is key as it enables me to build our case but is also of great importance to my clients, who are frequently left in the dark by medical providers when something has gone wrong with their care or treatment.
A key aspect of the process is obtaining evidence to address the current condition and future prognosis of the individual affected. This allows me to identify the current needs of my clients and anything they may require in the future including medical treatment and therapies, adaptations to their homes and provision for future loss of earnings. The end goal is to secure financial compensation for my clients. Although we cannot turn back the clock, I strive to obtain compensation for my clients which will allow them to live their lives to the fullest as much as possible.
I sit on the Council of the Birmingham Medico-Legal Society which aims to promote the sharing of knowledge and expertise between legal and medical professionals. I am a member of the Charity Committee at Higgs and, together with a colleague in the personal injury team, help to co-ordinate our partnership with the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).
- Secured a settlement of £190,000 from a hospital Trust who incorrectly diagnosed heart attack symptoms as autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes. The Trust’s failure to consider a cardiac cause and to order further testing caused my client to suffer a second avoidable heart attack, by which time his reduced renal function prevented him from undergoing stenting surgery.
- Acted for a client in his early thirties who underwent spinal surgery (a microdiscectomy) at an NHS hospital. The surgeon incorrectly operated at the wrong disc level before realising a mistake had been made. We argued that as a result of the surgeon’s error the client was at an increased risk of future degeneration at the affected level. My client had a physical job and so a key part of this claim was obtaining evidence to demonstrate that as a result of the negligent surgery he would experience accelerated degenerative changes requiring him to retire from his current job earlier than otherwise necessary. After extensive negotiations I obtained £117,000 in compensation, part of which accounted for his likely future loss of earnings.
- Represented the family of R/ a lady who was administered an incorrect combination of anticoagulant medication during a hospital stay. As a result of the medication error R/the lady developed a large pretibial haematoma. The haematoma affected R’s/ the lady’s ability to mobilise, and she was confined to a prolonged period of bed rest which severely reduced her functional ability and mobility. We succeeded in proving that the bed rest accelerated both R’s/the lady’s admission to a care home and her death. R’s estate received £30,000 in compensation.
- Acted on behalf of a young lady whose premature discharge from hospital before her blood test results were received led to her contracting sepsis and needing to undergo a cholecystectomy. My client was thereafter required to undergo long-term IV antibiotic treatment. As a result of the negligent treatment she received, my client unfortunately suffered a psychiatric injury and developed a phobia of clinical environments. The severity of the phobia meant that the settlement needed to account for the costs involved in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and in the client accessing private services to allow her to have a home birth where her anxiety could be better controlled.
- Assisting members of the team with high value birth injury claims which require input from numerous experts of various specialisms.
More about me
Favourite quote
"Comparison is the thief of joy"
Favourite film
Notting Hill
Favourite place
Lake Garda, Italy
Interests
Travel, tennis and theatre
Latest insights from Jenny Tetlow
Meet the team
Clare Langford
Partner - Medical Negligence
Liz Hickman
Legal Director - Medical Negligence
Sarina Nar
Paralegal - Medical Negligence
Sarah Huntbach
Legal Director - Medical Negligence
Becky Littlechild
Client Support Manager - Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Drew Collins
Legal Assistant - Medical Negligence
Charlotte Measures
Legal Director - Medical Negligence
Frankie Flannagan
Trainee Solicitor - Medical Negligence
Mark Parsons
Professional Support Lawyer - Medical Negligence and Personal Injury
Natasha Alton
Associate - Medical Negligence