TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Oct 14, 2025

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Bobbie Jo Denson complied with Tennessee’s health care liability pre-suit notice statute. Denson sent pre-suit notice and later filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of two minor grandchildren under Tennessee’s Health Care Liability Act after she gained legal custody of the children. In the pre-suit notice, Denson identified herself rather than her grandchildren as the claimants. Defendants filed motions to dismiss, arguing Denson did not substantially comply with notice requirements because the minor children were not identified in the notice. The trial court found that Denson substantially complied with the requirements. A divided panel of the Court of Appeals reversed. The Supreme Court sided with the trial court, finding that Denson properly identified herself as the claimant because as minors, the grandchildren were unable to give notice or file a lawsuit.