ÿWPC5 2# ÌUN× %% 0c+U<Žw@Ê4 - {c5 {”˜ 0J, 0Tv 0^Ê 0h( 0r 0| 0†~ 0 1u” 0d U>m 0@« D3ë B 0D; B) DC¨ AMë U*8 ab AQà Æ 0DÚ 0D D/b B‘U6®v~ävÓb˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX(;cW$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€XaBXXXÔ-šBu Z‹$Arrus BT Roman :;U<=E>?D@UAîBÓ€NB\J#3|xN(;cW$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ‡XaBXXXÔ(l¶Ò$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ‡XdRXXXÔÔ‡TÐ TXXdRÔÓyþÓ2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò""""'ÿÿdxd d(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó% Line 7 d$$$$7Border 1dd* %Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial WÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ+"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€'ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€'XÔÌÌò òOctoberÏ27,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€'ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó*+ ,-Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó..'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd< Œ 9p`(Courier NewPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€lÇXXdðdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌà àà à€€€€______________________________________________ÌÌò òÙ€*ÙßR€&(%A1-j|Y` à. `€€@ÿRßJAMES€ROBINSON,€ó óÌÌà àPlaintiff„Appellee,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àBenton€Chancery€No.€8739ÌVs.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àC.A.€No.€02A01„9707„CH„00151ÌÌò òCUNA€MUTUAL€INSURANCE€GROUP,€ó óÌÌà àDefendant„Appellant.Ì____________________________________________________________________________ÌÌà@ àFROM€THE€BENTON€COUNTY€CHANCERY€COURTÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€WALTON€WEST,€CHANCELLORÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àClyde€W.€Watson€of€CamdenÌà@ àFor€Plaintiff„AppelleeÌÌà@ àJ.€Whitten€Gurkin€of€MemphisÌà@ àFor€Defendant„AppellantÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòVACATED€AND€REMANDEDó óóóÌÌà@ àOpinion€filed:€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àP.J.,€W.S.ÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó óÌÌÌÌÔT€ ÔÔT€ ÔÑ7€lÇXXdðXXdð7ÑÑ  Ñ›Ó+ÿÓà àThis€case€involves€a€claim€under€a€disability€credit€insurance€policy.€ÏDefendant,€œCUNA›€Mutual€Insurance€Group€œ(CUNA),›€appeals€from€the€order€ofÏthe€trial€court€denying€its€motion€for€summary€judgment€and€granting€summaryÏjudgment€to€plaintiff,€James€Robinson.Ìà àPlaintiff,€a€TVA€employee,€entered€into€a€credit€agreement€withÏJohnsonville€TVA€Employees€Credit€Union,€(referred€to€as€a€Loanliner€CreditÏAgreement).€€Under€this€credit€arrangement,€it€is€anticipated€that€the€creditÏunion€would€make€loans€to€the€employee€from€time€to€time€(called€advances)Ïand€the€amount€of€installment€payments€for€an€advance€would€be€determinedÏaccording€to€a€payment€schedule.Ìà àOn€December€27,€1992,€plaintiff€applied€for€a€loan€with€the€credit€unionÍand€also€purchased€a€credit€life/credit€disability€insurance€policy€from€œCUNA.›€ÏThe€provisions€of€the€policy€pertinent€to€the€dispute€in€this€case€are€as€follows:€ÌÓ–ÿÓà8 àà8 àLOANLINERÌà8 àà8 àCertificate€of€InsuranceÌà8 àà8 àCredit€Life/Credit€DisabilityÌÌà8 àà8 àœCUNA›€Mutual€Insurance€Society€5910€Mineral€PointÏRoad€Post€Office€Box€391€Madison,€WI€53701Ìà àà àà àà àà à(Called€We)ÌÌà àà àà àà à*à àà à*à àà à*ÌÌà8 àà8 àBENEFITSà àÌÌà8 àà8 àBenefits€are€paid€to€your€credit€union€to€pay€off€orÏreduce€your€loan.€€If€the€benefits€are€more€than€theÏbalance€of€your€loan,€the€difference€will€be€paid€to€youÏif€you€are€living€or€to€the€Beneficiary€named€by€you,€ifÏany,€or€to€your€estate.€€Our€payment€will€completelyÏdischarge€our€liability€to€the€extent€of€the€payment.ÌÌà àà àà àà à*à àà à*à àà à*ÌÌà8 àà8 àò òTotal€Disability€Insurance€Benefit.ó ó€€If€you€areÏinsured€for€disability€coverage,€we€will€pay€a€benefit€ifÏyou€file€written€proof€that€you€became€totally€disabledÏwhile€insured€and€continue€to€be€totally€disabled€forÏlonger€than€the€period€stated€in€the€Schedule.€ÏPayment€will€be€calculated€beginning€with€the€dayÏshown€in€the€Schedule.ÌÌà8 àà8 àThe€monthly€benefit€for€each€month€of€your€disabilityÏto€be€compensated€will€be€equal€to€the€minimumÏmonthly€payment€required€on€your€loan€on€the€dateÏyou€became€disabled.€€For€a€partial€month,€each€dailyÏbenefit€will€be€equal€to€1/30th€of€the€monthly€benefit.€ÍOur€monthly€benefit€payment€will€not€exceed€theÏœMaximum›€Monthly€œTotal›€œDisability›€Benefit€stated€inÏthe€Schedule.ÌÌà8 àà8 àOur€benefit€payments€will€stop€on€the€date:ÌÌà8 àà8 à1.€€you€are€not€totally€disabled€any€more;€orÌà8 àà8 à2.€€the€insured€portion€of€your€loan€has€been€repaid€orÏotherwise€stops;€orÌà8 àà8 à3.€€the€balance€of€your€loan€has€been€paid€by€a€lumpÏsum€disability€benefit€under€a€credit€life€insuranceÏpolicy;€orÌà8 àà8 à4.€€of€your€deathÌÌà8 àà8 àò òDefinition€of€Total€Disability.ó ó€€During€the€first€12Ïconsecutive€months€of€total€disability,€œTotal›€DisabilityÏmeans€that€you€are€not€able€to€perform€most€of€theÏduties€of€your€occupation€because€of€a€medicallyÏdetermined€sickness€or€accidental€injury€and€are€underÏthe€care€and€treatment€of€a€physician.€€After€the€firstÏ12€consecutive€months€of€œTotal›€Disability,€theÏdefinition€changes€and€requires€that€you€not€be€ableÏto€perform€the€duties€of€any€occupation€for€which€youÏare€reasonably€qualified€by€education,€training€orÏexperience.€You€will€be€required€to€give€us€proof€ofÏyour€continuing€œTotal›€Disability€from€time€to€time.ÌÌà àà àà àà à*à àà à*à àà à*ÌÌà8 àà8 àEXCLUSIONS€AND€RESTRICTIONSÌÌà8 àà àà àà à*à àà à*à àà à*ÌÌà8 àà8 àò òTotal€Disabilities€Not€Covered.ó ó€€We€wonððt€pay€aÏclaim€for€any€advance€on€a€loan€or€return€yourÏdisability€insurance€premium€if€your€total€disability:ÌÌà8 àà8 à1.€€begins€within€six€(6)€months€after€the€EffectiveÍDate€of€insurance€on€the€advance€and€results€from€anyÏdisease€or€bodily€injury€for€which€you€receivedÏmedical€advice,€diagnosis€or€treatment€at€any€timeÏwithin€the€six€(6)€month€period€immediatelyÏpreceding€the€Effective€Date€of€insurance€on€theÏadvance;ÌÌà àà àà àà à*à àà à*à àà à*Ìœ›Ó+ÿÓà àOn€July€17,€1992,€within€six€months€œpreceding€the›€effective€date€of€theÏœCUNA›€policy,€plaintiff€was€seen€by€Dr.€W.€Cooper€Beazley€and€was€diagnosed€asÏhaving€a€herniated€lumbar€disc€at€L5€level.€€On€March€11,€1993,€within€sixÏmonths€after€the€effective€date€of€the€œCUNA›€policy,€plaintiff€fell€out€of€a€chairÏand€sustained€injuries€to€his€low€back€and€neck.€€It€is€undisputed€that€plaintiffððsÏlow€back€injury€was€an€aggravation€of€the€previously€diagnosed€lumbar€œdiscÏinjury.›Ìà àœCUNA›€denied€plaintiffððs€claim€for€total€disability€benefits€as€to€theÏDecember€27,€1992€loan€asserting€that€plaintiff€was€diagnosed€and€treated€forÏthe€disabling€condition€on€July€17,€1992,€within€six€months€of€the€effective€dateÏof€the€policy,€and€therefore€excluded€by€the€terms€and€provisions€of€the€policy.€€Ìà àPlaintiff€filed€suit€alleging€that€œCUNA›€wrongfully€denied€his€claim,€andÏœCUNA›€joined€issue€on€the€complaintððs€allegations.€€Both€parties€filed€motionsÏfor€summary€judgment.€€œCUNA›€asserts€that€there€is€no€dispute€that€plaintiff€isÏtotally€disabled€by€virtue€of€his€lumbar€disc€and€the€resulting€surgery,€thereforeÍit€makes€no€difference€that€he€might€have€had€another€injury€to€his€neckÏresulting€in€disability.€€Plaintiff€asserts,€however,€that€he€is€not€seekingÏdisability€benefits€because€of€the€injury€to€his€lumbar€spine€but€is€seekingÏdisability€benefits€because€he€sustained€disability€by€virtue€of€the€injury€to€hisÏcervical€spine€for€which€he€had€never€had€any€previous€diagnosis€or€treatment.€Ìà àThe€trial€court€denied€œCUNAððs›€motion€for€summary€judgment€andÏgranted€plaintiffððs€motion€for€summary€judgment€as€limited€by€its€memorandumÏopinion€which€states€in€part:€€Ìœ›Ó–ÿÓà8 àà8 à€€€€The€Court€is€of€the€opinion,€considering€all€medicalÏevidence,€that€the€neck€injury€sustained€by€theÏplaintiff€as€a€result€of€the€March€1993€accident€is,€inÏand€of€itself,€a€sufficient€basis€for€recovery€under€theÏpolicy€irrespective€of€any€other€injuries€the€plaintiffÏmay€have€received€œas›€œa›€result€of€the€March€1993Ïaccident.€€The€Court€finds€that€the€plaintiff€had€notÏreceived€ð ðmedical€advice,€diagnosis€or€treatmentðð€forÏthe€neck€condition€within€six€(6)€months€prior€to€theÏissuance€of€the€policy.€€However,€the€court€notes€aÏportion€of€the€policy€which€reads€as€follows:ÌÌà8 àà8 àà8 àò òDefinition€of€Total€Disability.€€ó óDuringÏthe€first€12€consecutive€months€of€totalÏdisability,€Total€Disability€means€thatÏyou€are€not€able€to€perform€most€of€theÏduties€of€œyour›€occupation€because€of€aÏmedically€determined€sickness€orÏaccidental€injury€and€are€under€the€careÏand€treatment€of€a€physician.€€After€theÏfirst€12€consecutive€months€of€œTotal›ÏDisability,€the€definition€changes€andÍrequires€that€you€not€be€able€to€performÏthe€duties€of€any€occupation€for€whichÏyou€are€reasonably€qualified€by€education,Ïtraining€or€experience.€€You€will€beÏrequired€to€give€us€proof€of€yourÏcontinuing€Total€Disability€from€time€toÏtime.ÌÌœ›Ó+ÿÓà àœCUNA›€has€appealed,€and€the€issues€for€review€are:Ìœ›Ó–ÿÓà8 àà8 à1.€€Whether€disability€benefits€are€due€under€theÏpolicy€when€the€employee€is€disabled€by€two€distinctÏinjuries,€one€of€which€is€excluded€by€the€policy€terms.ÌÌà8 àà8 à2.€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€denyingÏdefendantððs€motion€for€summary€judgment€andÏgranting€plaintiffððs€motion€for€summary€judgment.ÌÌœ›Ó+ÿÓà àA€consideration€of€the€first€issue€requires€an€interpretation€of€theÏprovisions€of€the€insurance€policy.€€Insurance€contracts€are€subject€to€the€sameÏrules€of€construction€and€enforcement€as€applied€to€contracts€generally.€Ïò òòòMcKimm€v.€Belló óóó,€790€S.W.2d€526€(Tenn.€1990).€€The€cardinal€rule€forÏinterpretation€of€contracts€is€to€ascertain€the€intention€of€the€parties€from€theÏcontract€as€a€whole€and€to€give€effect€to€that€intention€consistent€with€legalÏprinciple.€€ò òòòBob€Pearsall€œMotors,€Inc.›€v.€Regal€œChrysler„Plymouth,€Inc.ó óóó,›€521ÏS.W.2d€578,€580€(Tenn.€1975);ò òòò€Union€Planters€Natððl€Bank€v.€American€HomeÏAssurance€Co.ó óóó,€865€S.W.2d€907,€912€(Tenn.€App.€1993).€€Where€there€is€noÏambiguity,€it€is€the€duty€of€the€Court€to€apply€to€the€words€used€their€ordinaryÍmeaning€and€neither€party€is€to€be€favored€in€their€construction.€€ò òòòBrown€v.ÏTennessee€Auto€œIns.›€Co.ó óóó,€192€Tenn.€60,€63,€237€S.W.2d€553,€554€(1951);€ò òòòHeyer„Jordan€&€Assocs.€v.€Jordanó óóó,€801€S.W.2d€814,€821€(Tenn.€App.€1990).Ìà àThe€contract€before€us€requires€that€for€benefits€to€be€paid€there€must€beÏtotal€disability.€€Explicitly€excluded€from€coverage€is€a€total€disability€thatÏbegins€within€six€months€of€the€effective€date€of€the€insurance€policy,€andÏwhich€results€from€a€malady€for€which€the€insured€received€advice,€diagnosis,€orÏtreatment€within€the€six€month€period€before€the€effective€date€of€theÏinsurance€coverage.€€Thus,€if€a€person€has€a€total€disability€within€the€first€sixÏmonths€of€the€effective€date€of€the€policy,€œthat€results›€from€a€malady€for€whichÏthe€person€received€medical€attention€within€six€months€before€the€effectiveÏdate€of€the€policy,€there€is€no€coverage.€€However,€we€find€nothing€in€the€policyÏto€exclude€coverage€for€a€total€disability€resulting€from€a€malady€which€occurredÏwithin€six€months€œafter€the›€effective€date€of€the€policy€and€for€which€there€wasÏno€medical€attention€received€within€the€six€month€period€prior€to€the€effectiveÏdate€of€the€policy.€€That€is€to€say€that€if€a€person€has€two€separate€and€distinctÏinjuries,€each€of€which€are€totally€disabling,€coverage€could€be€afforded€for€oneÏof€the€disabilities€when€it€would€not€be€available€because€of€the€policy€exclusionÏfor€the€other€disability.€€That€appears€to€be€the€conclusion€reached€by€the€trialÍcourt,€and€we€do€not€disagree€with€that€conclusion.Ìà àThis€bring€us€to€the€second€issue.€€The€medical€deposition€of€Dr.€œGulishÏadequately›€establishes€that€there€were€two€distinct€injuries€from€the€MarchÏ1993€accident,€and€the€deposition€could€be€interpreted€to€establish€that€thereÏwas€some€disability€from€each€of€the€injuries.€€However,€to€be€entitled€toÏbenefits€under€œCUNAððs›€policy,€there€must€be€a€total€disability€that€results€fromÏa€malady€not€excluded€by€the€policy€provision.€€There€is€no€testimony€to€thisÏœeffect›€in€the€record,€although€it€appears€to€be€undisputed€that€there€were€twoÏdistinct€œinjuries.€€There›€does€appear€to€be€a€material€disputed€issue€of€factÏconcerning€whether€the€alleged€cervical€injury€sustained€by€plaintiff€resulted€in€aÏtotal€disability€in€and€of€œitself,›€to€the€exclusion€of€any€disability€arising€out€ofÏthe€lumbar€disc€problem.€€Therefore,€under€the€state€of€this€record,€summaryÏjudgment€was€not€proper€for€either€œparty.€€ò òòòByrd€v.€Halló óóó,€847€S.W.2d€208€(Tenn.Ï1993).›Ìà àAccordingly,€the€order€of€the€trial€court€is€vacated,€and€this€case€isÏremanded€to€the€trial€court€for€further€proceedings€consistent€with€thisÏopinion.€€Costs€of€the€appeal€are€assessed€equally€to€the€œparties.ÌÓ–ÿÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òW.€FRANK€CRAWFORD,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€W.S.ó óÌÌò òCONCUR:ÌÌ____________________________________ÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€JUDGEó óÌÌ____________________________________Ìò òDAVID€R.€FARMER,€JUDGEó ó›œÔ€/ÔÔ€/Ô