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June18,1999CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAt  !`#%C<< C,cAZ"Arial Regular<6X9`("Courier NewTTd6X@DQ@<6X9`("Courier NewTTXXx6X@DQX@\  `*Times New RomanTT^\  P6QP<6X9`("Courier NewTT   7')   8  <( ` hp x (#X<@    2  A    ?+ ` hp x (#` X?\  `*Times New RomanTT !7'"   !XX   Ad FILED#X<X!'#  June18,1999CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAU Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|37'$ zI!TRY3' Letter3' 3' Letter3'T   ($$   1  ''' dxd dP Pd&&&&'dxd(|37'$ zI!TRY3' Letter3' 3' Letter3'T   `y  <<= 8C(3'$ zI!TRY3' Letter3' 3' Letter3'T    d zI!TRY3' Letter3' 3' Letter3'T   ` TR[A'Legal RedY3' LetterA' Legal 3' LetterT<r (<,(j 8` `@Ea ` 8ttxP,`  r<@ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE `  @%%(ATNASHVILLE8'Xp@XX'8LARRYANTHONYBOSHEERS,@.) p LAWRENCECIRCUIT--65no567NO.7.-cc-./C/0/C#/021c123C50963  ~ @.) p 4NO. ____________ 4 d  PLAINTIFF/APPELLEE,@.) J @.) p HON.JIMT.HAMILTON,JUDGE 0 v.@.) v  @.)SPONTEX,INC.AND/ORTOTALU.S.@.): p S.CT.NO.01S019712CV00275: B  GROUP,@.)9 p S.CT.NO.01S019712CV002759 (  @.) DEFENDANT/APPELLANT.@.)0 p AFFIRMED pT$pT$ (''(@II* JUDGMENT T$T$MT$ , )) ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtuponmotionforreviewpursuanttoTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(5)(B),theentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthemotionforreviewisnotwelltakenandshouldbedenied;and Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. Costswillbepaidbydefendantappellant,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. ITISSOORDERED.  0      8    p PERCURIAM; P:04 ;&_________,J.NOTPARTICIPATING&;  `  ` TRX3'Letterhead[A'Legal Red3'0Avery 5663 Clear AddressA'Legal RedT;,*  p@zz"*+  November18,1998!  +*  p  TO: 0  0` (#(#JENNIFERLEE,DEPUTYCLERK,NASHVILLE,VIAEMAILONLY ` (#` (#  FROM: 0 ` JANICEM.HOLDER,JUSTICE ` (#` (#  RE: 0  0` (#(#\` (#` (# 0  0` (#(# ` (#` (# MOTIONFORREVIEW:   h      p   DISPOSITIONOFRECORD:0 h 0h(#h(#0(#(#0p(#(#RETURNEDFROMNASHVILLE ^ OFFICE*,=  6$-2 =>TR[A'[A'Legal RedA' LegalA' LegalT8    E( ` hp x (#Xp@XE%4XX2%4r(<,(j 8` `@E@a ` 8ttxPx`  rINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE `  >??>SPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANELATNASHVILLE(July20,1998Session)  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?LARRYANTHONYBOSHEERS,  ) p LAWRENCECIRCUIT R   `     h     ) ` PlaintiffAppellee h     ) ~   `     h     )v. `     h     ) p Hon.JimT.Hamilton, J  `     h     ) p Judge ` SPONTEX,INC.,AND/OR    ) v TOTALU.S.GROUP h     )   `     h     ) p No.01S019712CV00275   ` DefendantAppellant    )  ForAppellant:   h      p   ForAppellee: %< DaleA.Tipps   h      p   BenBoston 'h Levine,Mattson,Orr&Geracioti   p   ChristopherV.Sockwell (~ Nashville,Tennessee h      p   Boston,Holt&Sockwell )   `     h      p   Lawrenceburg,Tennessee  <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION b/&# MembersofPanel: 4p+( BenCantrell,SpecialJusticeWilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudgeJoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge T;1. Ї  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?AFFIRMED   h      p      x  Loser,  X Judge  <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION    ?+ ` hp x (#` X? ` Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.section506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Theissuesonappealare(1)whethertheevidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialcourt'sfindingthattheemployeesufferedapermanentpartialdisabilityofsixtyeightpercenttothebodyasawholeand(2)whetherthetrialjudgeerredincommutingtheawardtoalumpsum.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcludedthejudgmentshouldbeaffirmed.   `     h     (1)  - x (#X-ӀOurreviewofthefirstissueisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.section506225(e)(2).Theextentofaninjuredworker'sdisabilityisanissueoffact.Jaske D! v.MurrayOhioMfg.Co.,Inc.,750S.W.2d150(Tenn.1988).Wherethetrial Z" judgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweighttobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccordedthosecircumstancesonreview.Humphreyv.DavidWitherspoon, %< Inc.,734S.W.2d315(Tenn.1987). &R E+ ` hp x (#XE `  ` Theemployeeorclaimant,LarryBosheers,injuredhisdominantrightarmandshoulderinthecourseofhisemploymentasaShiftSupervisorforSpontex,Inc.whenhepulledonabuggythathadgottenstuck.Mr.Bosheersexperiencedextremepain,weakness,musclespasms,atrophy,andlimitedabilityinhisrightarmandshoulder.Theplaintiffwassenttonumerousphysiciansinanattempttocurehiscondition.Dr.Kaminskiassignedatwentysevenandthreefourthspercentmedicalimpairmenttotherightupperextremityorseventeenpercenttothebodyasawhole.Dr.Howellopinedatwentyonepercentimpairmenttotherightupperextremity,orthirteenpercenttothebodyasawhole.Dr.Dirr,acompanyapprovedphysician,assignedafiftypercentimpairmentratingtotherightupperextremityorthirtypercenttothebodyasawhole. ` Afteratrialonthemerits,thetrialcourtentereditsFinalJudgment,awardingtheplaintiffworkers'compensationbenefitsforsixtyeightpercentpermanentpartialdisabilitytothebodyasawhole,totaling$96,823.84,tobe (9/, paidinalumpsum.SpontexfiledatimelyNoticeofAppeal. ` Theemployer,Spontex,contendsthetrialcourtshouldhavereliedonthethirteenpercentimpairmentratingofDr.HowellratherthanthethirtypercentimpairmentratingfromDr.Dirr.Dr.Dirrisacompanyapprovedphysician.Inaworkers'compensationcase,thetrialjudgehasthediscretiontodeterminewhichexpertmedicaltestimonytoaccept,whensuchevidenceconflicts.Kellermanv.FoodLion,Inc.,929S.W.2d333(Tenn.1996).Additionally,Dr.  Dirr'sandDr.Howell'sopinionsconcerningMr.Bosheers'abilitytowork,andtherestrictionstheyimposed,weresimilar. ` TheemployerfurtherinsiststhatMr.Bosheersnevermissedanyworkasaresultofhisinjuryand,becauseofthisfailuretomisswork,hisvocationaldisabilityisslight.However,lengthoftotaldisabilityisonlyoneofseveralelementstobeconsideredforthepurposeofevaluatingvocationaldisability.Theextentofavocationaldisabilityisafacttobedeterminedfromalltheevidence,includinglayandexperttestimony.Hensonv.CityofLawrenceburg, ` 851S.W.2d809,812(Tenn.1993).Thetrialjudgewasinthebestpositiontoaccredittheclaimant'stestimonyastotheextentofhisowndisability,andhedid.Moreover,Dr.Howell,thephysicianthedefendantmaintainsshouldbegiventhegreatestweight,testifieditisrarethatanindividualreturnstoworkafterthetypeofinjurysufferedbythisemployee. ` Indeterminingvocationaldisability,thequestionisnotwhethertheemployeeisabletoreturntotheworkbeingperformedwheninjured,butwhethertheemployee'searningcapacityintheopenlabormarkethasbeendiminished.Corcoranv.FosterAutoGMC,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,459(Tenn. %< 1988).Aclaimantshouldnotbepenalizedforhisperseveranceinthefaceofpain. ` Further,Tenn.CodeAnn.section506241(a)(1)provides,inpart,"ForinjuriesarisingonorafterAugust1,1992,incaseswhereaninjuredemployeeiseligibletoreceiveanypermanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsandthepreinjuryemployerreturnstheemployeetoemploymentatawageequaltoorgreaterthanthewagetheemployeewasreceivingatthetimeofinjury,themaximumpermanentpartialdisabilityawardthattheemployeemayreceiveistwoandonehalf(21/2)timesthemedicalimpairmentrating."Theawardinthiscaseisbelowthatmaximum.Theevidencefailstopreponderateagainstthefindingofthetrialjudge. `     h     (2) { `  Uponapplicationbyapartyandapprovalbyapropercourt,benefitswhicharepayableperiodicallymaybecommutedtooneormorelumpsumpayment(s),ifthecourtfindssuchcommutationtobeinthebestinterest 8/, oftheemployeeandthattheemployeehastheabilitytowiselymanageandcontrolthecommutedaward.Tenn.CodeAnn.section506229(a).Suchapplicationsarenotgrantedasamatterofcourse.Forkumv.AetnaLifeand  , Cas.Ins.Company,852S.W.2d230(Tenn.1993).Theinjuredworkerhasthe  B burdenofestablishingfirstthatalumpsumisinhisbestinterestand,second,thatheiscapableofwiselymanagingandcontrollingalumpsum,butthedecisionwhethertocommutetoalumpsumiswithinthediscretionofthetrialcourt.Baileyv.ColonialFreightSystems,Inc.,836S.W.2d554(Tenn.1992).  Thus,ourreviewofthesecondissueistodeterminewhetherthetrialjudgeabusedhisdiscretionbycommutingtheawardtoalumpsum. { ` Inthiscase,itisintheemployee'sbestinteresttoobtainhisbenefitsinalumpsumtopayoffthemortgageonhishome,anappropriateuse.North h  AmericanRoyalties,Inc.v.Thrasher,817S.W.2d308,311312(Tenn.1991). ~  Mr.BosheersalsotestifiedthatanyremainingfundswouldbeplacedinCertificatesofDepositforfuturecollegeexpenses.Again,theSupremeCourthasfoundthatalumpsumawardisappropriateforfuturecollegecosts.Staggs ` v.NationalHealthCorp.,1993WL480634(Tenn.1993).Thereissubstantial v evidencethatMr.Bosheershastheabilitytowiselymanageandcontrolalumpsumaward.Accordingly,thepanelfindsnoabuseofdiscretioninthetrialcourt'scommutationoftheawardtoalumpsum. ` Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsonappealaretaxedtothedefendantappellant. `     h    `     h     _______________________ `     h     JoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudgeCONCUR:_____________________________BenCantrell,SpecialJustice_____________________________WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudge  #XX2{#>?>XX0>?>#X<XXX#>?>X XXX<    >?