ÿWPC  9lm¯(÷×RMRþ˜)„ãð‡÷żéÑ;¹xDO]4i”ߟTÛˆöªT'̨̌+ÑÀCˆ^Õ»…›¶YÌϵl Î%kÍê/éÎåÔGjôeœ‰C¼Ææ•´a’¿• ÐêM“]±ò¨0Jä{1ñ›ï>¬ÿ¡6÷Ñ$Vb’ KC½ÎÇ©ÒçÁÎnëF¹µ>‹Y «~¬vÇSjžƒ"“œk}kÿ߸%Ó±±"­zV§¤\’®Óìz: n —áG%‹zäÅŒ{PQ…¾xó½™!ñ ]ðÐ>¤8¤užÖÑ^ò~Úòl°š;€j±–¹«Øö¾‰B'o†ËŒxŸš~±ÃA€Y²¿)µ\T¼ ùðq}îlÛÒkÑÕRõ†(ã”ð÷ìoëé1³ñI=λŽù$Ý:¡÷cÊþÈQ¼YŽÇ>‚›O6u¹Ïýuo¾ª9i]"ÚÌ ¯#×Å3³%Θ©¯-WKô¾•5o½Ó˜óCJŒ=E)mk ÈÀ7µÈ3IoJny@÷UŠÇŒjy>ï ôѦ·Ö¡áåŒM'EJÙ•‡RÕ´oB÷Ö¦÷o ™kµI³;"6~÷‚wo(×W'oj¨? Ê•2НeæXÏ»ŠéÇûg¢)UN> %Œ 0(’@ºw@ú4:Nn­]  AQ UN[ © ± ¹ Á É Ñ Ù á é  ñ  ûUNU:T"ްU:± ± ± ± Æë 0D± 0Dõ 0D9 9 D/} B¬ BÉ D3æ (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡c:\office\wpwin\template\jo.wpt EP P!P"P#D$D%D&Ó€0Ó€yk&þ63|x9«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXôxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@ !"#%Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman Regulari1i2i3i4i5i6i7i8i9i10i11 ÷Ý ƒ!¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€XNpXXXÔÔ€ÑCXXNpÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€XNpXÑCÔÐ  ÐÌApril€21,€1999ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAhÔó ó(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman Regular,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular Ñ   ÑÑ è Ñ ÷Ý ƒ!¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€XNpXXXÔÔ€ÑCXXNpÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€XNpXÑCÔÐ  ÐÌApril€21,€1999ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAhÔó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial RegularƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó'''÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd&&&&'ÿÿdxdÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ‡¼,¼XXÔñ&ñßr€ (<,(j 8` `€€@Eȱ` 8ttxP°ð  rßñ&ñà@Å Å àò òòòIN€THE€SUPREME€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° ÐÌà@××'àAT€NASHVILLEˆÌÌó óÌÔ% ‡ ÔGLOBE€BUSINESS€FURNITUREÔ%† ‡Ôà@êê-à}ˆà p àÔ% ‡ ÔSUMNER€CIRCUITÔ%† ÝÔÐ ð @ ÐOF€TENNESSEE,€INC.à@êê-à}ˆà p àNo.€Below€Ô% ‡ Ô16846„CÔ%†ZÔÐ  P Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À à€€€€€€€€€}Ìà ` àPlaintiff/AppellÔ% ‡ ÔeeÔ%†÷Ôà@êê-à}ˆÐ  p Ðà@êê-à}ˆà p àHon.€Ô% ‡ ÔThomas€Goodall,€Jr.Ô%†eÔÐ 0€  Ðvs.à@-àˆàHêê-à}ˆÐ @  Ðà@êê-à}ˆÌà@êê-à}ˆà p àNo.€Ô% ‡ Ô01S01„9804„CV„00074Ô%†#ÔÐ `°  ÐÔ% ‡ ÔGAYLA€YOUNGÔ%†iÔà@êê-à}ˆÐ pÀ  Ðà@êê-à}ˆÌà ` àDefendant/AppellÔ% ‡ ÔantÔ%†ìÔà@êê-à}ˆà p àÔ% ‡ ÔAFFIRMEDÔ%†-ÔÐ à ÐÌÌà@&àJUDGMENT€ORDERóóˆÐ À ÐÌÌÓÓà ` àòòThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€theÐ ð@ Ðorder€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€andÏthe€Panelððs€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà ` àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€ofÏthe€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà ` àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà ` àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Ô% ‡ Ôdefendant/appellantÔ%†P Ô,€for€which€execution€mayÏissue€if€necessary.Ìà ` àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€Ô% ‡ ÔApril€21,€1999Ô%†Ï Ô.Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àPER€CURIAMóóÐ p4À/- ÐÐ  6à1/ ÐÓÓà@ì ì àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@  àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€PANELˆÌà@°°'àAT€NASHVILLEˆÌÌÌÌGLOBE€BUSINESS€FURNITURE€€€€€€à p àñ%ñ€ñ%ñ)Ð  T ÐOF€TENNESSEE,€INC.€€€€€€€€€€€€à  àà p àñ$ñ€ñ$ñ)Ð  b Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à  à€à h àà À àà  àà p àñ#ñ€ñ#ñ)Ð  p Ѐ€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appelleeà h à€€à À àà  àà p à)€€€€SUMNER€CIRCUITÐ .~  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à h àà À àà  àà p à)Ð <Œ  Ðñ0ñßr€ (<,(j 8` `€€@EÈK` 8ttxPJð  rßñ0ñv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à h àà À àà  àà p à)€€€€Hon.€Thomas€Goodall€Ð Jš  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à h àà À àà  àà p à)€€€€JudgeÐ X¨  Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à  àà h àà À àà  àà p à€)€€€€€Ð f¶  ÐGAYLA€YOUNG€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à À àà  àà p à€)€€€€No.€01S01„9804„CV„00074Ð tÄ Ѐ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à  àà h àà À àà  àà p à€)Ð ‚Ò Ѐ€€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellant€€à À àà  àà p à€ññññ€ññññ)Ð à Ðó óÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellee:ó óóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ò òòòññà À àà  àà p àññFor€the€Appellant:ó óóóÐ Î ÐÌArthur€E.€McClellan€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ñ ñà À àà  àà p àñ ñCarson€BeckÐ òB ÐSuite€101,€McClellan€Bldg.€€€€€€€€€€ñ!ñà  àà p àñ!ñ4205€Gallatin€RoadÐ R Ð116€Public€Square€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ñ"ñà À àà  àà p àñ"ñNashville,€TN€37216Ð b ÐGallatin,€TN€37066€€€€€€ÌÌÌà@ll$àò òMEMORANDUM€OPINIONˆÐ R"¢ ÐÌÌà@mm%àòòMembers€of€Panel:ˆÐ |%Ì  ÐÌÌà@Ù Ù àó óóóAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Associate€JusticeˆÐ ¦(ö#" Ðà@„„àJames€L.€Weatherford,€Senior€JudgeˆÌà@nnàJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeˆÌÌÌÌò òAFFIRMEDó ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€WEATHERFORD,€Senior€Judge€€Ð /V*( ÐÌÐ  *1z,* ÐÑ€…VÑÌÓÓÌà@œ œ àò òòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€O€P€I€N€I€O€Nó óˆÐ à0 ÐóóÌà ` àThis€workers's€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÌSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordanceÏwith€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225€(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€of€findingsÏof€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€The€employee€or€claimant,€Young,€arguesÏthat€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€court's€finding€that€she€didÏnot€suffer€a€compensable€injury€within€the€course€and€scope€of€herÏemployment.Ìà ` àThe€employer,€Globe€Business€Furniture€of€Tennessee,€Inc.,€filed€aÏcomplaint€for€declaratory€judgment€asking€the€trial€court€to€declare€theirÏrights€and€duties€as€they€applied€to€the€employee€or€claimant,€Young,€under€ÏTennessee's€Workers'€Compensation€Act.Ìà ` àWithout€knowing€of€the€declaratory€judgment€action,€the€employee€orÏclaimant€Young,€filed€a€complaint€seeking€worker's€compensation€benefitsÏagainst€the€employer,€Globe€Business€Furniture€and€its'€workers'Ïcompensation€carrier.ÌÌà ` àThe€trial€court€entered€an€order€consolidating€the€two€cases.Ìà ` àThe€case€was€tried€as€a€usual€workers'€compensation€case,€and€after€aÏtrial€on€the€merits,€the€trial€judge€dismissed€the€employee's€or€claimant's€suitÏfor€worker's€compensation€benefits€and€sustained€the€employer's€position€thatÏit€owed€no€benefits€to€the€employee€or€claimant.Ìà ` àAppellate€review€is€de€novo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Ïaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unlessÐ Ü:,63 Ðthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225Ï(e)(2).€Ìà p àThe€employee€or€claimant€asserts€that€in€June€or€July,Ï1996,€she€was€holding€a€paint€line€with€another€employee€whenÏthe€other€employee€suddenly€dropped€his€part,€which€dragged€herÏdown,€causing€her€to€have€pulled€muscles€in€her€arm(s),€shoulderÏand€neck.Ìà p àShe€further€insists€that€in€October,€1996,€that€she€wasÏpulling€upholstery€with€her€right€arm€and€stapling€with€her€leftÏarm,€when€she€suddenly€dropped€the€stapler.€€When€she€tried€toÏcatch€the€stapler,€she€again€pulled€the€muscles€in€her€left€arm,Ïshoulder€and€neck.ÌÌà p àClaimant€consulted€her€family€doctor,€Dr.€J.€P.€Cox,€whoÏreferred€her€to€Dr.€Jones€J.€Morgan,€a€neurologist.€€Then€Dr.ÏCox€referred€claimant€to€Dr.€Richard€Berkman.€€Dr.€BerkmanÏconfirmed€that€claimant€had€a€large€disc€rupture€at€C6„7.€€HeÏperformed€surgery€on€November€4,€1996.€€Dr.€Berkman€stated€thatÏclaimant€had€reached€maximum€medical€improvement€on€April€9,Ï1997€with€no€work€restrictions€whatsoever.€€Dr.€€Berkman€gaveÏcomplainant€a€seven€(7)€percent€permanent€impairment€ratingÏunder€the€American€Medical€Association€Guidelines.Ìà p àDr.€Berkman€testified,€"discs€can€rupture€from€a€number€ofÏcauses.€€Sometimes€people€wake€up€in€the€morning€and€they€haveÏa€ruptured€disc.€€But€for€the€most€part,€the€majority€ofÏpatients€I€have,€will€have€some€sort€of€inciting€event.€€And€sheÏseemed€to€give€a€history€of€an€inciting€event€that€lead€to€theÏsymptoms.€€And€I€think€it's€reasonable€and€it's€consistent€withÏa€large€disc€rupture."ññÐ 9P-: ÐññññÐ 9P-: ÐÑ …VÑÑ ÑÑè¸ ÑÑ  ÑññññññÑ xDÑÑè¸ ÑÑÑÑ  ÑÑ †DÑÑÑÑ` ¸ ÑÑ  ÑññññññññÑ ŸOÑÑ` ¸ ÑÑ  ÑññññññññÑ ¯MÑÑP ¸ ÑÑ  Ñññññà p àDr.€Berkman€further€testified,€"what€caused€the€disc€toÏrupture,€I€don't€know€if€it€was€the€first€accident€in€June,€orÏthe€second€accident€in€October,€or€even€preceding€that."Ìà p àThe€claimant€also€saw€Dr.€Collins€in€connection€with€herÏcomplaints.€€Dr.€Collins€referred€claimant€back€to€Dr.€Berkman.€ÏDr.€Collins€was€the€employer's€workers'€compensation€physician.Ìà p àThe€claimant,€on€January€14,€l998,€saw€Dr.€Leon€EnsaladaÏfor€an€Independent€Medical€Evaluation.Ìà p àIn€the€course€of€his€evaluation,€Dr.€Ensalada€had€theÏbenefit€of€the€medical€records€of€all€physicians€who€had€seenÏclaimant€and€records€of€Columbia€Care€Medical€Center.Ìà p àDr.€Ensalada€concluded€that€the€claimant€had€a€history€ofÏa€non„work€related€cervical€radiculopathy€which€had€completelyÏresolved€with€surgery.Ìà p àDr.€Ensalada€further€testified€that€claimant€had€notÏsustained€any€decrease€in€her€physical€capabilities€and€that€sheÏretained€the€capacity€to€perform€any€work€in€which€she€wasÏeducated,€trained€or€experienced€without€restriction€on€a€full„¼time€basis.Ìà p àThe€trial€court€found€that€Dr.€Ensalada€was€in€the€bestÏposition€to€determine€medical€causation.€€He€had€all€of€theÏclaimant's€medical€records€going€back€to€her€first€visit€withÏDr.€Cox.Ìà p àThe€trial€court€further€found€that€claimant€was€not€aÏcredible€witness.ÌÌà p àWhen€a€trial€court€has€seen€and€heard€witnesses,€especiallyÏwhere€issues€of€credibility€and€weight€of€oral€testimony€areÏinvolved,€considerable€deference€must€be€accorded€the€trialÏcourt's€factual€findings.€€òòò òHill€v.€Eagle€Mfg.,€Inc.ó óóó,€942€S.W.2dÐ 86P-: Ð483,€487€(Tenn.€1997).ññÌññÌà p àThe€party€claiming€the€benefits€of€the€Workers'Ð 8;P2@ ÐCompensation€Act€has€the€burden€of€proof€to€establish€her€claimÏby€a€preponderance€of€all€the€evidence.€€ò òòòOster,€A€Div.€ofÐ x  ÐSunbeam,€Corp.€v.€Yates,ó óóó€845€S.W.2d€215,€217€(Tenn.€1992).Ð X p Ðà p àFor€the€above€reasons,€the€evidence€fails€to€preponderateÏagainst€the€findings€of€the€trial€court.€€Therefore,€theÏjudgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€areÏtaxed€to€defendant/appellant.ÌÌà p à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ð   Ðóóà p à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€James€L.€Weatherford,€Senior€JudgeÐ ˜° ÐCONCUR:Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ ¸Ð ÐAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Associate€JusticeÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ Øð ÐJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeœÔ†ÿÿÔÔ†ÿÿÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ‡¼,¼XXÔññà ` àÔ#†Xõ.X¼¼,}#Ô