WPC I!>;ExPn4qbkԊ~h8U7zE0ӹ6y6 `d-Y# /ӣ(d2zA&ѾT@Ȃx14CZT묀eO/mZFx6i%SKu>&'?'F7gx2yܢ,曕.<72ۣ￑CxZȍ5f,:4j*XDH&}$@rXE/N mɤۤq7MxsH{`zľy̲CU\bJ2!h<2Y\# TU&|`XXlR X% ZE WI; ۛ NF iM&#Gopbl݄R6q!^kNǙ&q|rS *&2|scp`q)# >UNI % 0(4w@(U:, 0Cfn AQ UB ?  C U:P  P  0Dh 0D 0D D/4 Bc B D3HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0vLh(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($liR&\3|x {ӀVUӀ !"   Xm+XXX rX Xm+   Ad FILED Xm+X r  February22,1999CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAh ,cAZ"Arial Regular(2C$ !  ݫ\  `*Times New RomanTTC\  P6QP"AArialTTomanTTXXaptQXp\  `*Times New RomanTT^\  P6QP !"#%C<< C\  `*Times New RomanTT !"  Xm+XXXrXXm+   Ad FILEDXm+Xr  February22,1999CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAh    C)  8  <( ` hp x (#X<  @    2  A    ?+ ` hp x (#` X?,cAZ"Arial RegularLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  (3$ !  ($$   1  ''' dxd dP Pd&&&&'dxd !  :XXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'Tr (<,(j 8` `@E` 8ttxP  r@ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @  )ATNASHVILLEPEDROGUTIERREZ h     } p DAVIDSONCIRCUIT  `  `     h     } p No.Below96C2657  p  ` Plaintiff/Appellee h     } 0   `     h     } p Hon.ThomasW.Brothers @  vs. `     h     } p Judge P   `     h     } `     h     } p No.01S019801CV00016 p  TRAVELERSINSURANCE    }   COMPANYandDINATOBIN,    }  DirectoroftheDivisionofWorkmans}Compensation,TENNESSEEDEPT.  }  OFLABOR,SECONDINJURY    }  FUND   h     }    `     h     } p VACATEDINPART 0  ` Defendants/Appellants    } p AFFIRMEDINPART  @ @(JUDGMENTORDER `  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference. `  Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and `  Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. XX `  Costswillbepaidbydefendant/appellant,TravelersInsuranceCompnayany,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. `  ITISSOORDEREDonFebruaryFebruary22,1999.December3,1998."*US , US , * `     h      p PERCURIAM h;69 TR[A'[A' LegalA' LegalA' LegalT8  &    <( ` hp x (#X<9: 9  INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANELATNASHVILLE(December11,1998Session)  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?PEDROGUTIERREZ h      p ) J  t(>.*jx ` `@EJC` 8ttxP{ t `     h      p )DAVIDSONCIRCUIT ` PlaintiffAppellee,     p ) v   `     h      p )r(<,(j 8` `@E@` 8ttxPx  rv. `     h      p )    `     h      p )Hon.ThomasW.Brothers,TRAVELERSINSURANCECOMPANY p )Judge.    `     h      p )and `     h      p ) J  `     h      p )DINATOBIN,DirectoroftheDivisionof p )No.01S019801CV00016 &v Workman'sCompensation,TENNESSEE p ) < DEPARTMENTOFLABOR,     p ) R SECONDINJURYFUND,     p ) h  `     h      p ) ` DefendantsAppellants.     p )  ForAppellant,Travelers:     p     ForAppellee:  MarcO.Dedman   h      p   RaymondG.Prince  < Spicer,Flynn&Rudstrom     p   JohnR.Hellinger "R Nashville,Tennessee h      p   Nashville,Tennessee #h ForAppellant,DinaTobin: D%  JohnKnoxWalkupAttorneyGeneral&ReporterKathleenW.StrattonAssistantAttorneyGeneralNashville,Tennessee  <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION  0p+( MembersofPanel: b3.+ WilliamM.Barker,AssociateJusticeWilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudgeJoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?VACATEDINPART:L62   AFFIRMEDINPART h      p      x Loser,Judge {    <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION'v    ?+ ` hp x (#` X? ` Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.section506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Theemployer'sinsurer,Travelers,insists(1)theevidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialcourt'sfindingthattheemployeeorclaimant,Gutierrez,ispermanentlyandtotallydisabled,and(2)thetrialcourterredbyholdingTravelersliableforeightytwopercentofthetotalaward,ratherthanthefirstfourhundredweeks.TheSecondInjuryFundinsiststhetrialcourterredbyrequiringittopayeighteenpercentofeachperiodicbenefit.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcludedtheorderrequiringtheFundtoreimburseTravelersforeighteenpercentofdisabilitybenefitsalreadypaidandtobepaidinthefutureshouldbereversed,butthejudgmentotherwiseaffirmed. { `  ` TheemployeebroughtthiscivilactionseekingcompensationbenefitsforinjuriessufferedwhenhefellfromarooftothegroundonMarch24,1996,causingcompleteT10paraplegia,aseveretraumaticbraininjuryandmentalandnervousinjuries.Afteratrial,thetrialjudgefoundtheemployeetobepermanentlyandtotallydisabled,withinthemeaningofTenn.CodeAnn.section506207(4)(B)andawardedbenefitstoagesixtyfive,whichheapportionedeightytwopercenttoTravelersandeighteenpercenttotheSecondInjuryFund.ThefinaljudgmentwasenteredonDecember22,1997. `  ` Morethanthirtydayslater,andafterappealingtheabovefinaljudgment,TravelersservedamotionforanorderamendingthefinaljudgmentbyrequiringtheSecondInjuryFundtoreimburseitforeighteenpercentofthedisabilitypaymentsithadalreadymadeandforeachfuturedisabilitypayment.Thetrialjudgegrantedthemotion. `  ` Theextentofaninjuredworker'sdisabilityisanissueoffact.Jaskev. &6"  MurrayOhioMfg.Co.,750S.W.2d150(Tenn.1988).Ourreviewofthefirst 'L#! issueisthereforedenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectness,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.section506225(e)(2). `  ` Whenaninjury,nototherwisespecificallyprovidedforintheAct,totallyincapacitatesacoveredemployeefromworkingatanoccupationwhichbringshimanincome,suchemployeeisconsideredtotallydisabled.Tenn.CodeAnn.section506207(4)(B);Prostv.CityofClarksville,688S.W.2d425(Tenn. 0+) 1985).Thedefinitionfocusesonanemployee'sabilitytoreturntogainfulemployment.Davisv.Reagan,951S.W.2d766(Tenn.1997). 2(.+  `  ` TheclaimantwasbornandrearedinMexicoandwasthirtyoneyearsoldatthetimeoftheinjury.HisabilitytocommunicateinEnglishissomewhatlimited,thoughhedidnotrequireaninterpreter.Hehaslessthanahighschooleducationandhasnoskillsexceptasacarpenterandlaborer.InMarchof1996, F830 whileworkingasacarpenterforAngelA.Pastrana,theclaimantwasblownoffabuildingroofandfelltwentyfeettotheground,sufferingcompleteT10paraplegiaandaseveretraumaticbraininjury,leavinghimwithaneightyonetoninetyonepercentpermanentwholebodyimpairment.Avocationalexpert,whosetestimonythetrialjudgefoundtobecredibleandpersuasive,testifiedtheclaimantisnotcapableofsustainingcompetitiveemploymentwithoutsubstantialrehabilitation. `  ` Fromareviewofthewholerecord,wecannotsaytheevidencepreponderatesagainstafindingofpermanenttotaldisability.Theremainingissuesarequestionsoflaw.Ourreviewisthusdenovowithoutanypresumptionofcorrectness.Presleyv.Bennett,860S.W.2d857(Tenn.1993).    `  ` TheargumentofTravelersinsupportofitssecondissueisthatTenn.CodeAnn.section50660208(b),whichisapplicabletothiscase,expresslylimitsanemployer'sliabilitytoonehundredpercentpermanentdisabilitytothebodyasawholeandthusexplicitlylimitsanemployer'sliabilityto400weeksofbenefitswhenapriorawardhasbeenrenderedandthesubsequentemployerhirestheemployee.Awardsofpermanenttotaldisabilityarepayabletoage65withoutregardtothemonetarycapimposedbythe400weekmaximumtotalbenefitprovisionofTenn.CodeAnn.section506102(a)(6)and,wheretheawardisapportionedbetweentheemployerandtheSecondInjuryFund,theapportionmentisbasedonthetotalnumberofweekstoage65ratherthanlimitingtheemployer'sliabilitytoapercentageof400weeks.Bomelyv.Mid  AmericanCorp.,970S.W.2d929(Tenn.1998)(JusticeHolderdissenting).  WethusconcludethatthetrialjudgecorrectlyapportionedtheawardbetweenTravelersandtheSecondInjuryFund. `  ` IncaseswheretheSecondInjuryFundisliableforaportionofdisabilitybenefits,theobligationoftheemployerisdeterminedfirstandpaidfirst,andanycreditforpaymentoftemporarytotaldisabilitybenefitsisdeductedfromthefund'sliability.Cameronv.KitePaintingCo.,860S.W.2d41(Tenn. Z&! 1993).WhereliabilityisapportionedtotheSecondInjuryFund,thepaymentsbytheFunddonotbeginuntilaftercompletionofthepaymentsbytheemployer.Tenn.CodeAnn.section506208(a)(1).TheobligationoftheFundisnotconcurrentwiththatoftheemployer.Smithv.LibertyMut.Ins.Co.,762 *&# S.W.2d883,885(Tenn.1988). `  ` Uponthoseprinciples,thepanelconcludesitwaserrorforthetrialcourttoordertheFundtopayaportionofeachperiodicpayment.Thepanelalsoconcludesthemotiontoalteroramendwasservedandfiledtoolate.SeeTenn.  0p+( R.Civ.P.59.02.Thatorderisaccordinglyvacated,butthejudgmentofthetrialcourtisotherwiseaffirmed.CostsonappealaretaxedtoTravelersInsuranceCompany.  rA  <( ` hp x (#X<_______________________________  rA  ӀJoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?CONCUR: 9g40 Ї_________________________________WilliamM.Barker,AssociateJustice_________________________________WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudge0`  x (#X0Ӝ      h;69