WPCL +K|Ϊ>@lQy:u(\`~^+*;j6 FOCZ% ?$HOԈp;#HcH£n?V 2n$wOvŽ#W "E"3Krtu%Ks4ߕ۞*xdIV\h/߇Ax/\H%'_k2[`<_׷kdx/*B_VfW? JV?5JռowfUHc^;1 o 3ˁs/M.g_*auġИ^~y<\*i b _0/p,W67#Q73+E4t2JOV;`TM0y4L֢YsхoMUB3x ||:sl7x)KUg0,xÀb)# >U NI % 0(4w@UN( Bv 0l 0DC AQ>  (  U: U: 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 ; 0D 0DE 0D D/ B D3HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0vLh(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($liR&3|x E{VӀӀ (hH  Z 6Times New Roman Regular d((3$ !      0  (#$  0     $    1    * XX#X5X *C#Therearenoissuesoftheplaintiffsentitlementtobenefitsfortemporarytotaldisability  ormedicalexpenses.Theplaintiffallegesthatthetrialjudgeerredinrefusingtocreditthetestimonyofrehabilitationexperts,andinallowingcertaindepositionstobeintroducedinviolationofalocalRule.* XX5 !"#%C<< C   ;$H XX `   2     XlXTheplaintiffwasemployedin1996and1997withnophysicalrestrictions,and  representedtotheCommunityHospitalandtheGeneralHospitalthatshecouldliftandcarry25poundswithoutassistance,pushandpull125pounds,andcouldstand,walk,bendandstoopfrequently,contrarytohertestimony.Whenconfronted,shesaidthatsheliedtotheseemployers. !"  Xu'XXX^XXu'   Ad FILEDXu'X^  February22,1999CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAh ,cAZ"Arial Regular,cAZ"Arial Regular !"  Xu'XXX^XXu'   Ad FILEDXu'X^  February22,1999CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAh Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  (3$ !  ($$   1  ''' dxdP Pd 'dxd !  nXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'Tr(<,(j 8` `@E` 8ttxP  r@ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @  )ATNASHVILLEDIANNAM.HUGHES h     } p LAWRENCECHANCERY  `  `     h     } p No.Below03719795  p  ` Plaintiff/Appellant h     } 0   `     h     } p Hon.WilliamB.Cain @  vs. `     h     } p Chancellor P   `     h     } `     h     } p No.01S019806CH00112 p  NATIONALHEALTHCARE,INC.  }   andSCOTTHEALTHCARE    }   `     h     } ` Defendants/Appellees    } p AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED   ` @(JUDGMENTORDER `  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference. `  Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and `  Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. XX `  Costswillbepaidbyplaintiff/appellant,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. `  ITISSOORDEREDonfFebruaryFebruary22,1999December3,1998."*US , SU , * `     h      p PERCURIAM  H947   75XdXXd7 r(<,(j 8` `@E` 8ttxP  r@ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANELM @ ATNASHVILLE,DECEMBER1998SESSIONt(>.*jx` `@E` 8ttxP  tߛ DIANNAM.HUGHES, h     ) p LAWRENCECHANCERY  T  `     h     ) ` Plaintiff/Appellant    ) p  $ t  `     h     ) p NO.01S019806CH00112 4  v. `     h     ) D   `     h     ) p  T  NATIONALHEALTHCARE,INC.  ) p HON.WILLIAMB.CAIN d  andSCOTTHEALTHCARE,    ) p CHANCELLOR t   `     h     ) `     h     ) ` Defendants/Appellees    )   FortheAppellant: h     FortheAppellee: $  J.DanielFreemon   h     JoeW.Henry,Jr. @ 327WestGainesStreet h     Henry,Henry&Speer,P.C. P P.O.Box727   h     119SouthFirstStreet ` Lawrenceburg,TN38464    Pulaski,TN38478 x   p    MEMORANDUMOPINION ) %# MembersofPanel: JusticeWilliamM.Barker .X)' SeniorJudgeWilliamH.InmanSpecialJudgeJoeC.Loser,Jr.̀AFFIRMEDand 952 REMANDED   h      p     INMAN,SeniorJudge     `   nThisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'   CompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.#n  /#s  T   ` Theplaintiffallegedthatduringthecourseofheremployment,onFebruary10,1994,sheinjuredherbackwhileassistingapatienttomovefromabedtoaϜwheelchairandthatsheisentitledtobenefitsforpermanentdisability. ` Thedefendantadmittedtheoccurrenceoftheinjuryasalleged,agreedthattheplaintiffwasentitledtobenefitsfortemporarytotaldisabilitytogetherwithmedicalexpenses,butdeniedtheallegationsofpermanentimpairmentordisability. ` Thecomplaintwasdismissed asitrelatedtoanyrequestordemandforpermanentpartialdisability,pasttemporarytotaldisability,andpastmedicalexpenses.Theplaintiffappealsandpresentsforreviewtheproprietyofthefindingthatshefailedtocarrytheburdenofprovingherallegationofpermanentpartialdisability.   #  1      כ $   `   nOurreviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovouponthe &0"  recordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefinding,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn. 8+&$ 506225(e)(2);Stonev.CityofMcMinnville,896S.W.2d548,550(Tenn.1995).#n  #s  d-(& @- Facts /*(   ` Theplaintiffis27yearsold,andalicensedpracticalnursesince1990.On 1,* February10,1994,sheinjuredherbackwhileassistingapatient,andwasreferredto 3/, ageneralpractitionerfortreatment.Shewasthenreferredtoaneurosurgeon,Dr.Weiss,whosawheronetime,conductedanMRI,andtoldhershewas fine.Notlikingthis,shesawDr.McCombs,whoorderedanotherMRI,andthereafterwasexaminedbyDr.Cushman.Threeyearselapsedbetweenthedateofherinjuryandthetimeoftrial;shetestifiedthatherbackpainpersisted.ShewasterminatedbythedefendantinAugust,1994,andshortlyacceptedaprivatepediatricposition.Fromtheresheacceptedajobwithacommunityhospitalasafloornurse;fromthencesheworkedforageneralhospital,thenceforaphysicianinNashville,whereshewasemployedatthetimeoftrial.Eachsucceedingjobapparentlywasanimprovementoverthepredecessorjob.@..& TheMedicalProof     ` Dr.PaulMcCombs,aneurosurgeon,testifiedthattheplaintiffwasreferred < tohimbyDr.MattDobias,ageneralpractitioner, forthepurposeofevaluatingherforherbackandbilaterallowerextremitypainasaresultofaworkrelatedaccident.Herecommendedconservativetreatment,and feltthatshehadinjuredherback.Hisdiagnosiswasvague,andhestatedthattheplaintiffs symptomswaxedandwaned.Hetestifiedthatshehadafivepercentimpairment,butdeclinedtodiscusstheissueofwhethertheplaintiffwasexaggeratinghersymptoms.Heimposedliftingrestrictionsandrecommendedagainstvariousactivitiesrequiringunusualexertion. ` Dr.RobertWeiss,aboardcertifiedneurosurgeon,sawtheplaintiffontwo  -\(& occasionsinMarchandApril,1994.HeorderedanMRIonthebasisofwhichhedeterminedthattheplaintiffhadabacksprain,withnoevidenceofaneurologicaldisease.Hefoundnoimpairment. ` Dr.ArthurR.Cushman,aboardcertifiedneurosurgeon,sawtheplaintiffon 50.  July8,1994forthepurposeofevaluation.Hetestifiedthattheplaintiffscomplaint 720 ofbackpainwas significantlyexaggerated,accordingtohistests,andthatshehadnoimpairment.  ` Tworehabilitationconsultantsreportedthattheplaintiff cannolonger @ activelypursuecamping,fishing,orboatingwithherfamily,andcannotengageincustomaryrecreationalplaywithherdaughter,andmustdependonherhusbandtoperformhouseholdchoressuchasmoppingandvacuuming.Theseconsultantsreportedthattheplaintiffsvocationaldisabilityratingwas42percent,baseduponthephysicallimitationsimposedbyDr.McCombs.@* TheVideo    ` AsurveillancebyvideotapewasmadeinSeptember,1996.Thetrialcourt  observedthattheplaintiff walkedwithoutalimp,contrarytotestimony,thatherpacewasbriskandthatshehadnotroublecarryingwhatlookedtobeabouta16monthsoldchild,andwhohadnodifficultybending,stooping,andwalkingwhilecarryingthechild.Theappellantarguesthat thereisnoexpertproofthatanythingobservedinthevideotapewasinconsistentwiththerestrictions,limitationsorimpairmentratinggivenbyDr.McCombs.IitistruethatthevideotapewasapparentlynotshowntoDr.McCombs,andhewasnotquestionedabouttheplaintiffsdemonstratedagility,whichwasatoddswithhispronouncements;butexpertproofthattheplaintiffsvideotapedactivitieswereconsonantwithherassertedphysicalcomplaintsevenifadduced,whichwouldbehighlyunlikelycannotsurvivecommonsense. ` Theextensionoftheappellantsargumentthatthe conclusionsofthetrialjudgeabsentexperttestimonywereinappropriate,isnotpersuasive,foranotherreason:theactivitiesvideotapedareasubstantialrefutation(1)oftheplaintiffstestimony,(2)oftheopinionofDr.McCombsrespectingwhatshecanandcannotdo,andthustheimportantfactorofcredibilityisinjectedintothedecisionmaking 952 process.See:Wilderv.Wilder,863S.W.2d707(Tenn.1992).Superimposedon  allthis,andcontrarytotheargumentoftheappellantthatthetrialjudgeessentiallydecidedthecaseonthebasisofthevideotape,isthetestimonyofDr.Cushman,whomincednowordsintestifyingthattheplaintiffwassignificantlyexaggeratingherbackpain,as,indeed,thevideotaperathergraphicallyconfirms.  #  2      ׀Then,too,isthe 0  testimonyofDr.Weiss,whowasoftheopinionthattheplaintiffhadnoimpairment.@" TheVocationalAssessment p    ` Thetrialjudgeheldthatthevocationalassessmentwasofnobenefit,and  declinedtoacceptthefactualbasisrelieduponbytherehabilitationcounselors.TheyconsideredonlythedepositionofDr.McCombs,madenoefforttoreadthereportsorthetestimonyofDrs.WeissandCushman,didnotesting,andevidenceofmalingeringseeminglywasoflittleimportancetothem.Weneednotfurtherelaboratetheobviousconclusionthatthetrialjudgewasjustifiedinrefusingtocredittheassertedvocationalassessment. @TheAdmissionoftheDeposition l"   ` Rule22ofthe22ndJudicialCircuitrequiresdepositionstobefiled72hours $ beforetrial,contrarytotheactionofthedefendant,whofiledthedepositionsofDrs.CushmanandWeissonthedayoftrial.Theappellantarguesthatthetrialjudgethusviolatedhisownrule. ` Rule1.03providesthatanyRulemaybesuspendedifjusticesorequires. ThetrialjudgesuspendedRule22,andtherethematterends. (/x*(  ` Oneissueremains.Bothpartiesfiledamotionfordiscretionarycosts.Thesemotionswerenotbroughttotheattentionofthetrialjudge,andhencewerenotruledon.Weconcludethatthecaseshouldberemandedforthatpurpose.  ` Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmedandthecaseisremandedforallappropriatepurposes.Costsareassessedtotheappellant. `     h     _______________________________ `     h     WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudgeCONCUR:_______________________________WilliamM.Barker,JusticeXwO Xss XXwO_______________________________  \ JoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge#XwO Xs7.#Ԝ