ÿWPC 3# Ú %ån­ë 04˜ÌUNÔw@"4bv B…¢U@¢eâ 0Jã 0P- 0T} 0^ÑÆ/ 0hõ 0r] AOÏ 0D 0|b 0†Þ 0d 1uô 0di 0@Í D3 D/@ U>o B­ U*Ê B)ô DC U*` AMŠ Ý× v~´vÓ2˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLÜÏX«<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXxþ6X@ÉJQX@( ¤T$¡¡Ó  Ó(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman Regular ~[À€«U‚DƒD„D…V†Ó€‡{g®"þ6žŸ ¡¢£¤¥¦§¨3|x‡ d ɸ·`(ZapfCalligr BTTT2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô((3­¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤T!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 526 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô$(Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó2J 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("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò 'ÿÿdxd**'÷ÿ dxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New RomanüÿP Pd< Œ 9p`(Times% Line 7 d,,,,7Border 1dd< Œ 9p`(Arial$-Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ÓÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€)ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ"ÝÝ  Ýò òÔ€)ÔÓ  ÓÔ€.ÔÔ eee ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔó óÌò òÔ€.¼ÔÔ"USú ú, úÔÔ ƒ ÔÔ!  Ôó óÔ€.XÔÌÌò òCecil€Crowson,€Jr.Ô€ Ôó óÔ  ÔÌÔ€ ÂÔÔ€.ÔÔ eee Ôò òAppellate€Court€Clerkó óÔ  ÔÔ€ ÔÔ€ XÔPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{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  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€)ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ ` ÑÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑØ ØÓ&€Ðd&ÓÓ&€++XÐd&ӜـÙÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€.ÔßR€/0-A1-j|°â `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌÌœÌÌ›ÌDEBRA€MICHELLE€LAMBERT,à àà à)€œà à›€òòFOR€PUBLICATIONóóÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)€œà àò òFiled:€June€2,€1997ó ó›Ìà àPlaintiff„Appellee,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€œà à›€Hon.€Wyeth€Chandler,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€€œà àJudge›€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ÌFAMOUS€HOSPITALITY,€INC.,€à àà à)€œà à›€Shelby€CircuitÌa/k/a€A.S.€HOSPITALITY€a/k/aà àà à)€ÌM€W€M€DEXTER,€INC.€andà àà à)€€œà àNo.›€02S01„9511„CV„00112ÌAMERICAN€MOTORIST€à àà àà à)à àÌINSURANCE€COMPANY,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants„Appellants.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòÓ#` ܇Xœôx‘X#ÓFor€Plaintiff„Appelleeóó:à àà àà àà àà àòòFor€Defendants„Appellantsóó:à àÌÌJoseph€Michael€Cookà àà àà àà àà àCarol€Mills€HaydenÌMemphis,€TN€à àà àà àà àà àà àMemphis,€TN€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòÔ€.„Ôò òOPINIONóóó óÔ€.XÔÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌJUDGMENT€OF€TRIAL€COURTà€ àDROWOTA,€J.ÌAFFIRMED€IN€PART,€REVERSEDÌIN€PART,€AND€REMANDED.ÇÑ ° ÑÓÓÑ7€¸ãXXdðXXdð7Ñà àà àIn€this€workersðð€compensation€action,€the€employer,€FamousÏHospitality,€Inc.,€defendant„appellant,€has€appealed€from€a€judgment€of€theÏCircuit€Court€of€Shelby€County€finding€that€the€employee,€Debra€Lambert,Ïplaintiff„appellee,€sustained€a€60€percent€permanent€impairment€to€the€wholeÏbody€due€to€a€work„related€shoulder€injury.€€The€trial€court€also€directed€theÏemployer€to€pay€various€medical€and€litigation€related€expenses€incurred€by€theÏemployee,€but€did€not€require€the€employer€to€pay€for€future€medical€treatment€byÏdoctors€that€had€been€selected€by€the€employee€and€who€had€treated€her€beforeÏtrial.€€The€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€upon€reference€forÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5),€affirmed€the€trial€court.€€Thereafter,€the€employer€filed€a€motion€for€fullÏCourt€review€of€the€Panelððs€decision€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(5)(B).€€We€granted€the€motion€to€determine€whether€the€employee€shouldÏhave€been€authorized€to€seek€future€medical€treatment,€at€the€employerððsÏexpense,€from€doctors€selected€by€her€who€had€treated€her€injuries.€€AfterÏcarefully€examining€the€record€before€us€and€considering€the€relevant€authorities,Ïwe€affirm€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€except€to€the€extent€that€the€judgment€doesÏnot€authorize€future€medical€treatment€by€the€employeeððs€treating€physicians€atÏthe€employerððs€expense.ÌÌà àà àThe€employee€was€28€years€old€at€the€time€of€trial€and€possessed€aÏhigh€school€diploma.€€She€has€completed€one€year€of€college.€€Her€prior€workÏexperience€consisted€of€working€as€a€gas€station€attendant,€convenient€storeÍworker,€cashier,€and€performing€heavy€factory€work.€€The€employee€had€workedÏfor€the€employer€in€this€case,€a€printing€company,€for€approximately€nine€monthsÏas€a€machine€operator€when,€on€May€25,€1992,€she€injured€her€left€shoulder€asÏshe€was€pulling€a€dolly€out€from€under€some€heavy€boxes.€€The€employeeÏimmediately€reported€the€injury€to€her€supervisor.€€According€to€the€employee,€theÏsupervisor€responded€with€laughter€and€said€ð ðyouððll€be€alright.ðð€€ÌÌà àà àAlthough€the€employee€promptly€reported€her€injury€to€theÏemployer,€the€employer€did€not€provide€the€employee€with€a€list€of€threeÏphysicians€as€required€by€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„204(a)(4)€from€which€sheÏcould€select€for€medical€treatment.€€Accordingly,€the€employee€consulted€theÏemployerððs€group€medical€insurance€handbook€and€selected€Dr.€Dan€Halford,Ïwho€treated€her€shoulder€injury€conservatively€and€then€referred€her€to€Dr.€E.€B.ÏWilkinson€of€the€Memphis€Orthopedic€Group.€€Dr.Wilkinson€also€treated€theÏemployeeððs€shoulder€injury€conservatively.€€He€then€sent€her€to€anotherÏphysician,€Dr.€Mark€Harriman,€because€she€was€not€improving.€€At€the€time€theÏemployee€began€seeing€Dr.€Harriman,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€she€was€havingÏdifficulty€moving€her€left€shoulder€and€was€unable€to€lift€her€left€arm.€€Dr.€HarrimanÏperformed€corrective€surgery€on€the€employeeððs€left€shoulder,€and€subsequentlyÏperformed€a€second€surgery€to€remove€scar€tissue.€€Dr.Harriman€discharged€theÏemployee€after€she€underwent€several€weeks€of€physical€therapy.€€Although€sheÏcontinued€to€complain€of€severe€pain€and€had€considerable€difficulty€lifting,€Dr.ÏHarriman€believed€that€there€was€nothing€more€he€could€do€for€her.€HeÍconcluded€that€the€employee€had€sustained€a€7€percent€permanent€anatomicalÏimpairment€€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€The€employer€paid€all€medical€costsÏassociated€with€the€care€and€treatment€of€the€employee€rendered€by€DoctorsÏHalford,€Wilkinson,€and€Harriman.€ÌÌà àà àAfter€her€release€by€Dr.€Harriman,€the€employee€was€still€havingÏconsiderable€problems€with€her€left€shoulder,€arm€and€hand.€€On€July€13,€1993,Ïshe€sought€treatment€from€Dr.€Tewfik€Rizk,€who€specializes€in€chronic€shoulderÏdisorders.€€Dr.€Rizk€recommended€a€series€of€tests,€but€the€employer€refused€toÏpay€for€them.€€When€the€tests€were€complete€in€March,€1994,€at€the€employeeððsÏexpense,€they€showed€that€she€had€thoracic€outlet€syndrome.€€Dr.€Rizk€describedÏthoracic€outlet€syndrome€as€a€compression€of€the€nerves€and€arteries€from€theÏneck€leading€to€the€shoulder.€€He€testified€that€this€condition€was€caused€by€theÏemployeeððs€work„related€accident€on€May€25,€1992.€€Dr.€Rizk€then€referred€theÏemployee€to€Dr.€Jacob€Rosensweig€for€consultation.€€Dr.€Rosensweig,€aÏcardiovascular€and€thoracic€surgeon,€confirmed€the€diagnosis€of€thoracic€outletÏsyndrome€and€performed€corrective€surgery.€€Following€this€surgery,€theÏemployee€developed€ð ðreflex€sympathetic€dystrophy,ðð€a€complication€of€surgeryÏaffecting€the€nervous€system.€€Dr.€Rizk€prescribed€medication€and€recommendedÏnerve€blocks€which€the€employee€was€unable€to€afford.€€He€assessed€a€36Ïpercent€permanent€partial€impairment€to€the€whole€body,€and€opined€that€oneÏthird€of€patients€with€the€employeeððs€diagnosis€never€regain€the€use€of€their€hand.€ÏAnother€one€third€of€patients€have€pain,€numbness€and€a€burning€sensation€ð ðforÍyears€and€years€and€years.ðð€€Dr.€Rizk€also€opined€that€the€employee€might€needÏfurther€surgery€and€was€limited€to€finding€work€requiring€use€of€only€one€arm.€€HeÏstated€that€the€employee€was€still€in€need€of€medical€care.€€ÌÌà àà àAt€trial,€the€court€found€that€the€employee€had€sustained€a€60Ïpercent€permanent€vocational€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€Also,€the€courtÏdirected€the€employer€to€pay€most€of€the€employeeððs€expenses€associated€withÏher€treatment€under€Dr.Rizk€and€Dr.€Rosensweig.€€However,€the€court€did€notÏrequire€the€employer€to€pay€for€future€treatment€by€either€of€these€physicians.€ÏAlthough€the€trial€judge€required€the€employer€to€provide€the€employee€with€a€listÏof€physicians€from€which€the€employee€could€choose€future€treatment,€neither€Dr.ÏRizk€nor€Dr.€Rosensweig€was€on€this€list.€€The€courtððs€order€stated€in€part€that€ð ðifÏfor€any€reason€the€services€of€any€such€doctor€[on€the€list]€should€proveÏunsatisfactory,€[the€employee]€shall€have€the€right€to€petition€the€court€for€furtherÏreview€of€her€future€medical€care€and€management.ðð€€The€Special€WorkersððÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel€affirmed€the€trial€courtððs€ruling.€€We€have€carefullyÏconsidered€and€agree€with€the€resolution€of€all€issues€made€by€the€trial€court€andÏSpecial€Panel,€except€for€the€one€dealing€with€the€employeeððs€continuedÏtreatment€by€Doctors€Rizk€and€Rosensweig.€€ÌÌà àThe€only€meritorious€issue€before€us€is€whether€the€employee€is€entitled€toÏreimbursement€for€post„trial€medical€expenses€for€continued€treatment€byÏDoctors€Rizk€and€Rosensweig.€€The€pertinent€statute,€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„204(a)(4),€states€that€ð ð[t]he€injured€employee€shall€accept€the€medical€benefitsÏafforded€hereunder;€provided,€that€the€employer€shall€designate€a€group€of€threeÏ(3)€or€more€reputable€physicians€or€surgeons€not€associated€together€in€practice€.Ï.€.€from€which€the€injured€employee€shall€have€the€privilege€of€selecting€theÏoperating€surgeon€or€the€attending€physician€.€.€.€.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„204(a)(4).€€This€statute€plainly€gives€an€employer€the€right€to€designate€threeÏphysicians€from€which€the€employee€is€entitled€to€make€a€final€selection.€ÏHowever,€once€an€employee€has€ð ðjustifiably€engaged€a€doctor€on€his€ownÏinitiative,€a€belated€attempt€by€the€employer€to€offer€a€doctor€chosen€by€theÏemployer€will€not€cut€off€the€right€of€the€employee€to€continue€with€the€employeeððsÏdoctor.ðð€€òòGoodman€v.€Oliver€Springs€Mining€Co.,€Inc.óó,€595€S.W.2d€805,€808Ï(Tenn.€1980)€(òòquotingóó€2€Larson,€òòWorkersðð€Compensation€Lawóó,€SectionÏ61.12(d)(3)€(1992)).€€ÌÌà àà àIn€this€case,€the€employer€did€not€provide€the€employee€with€the€listÏof€doctors€as€required€by€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„204(a)(4)€until€the€trial.€€(AndÏas€noted€above,€one€of€the€physicians€on€the€list€was€Dr.€Harriman,€who€hadÏalready€released€the€employee€because€he€could€do€nothing€more€for€her.)€ÏHaving€largely€lost€control€of€the€employeeððs€medical€care€by€failing€to€provideÏthe€list€of€physicians€as€required€by€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„204(a)(4),€theÏemployer€may€not€now€seek€to€regain€control€by€its€belated€attempt€atÏcompliance.€€This€conclusion€is€supported€by€our€decision€in€òòGoodman€v.€OliverÏSprings€Mining€Co,€Inc.óó,€595€S.W.2d€805€(Tenn.€1980).€€In€that€case,€we€held€anÍemployer€liable€for€continuing€medical€expenses€incurred€by€the€employee€afterÏtrial€due€to€the€employerððs€failure€to€comply€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„204(a)(4).€€We€explained€that€ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à[t]he€defendants€have€asserted€no€basis€for€theirÏdesire€that€the€plaintiff€change€physicians€other€thanÏtheir€contention€that€it€is€their€statutory€privilege.€€InÏfact,€a€change€in€physicians€would€only€cause€theÏdefendants€to€suffer€unnecessary€expense€and€causeÏthe€plaintiff€to€suffer€additional€hardship.€€Therefore,Ïthe€only€justification€that€we€can€perceive€for€theÏdefendantððs€conduct€is€their€unwillingness€to€pay€theÏplaintiffððs€continuing€medical€expenses.€ÌÌÓÓòòGoodmanóó,€595€S.W.2d€at€808„809.€€The€same€can€be€said€of€the€case€at€bar.€ÏAccordingly,€we€hold€that€the€employee€justifiably€sought€treatment€from€DoctorsÏRizk€and€Rosensweig€in€light€of€the€employerððs€failure€to€comply€with€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€50„6„204(a)(4).€€Requiring€her€to€change€doctors€after€lengthy€andÏintensive€treatment€by€these€physicians€„€most€notably€Dr.€Rizk€„€would€place€anÏunnecessary€burden€upon€her€that€we€are€not€prepared€to€impose.€€We€thusÏconclude€that€the€employer€is€liable€for€the€post„trial€medical€expenses€of€theÏemployee€resulting€from€her€continued€treatment€by€Doctors€Rizk€andÏœRosensweig.Ǜ̜›Ìà àFor€the€foregoing€reasons,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed€in€part,Ïreversed€in€part,€and€the€case€remanded€for€any€further€proceedings€which€mayÏbe€necessary.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendants„appellants.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à__________________________________Ìà àœ›à àà àà àà àà àFrank€F.€Drowota,€IIIÌà àœ›à àà àà àà àà àJusticeÌÌÌConcur:ÌÌBirch,€C.J.,ÌHolder,€Anderson,€JJ.,€ÌœÌReid,›€J.,€Not€ParticipatingÌà àà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ