ÿWPC …# V %an­g 04 UBH n­Š 7 w@? 4 “ 0x¢ 0D 0J^ 0T¨ 0^ü 0hZ 0r 0|4 0†° 06 1uÆ 0d; BŸU6¼U.òU>  D3^B)‘DCº 0@ý AM=U*Šã´#—Pºv~ vÓˆ AO[ƪ 0Dp D/´ Bã˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 X«<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXxþ6X@ÉJQX@( ¤T$¡¡Ó  Ó<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpi«<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXxþ6X@ÉJQX@ ˆ{‰ŠD‹«ŒÓ€–—˜™DšDÒ TÀ\Tô3|xš(((3ÝÈ$¤¤Ý ƒ¤T!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ d< Œ 9p`(Courier New< Œ 9p`(Courier< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman 'ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d++++7Border 1dd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-,Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ÙÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€'ÔÝ  ÝÔ€/ÔÔ€/ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€/XÔÌÌFebruary€24,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€'ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€)ÔThis€case€was€transferred€to€the€entire€Supreme€Court€for€review€and€disposition€by€OrderÏdated€November€26,€1996.Ì FÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€'ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€)ÔAccording€to€the€trial€court,€ð ðWest€Tennessee€was€struck€by€probably€the€worst€ice€stormÏin€historyðð€on€February€9€and€10,€1994.€€€€Ô€'ÔÌPtPtHHÚ(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 Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€'ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ ` ÑÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑØ ØÓ&€°d&ÓÓ&€((X°d&ÓœÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€)ÔÔ€)¼Ô›à@ àÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌœà àà àà àà àà àà àà à›Ìœà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòòFOR€PUBLICATIONóóà à›ÌWILLIAM€R.€REESER,€JR.,à àà à)€œà àFiled:€February€24,€1997Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff„Appellee,à à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€à àOVERTON›€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€œà àNO.›€€01S01„9603„CV„00042€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌYELLOW€FREIGHT€SYSTEM,à à)Ì€INC.,à àà àà àà àà àœ)à à›€Hon.€Billy€Joe€White,̜ـ€ÙßR€.0,A1-j|¼` ç `€€@ÿRß›à àà àà àà àà àà à)€œà àChancellor›Ìà àDefendant„Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòÓ` °ˆXœ ’XÓFor€Plaintiff„Appelleeóó:à àà àà àòòà àœFor›€Defendant„Appellantóó:à àÌÌKelly€R.€Williamsà àà àà àà àà àStephen€K.ÏBeardà àà àà àLivingston,€TN€à àà àà àà àà àStewart,ÏEstes€&ÏDonnellà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,ÏTNà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòÔ€)èÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€)¼ÔÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌœ›ÌÌóóAFFIRMEDà€ àDROWOTA,€J.òòÌÌÑ7€ó¢XdÈXXdÈ7ÑÑ ° ÑÓÓÓ  Óà àà àóóIn€this€workersðð€compensation€action,€the€employer,€YellowÏFreight€System,€Inc.,€defendant„appellant,€has€appealed€from€a€judgment€ofÏthe€Circuit€Court€of€Overton€County€finding€that€the€employee,€William€R.ÏReeser,€Jr.,€plaintiff„appellee,€is€permanently€and€totally€disabled€as€a€resultÏof€a€stroke.€€The€trial€court€found€that€conditions€of€the€employment€€„Ïœstress€associated€with€driving›€a€truck€through€an€ice€storm€„€precipitated€theÏemployeeððs€stroke.€€The€sole€issue€on€appeal€is€the€correctness€of€thatÏfinding.œ× ƒ1 ××  ×›€€After€carefully€examining€the€record€and€the€relevant€authorities,Ïwe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àà àThe€employee,€who€was€sixty„three€years€old€at€the€time€of€hisÏinjury,€worked€as€a€long€distance€truck€driver€for€the€employer.€€He€hadÏworked€in€this€capacity€for€the€employer€since€1989.€€On€February€9,€1994,Íthe€employee€was€required€to€drive€a€truck€from€Nashville€to€St.€Louis,ÏMissouri,€for€the€employer.€€On€February€10,€1994,€he€returned€toÏNashville€during€a€severe€ice€storm.× ƒ2 ××  ×€€The€employer€canceled€all€trips€by€itsÏdrivers€on€February€10€because€of€the€ice,€but€the€employee€was€already€onÏthe€return€leg€of€his€trip.€€Thus,€the€employee€was€on€the€road€when€theÏstorm€was€at€its€worst.ÌÌà àà àOn€February€11,€1994,€the€employer€resumed€a€full€schedule€ofÏtrips€between€Nashville€and€Memphis.€€On€that€date,€the€employee€leftÏNashville€at€approximately€3:45€p.m.€and€traveled€to€Memphis.€€He€arrivedÏin€Memphis€at€approximately€7:40€p.m.€after€the€storm€had€ended.€ÏHowever,€while€exiting€the€interstate€minutes€from€his€destination,€theÏemployee€lost€control€of€his€truck,€traveled€across€six€lanes€of€traffic,€ranÏthrough€a€œguardrail,€and›€went€down€an€embankment.€When€police€arrivedÏon€the€scene,€they€found€the€employee€lying€semi„conscious€on€theÏfloorboard€of€his€truck,€with€bruises€and€cuts.€€The€employee€was€taken€to€aÏnearby€hospital,€and€was€diagnosed€as€having€had€a€stroke.€€The€stroke€hasÏleft€the€employee€totally€disabled.€€He€cannot€speak,€has€substantial€paralysis,Ïseizures,€and€cannot€take€care€of€any€personal€needs.€€He€requires€careÍtwenty„four€hours€a€day.€€The€employee€cannot€recall€anything€about€theÏœaccident.ÌÌà àà àFollowing€the€accident,€the€employee€was€treated€by€Dr.ÏMichael€Deshazo,€a€neurologist€who€diagnosed€the€stroke.€€Dr.€DeshazoÏdetermined€that€the€employee€had€a€complete€blockage€of€an€artery€leadingÏto€his€brain,€which€interrupted€the€flow€of€blood€to€the€brain.€€This€led€to€aÏð ðcerebrovascular€thrombotic€occlusive€event,ðð€or€a€stroke.€€On€the€issue€ofÏcausation,€Dr.€Deshazo€testified€that€the€stress€of€driving€a€truck€through€anÏarea€that€had€just€experienced€a€major€ice€storm€ð ðcould€have€played€a€role€inÏprecipitatingðð€the€stroke.€€Dr.€Deshazo€opined€that€driving€a€truck€was€aÏstressful€occupation,€made€more€so€during€times€of€hazardous€driving.€€Dr.ÏDeshazo€conceded,€however,€that€the€stroke€could€have€occurred€regardlessÏof€any€stress€the€employee€may€have€experienced€while€driving,€particularlyÏsince€the€employee€suffered€from€pre„existing€coronary€artery€disease.ÌÌà àà àDr.€William€Quarles,€the€employeeððs€family€physician€sinceÏ1966,€also€treated€the€employee.€€Dr.€Quarles€testified€similarly€to€Dr.ÏDeshazo.€€In€response€to€a€hypothetical€question€which€asked€him€to€assumeÏthat€the€employee€drove€a€truck€ð ðover€200€miles€at€night€in€an€area€that€hadÏjust€underwent€a€terrible€ice€storm,ðð€and€whether€this€ð ðcould€.€.€.€be€aÍstressful€event€.€.€.€that€could€have€triggered€or€precipitated€[the€stroke],ððÏDr.€Quarles€replied,€ð ð[t]heoretically,€I€think€thatððs€true,€yes.ðð€€Like€Dr.ÏDeshazo,€Dr.€Quarles€concluded€that€it€was€possible€that€the€employee€couldÏhave€had€the€stroke€at€most€any€time€given€his€severe€coronary€arteryÏdisease.€€Ìà àà àDr.€Manual€Weiss,€a€neurological€surgeon€testifying€for€theÏemployer,€reviewed€the€employeeððs€medical€records€and€the€deposition€ofÏDr.€Deshazo.€€Dr.Weiss€testified€that€there€are€two€general€types€of€strokesÏ„€one€caused€by€bleeding€in€the€brain€itself,€and€the€other€from€a€lack€ofÏblood€getting€to€the€brain.€€He€testified€that€the€employeeððs€stroke€was€causedÏby€the€latter.€€Dr.€Weiss€also€stated€that,€in€his€opinion,€stress€was€not€aÏcontributing€factor.€€Rather,€strokes€of€the€type€suffered€by€the€employeeÏhappen€when€an€artery€is€finally€closed€off€after€a€lengthy€period€ofÏincreasing€blockage.€€Dr.€Weiss›€concluded€that€the€employee€would€have€hadÏthe€stroke€at€some€point€regardless€of€the€stress€that€he€œexperienced›€drivingÏin€the€œice›€storm.€€It€is€also€worth€noting€that,€like€œDoctors›€œDeshazo›€andÏQuarles,€Dr.€Weiss€indicated€that€driving€a€truck€through€an€ice€storm€is€aÏstressful€event.€€However,€unlike€œDoctors›€Deshazo€and€Quarles,€Dr.€WeissÏhas€not€treated€„€or€even€met€„€the€employee.ÌÌà àà àAfter€considering€the€evidence,€the€trial€court€found€that€ð ðproofÏconcerning€the€road€conditions€being€ððhorrendousðð€is€clear€and€convincing.ðð€ÏRelying€upon€testimony€from€other€truck€drivers€who€testified€that€theyÏmade€the€same€trip€as€the€employee€on€February€11€and€œfound›€it€œunusually›Ïstressful,€the€court€concluded€that€the€conditions€of€employment€precipitatedÏthe€employeeððs€stroke.€€Benefits€were€awarded€accordingly.€€ÌÌœà à›à àOur€review€of€findings€of€fact€by€the€trial€court€is€òòdeóó€òònovoóóÏupon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€theÏcorrectness€of€those€findings,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2);€òòLollar€v.€Wal„Mart€Stores,ÏInc.óó,€767€S.W.2d€143,€149€(Tenn.€1989).€€Considerable€deference€must€beÏaccorded€to€the€trial€courtððs€factual€findings€on€issues€related€to€theÏcredibility€of€witnesses€and€the€weight€to€be€given€their€testimony.€ÏòòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.óó,€734€S.W.2d€315€(Tenn.€1987).€€ÌÌà àà àIn€order€to€be€eligible€for€workersðð€compensation€benefits,€anÏemployee€must€suffer€ð ðan€injury€by€accident€arising€out€of€and€in€the€courseÏof€employment€which€causes€either€disablement€or€death.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.Ïðð€50„6„102(a)(5).€€The€phrase€ð ðarising€out€ofðð€refers€to€causation.€€òòBradenÏv.€Sears,€Roebuck€and€Co.óó,€833€S.W.2d€496,€498€(Tenn.€1992).€€TheÍcausation€requirement€is€satisfied€if€the€injury€has€a€rational,€causalÏconnection€to€the€work.€€òòIdóó.€€Although€causation€cannot€be€based€uponÏmerely€speculative€or€conjectural€proof,€òòSimpson€v.€H.€D.€Lee€Co.óó,€793ÏS.W.2d€929,€931€(Tenn.€1990),€absolute€certainty€is€not€required.€€òòTindall€v.ÏWaring€Park€Assððnóó,€725€S.W.2d€935,€937€(Tenn.€1987).€€Any€reasonableÏdoubt€in€this€regard€is€to€be€construed€in€favor€of€the€employee.€€òòWhite€v.ÏWerthan€Industriesóó,€824€S.W.2d€158,€159€(Tenn.€1992).€€We€have€thusÏconsistently€held€that€an€award€may€properly€be€based€upon€medicalÏtestimony€to€the€effect€that€a€given€incident€ð ðcould€beðð€the€cause€of€theÏemployeeððs€injury,€when€there€is€also€lay€testimony€from€which€itÏreasonably€may€be€inferred€that€the€incident€was€in€fact€the€cause€of€theÏinjury.€€òòP€&€L€Const.€Co.€v.€Lankfordóó,€559€€S.W.2d€793,€794€(Tenn.€1978).€ÌÌà àà àWe€also€note€that€there€is€no€requirement€that€the€accidentÏresulting€in€injury€be€physical€in€nature.€€Injuries€are€generally€compensableÏas€accidental€injuries€when€they€are€precipitated€by€physical€exertion€orÏstrain€òòoróó€a€specific€incident€or€series€of€incidents€involving€mental€orÏemotional€stress€of€an€unusual€or€abnormal€nature.€€òòBacon€v.€Sevier€Countyóó,Ï808€S.W.2d€46€(Tenn.€1991).€€In€other€words,€excessive€and€unexpectedÏmental€anxiety,€stress,€tension€or€worry€attributable€to€the€employment€canÏcause€injuries€sufficient€to€justify€an€award€of€benefits.€€òòSeeóó€òòJose€v.€Equifex,ÍInc.óó,€556€S.W.2d€82,€84€(Tenn.€1977).€€With€these€principles€in€mind,€weÏreview€the€record€to€determine€whether€the€evidence€preponderates€againstÏthe€findings€of€the€trial€court.€€à0 àà0 àà àÌÌà àà àSeveral€witnesses€testified€concerning€road€conditions€on€theÏday€that€the€employee€suffered€the€stroke€and€wrecked€his€truck.€€WitnessesÏcalled€by€the€employer€testified€that€road€conditions€along€the€route€drivenÏby€the€employee€were€ð ðgood,ðð€and€that€driving€on€that€date€was€ð ðjust€likeÏany€other€day.ðð€€However,€even€these€witnesses€conceded€that€there€wereÏparts€of€the€interstate€between€Nashville€and€Memphis€where€ð ðyou€just€hadÏto€slow€down€and€weave€yourself€through€[fallen€trees].ðð€€ÌÌÑ „ Ñà àà àWitnesses€called€by€the€employee€characterized€the€drivingÏconditions€along€the€employeeððs€route€€as€ð ðhorrendous,ðð€ð ðterrible,ððÏð ðextremely€hazardous,ðð€and€stated€that€only€one€lane€of€travel€was€passableÏon€parts€of€the€œinterstate.€›€œThe›€employeeððs€wife€testified€that€on€the€day€ofÏthe€accident,€the€employee€told€her€over€the€telephone€that€drivingÏconditions€were€ð ðrough.ðð€€When€she€attempted€to€travel€from€Livingston€toÏMemphis€œlater€that›€evening€to€see€her€husband€after€learning€of€the€accident,Ïshe€discovered€that€ð ðthere€were€trees€down€all€over€the€interstate.€€It€wasÏlike€running€an€obstacle€course€dodging€the€trees.ðð€€A€photograph€containedÍin€the€record€shows€large€trees€hanging€over€or€on€the€interstate€due€to€theÏweight€of€ice.€€Various€truck€drivers€testified€that€they€had€to€maneuverÏaround€trees€on€the€interstate,€and€stated€that€they€could€hear€trees€poppingÏand€cracking€around€them.€€œÌà àà àA›€witness€who€was€driving€the€interstate€to€Memphis€on€the€dayÏthat€the€employee€suffered€the€stroke€testified€that€she€saw€ð ðthe€big€eighteenÏwheelers€over€on€their€tops,€on€their€sides.€You€pick€a€direction€and€one€wasÏlaying€there.€.€.€.€€Cars€in€every€which€direction,€in€the€median,€at€the€sides,Ïheading€the€wrong€direction€on€the€other€side.€€It€looked€like€a€shootingÏgallery.ðð€€A€truck€driver€with€32€years€of€experience,€who€drove€theÏinterstate€to€Memphis€on€the€day€in€question,€testified€that€the€drivingÏconditions€were€the€worst€he€had€ever€experienced,€and€that€an€abnormalÏamount€of€stress€was€involved€given€the€dangerous€conditions.€€Other€truckÏdrivers€testified€similarly,€noting€that€the€driving€conditions€presented€anÏextremely€dangerous€and€abnormally€stressful€situation.€€That€situationÏbecame€much€worse€after€dark€„€when€the€employee€was€still€on€the€road€„Ïbecause€it€was€difficult€to€see€trees€and€ice€on€the€interstate.€€A€manager€forÏthe€employer€testified€that€in€his€eleven€years€of€employment€he€could€notÏrecall€a€time€other€than€February€10,€1994€(and€the€Ñ ° Ñearly€morning€hours€ofÏFebruary€11)€when€drivers€were€called€off€the€roadway€due€to€poor€weatherÏconditions.€ÌÌà àà àIn€light€of€the€foregoing€evidence,€we€are€persuaded€that€thereÏis€ample€evidence€in€the€record€to€support€the€trial€courtððs€finding€that€theÏemployee€was€performing€the€obligations€of€his€employment€in€an€unusualÏand€abnormally€stressful€set€of€circumstances.€€While€the€ice€storm€mayÏhave€been€at€its€worst€on€February€10€and€have€ended€by€the€time€of€theÏemployeeððs€accident€on€February€11,€the€record€is€clear€that€the€employeeÏhad€driven€three€consecutive€days€through€the€storm€or€its€aftermath.€€TheÏemployee€spent€part€of€this€time€driving€in€darkness,€when€it€wasÏparticularly€difficult€to€see€ice€and€trees€on€the€roadway,€making€a€badÏsituation€worse.€€We€are€further€persuaded€that€the€testimony€of€both€of€theÏtreating€physicians,€Dr.€Deshazo€and€Dr.€Quarles,€that€stress€experienced€byÏthe€employee€driving€through€the€ice€storm€could€have€precipitated€œhisÏstroke,€is€sufficient€to€establish›€causation.€€Although€the€evidence€ofÏcausation€is€not€overwhelming,€we€cannot€conclude€that€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€trial€courtððs€conclusion€that€the€employee€made€theÏrequired€showing€that€his€injury€arose€out€of€his€employment.ÌÌà àà àFor€the€foregoing€reasons,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€isÏaffirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendant€„€appellant.€€ÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àœ_______________________________›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àœFRANK›€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€JUSTICEÌÌÌÌÌÌConcur:€€ÌœÌBirch,›€C.J.,€œÌAnderson,›€Reid,€Holder,€J.J.ÌÌÌà0 àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à0 àà àÌÌà àà àÌòòÌÌà àà àÌÌÌÌóó