WPC7 RAmߤ d 8W2׿BW$VakS?KPPZDWbp=NS'5X1⺳gQ@f6~A^'NL0a# kZ-ޱˆ%9B#h{!<2[,:fŚw>O:+Cj=w#ٜ g[eN K};]i1wM#@z #Kn l5\Ywԡ91 AsFS$hhRd.ƸJh9si)Yچ?},fND*ڦ99d8]GOβ'=#2yMOfDu]7=H~ C`0X*#M$zwNQg"XRK.m##-Za.=Q.i=H=Dj9x;?G`8d.jcAr U>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> B AQ!r 0D8 0D| 0D D3HP LaserJet 8000 DN PS0(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX(${Z='(#3|x,  AZ"Arial Regular='L U\  `*Times New RomanTTC\  P6QP"AArialTTomanTTXXaptQXp\  `*Times New RomanTT^\  P6QP(2C$ !  !\  `*Times New RomanTT - \"  _XYXXXmvXXY   Ad FILEDXYXmv  September29,1999Cecil_Crowson_,Jr.AppellateCourtClerkdAx  ' C)  _8  <( ` hp x (#X<  @    2  A      ?+ ` hp x (#` X? U \"  _XNXXXXXN   Ad FILEDXNX  September29,1999    Cecil_Crowson_,Jr.  AppellateCourtClerkdAx Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 d[\]^`C<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  (3$ !  ($$   1  YYYY'dxd !  _XXYXXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T_vZ`@0,j:`  `@E ` (ttx@X v__@MMDINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @)DATNASHVILLEVIRGINIABYRD,  0 h     ) p PutnamCircuit` h%h%  `     h     ) p No.97N0096 ( x  ` PlaintiffAppellee, h     )  @  `     h     )v. `     h     ) p Hon.JohnTurnbull,Judge     `     h     ) p  H   COOKEVILLEGENERALHOSPITAL,  ) p NO.01S019805CV00097 (#  `  Ѐ `     h     ) p  (   ` DefendantAppellant,    ) p Affirmed   5|_4XXY @(D#XYX45|_#JUDGMENTORDER     `  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtuponmotionforreviewpursuanttoTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(5)(B),theentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; `  Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthemotionforreviewisnotwelltakenandshouldbedenied. `  TheplaintiffsMotiontoStrikethedefendantsbriefinsupportofitsMotionforReviewisalsodenied. `  Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. `  Costsaretaxedtothedefendantappellantanditssurety,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. `  ITISSOORDERED. `     h      p PERCURIAM `     h   Drowota,J.,NotParticipating#XXXXYU# 61@   `72A TR[A'* [A' Legal A' Legal A' LegalT8X  & :1   <( ` hp x (#X<XXR{  INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  ATNASHVILLE X (March31,1999Session) B  8  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?_vZ`@0,j:`  `@E ` (ttx@ v_VIRGINIABYRD, h     ) p PUTNAMCIRCUIT  $   `     h     )    ` PlaintiffAppellee,    ) p Hon.John_Turnbull_,    `     h     ) p Judge.   v. `     h     ) |   `     h     ) p No.01S019805CV00097 f  _COOKEVILLE_ԀGENERAL    ) P HOSPITAL,   h     ) :  `     h     ) $t  ` DefendantAppellant.    ) ^ ForAppellant:   h      p ForAppellee:  DanielH._Rader_,III h      p MaryDeeAllen t Moore,_Rader_,_Clift_Ԁ&_Fitzpatrick_   p _Cookeville_,Tennessee ^ _Cookeville_,Tennessee H   <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION !@  MembersofPanel: &!% FrankF._Drowota_,III,AssociateJustice V(#' ThomasW.Brothers,SpecialJudge @)$( JoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge **z%)   ?+ ` hp x (#` X?  <( ` hp x (#X<  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?   AFFIRMED   h      p      x   d2-2 Loser,Judge N3.3   <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION':1 5P04    ?+ ` hp x (#` X? ` Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecial 625 Workers'CompensationAppealsPanelinaccordancewithTenn.Code 726 Ann.506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingoffindingsoffactand 837 conclusionsoflaw.Theemployer,_Cookeville_ԀGeneralHospital,insists(1) p948 thetrialjudgeerredinawardingpermanentdisabilitybenefitsforthe Z:59 employee'srightleginjuryand(2)theawardofseventypercentpermanent D;6: partialdisabilitytotheleftfootisexcessive.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanel .<~7; hasconcludedthejudgmentshouldbeaffirmed. =h8<  `  ` Becausetheextentofaninjuredworker'spermanentvocational ><:> disabilityisaquestionoffact,wehavereviewedthecasedenovouponthe  recordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectnessof  thefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise,  perTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2).Wherethetrialjudgehasseenand n heardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweighttobe X givenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccorded B  thosecircumstancesonreview.Collinsv._Howmet_ԀCorp.,970S.W.2d , | 941(Tenn.1998).  f  `  ` Theemployeeorclaimant,VirginiaByrd,isseventythreeyearsold  :  witha_G.E.D._ԀShehastrainingasalicensedpracticalnurseandisa  $  certifiednurseassistant.Shehasworkedfortheemployerfortwentyfive   years.ShesufferedacompensableinjurybyaccidentonOctober12,1996,   whenshefellatwork,fracturingherleftfootandinjuringherrightknee   andelbow.Theelbowinjuryhashealed.ShewasreferredtoDr. |  _McKinney_. f   `  ` Thedoctortreatedherinjuriesandassignedapermanentimpairment : ratingoftwopercenttothewholebodybecauseoftheleftfootinjuryand $t tenpercenttothewholebodybecauseoftherightkneeinjury, ^ superimposedonpreexistingarthritis.Theemployee'stestimony, H accreditedbythetrialjudge,wasthatshedidnothavedisablingkneepain 2 beforeherinjuryandthatsheisnolongerabletoperformherdutiesasa  nurse'said.Thedoctoralsorelatedherpaintothefallandthatopinionis  supportedbythelayevidence.Dr._McKinney_Ԁwastheonlymedicalexpert  thattestified.   `  ` Theemployercontendstheawardtotherightlegshouldnotbe ^ affirmedbecauseDr._McKinney_Ԁtestifiedthattheclaimant'sarthritiswas H notcausedbyherfallatwork,thatitresultedinnoimpairmentasaresult 2 ofthefall,andthatnomedicalrestrictionswereimposed.However,the  l doctordidassignapermanentimpairmentrating,didtestifythatthe !V claimant'spainwascausallyrelatedtoherfallanddidtestifythatshewould !@  probablyneverreturntoworkbecauseofit. "*!  `  ` Inallbutthemostobviouscases,bothcausationandpermanency $# mustbeestablishedbyexpertmedicaltestimony.Wadev.AetnaCasualty % $ andSuretyCompany,735S.W.2d215(Tenn.1987).However,absolute &!% certaintyonthepartofamedicalexpertisnotnecessarytosupporta l'"& workers'compensationaward,forexpertopinionmustalwaysbemoreor V(#' lessuncertainandspeculative;_Reeser_Ԁv.YellowFreightSystems,Inc.,938 @)$( S.W.2d690(Tenn.1997);and,whereequivocalmedicalevidence **z%) combinedwithotherevidencesupportsafindingofcausation,suchan +d&* inferencemayneverthelessbedrawnunderthecaselaw.Whitev._Werthan_ +N'+ Industries,824S.W.2d158(Tenn.1992).Theemployertakesthe ,8(, employeewithallpreexistingconditions,andcannotescapeliabilitywhen -")- theemployee,uponsufferingaworkrelatedinjury,incursdisabilityfar . *. greaterthanifhehadnothadthepreexistingconditions;_Kellerman_Ԁv. /*/ FoodLion,Inc.,929S.W.2d333(Tenn.1996).Tobecompensable,the 0+0 preexistingconditionmustbeadvanced,theremustbeanatomicalchange z1,1 inthepreexistingcondition,ortheemploymentmustcauseanactual d2-2 progressionoftheunderlyingdisease.Sweatv.SuperiorIndustries,Inc., N3.3 966S.W.2d31,3233(Tenn.1998). 84/4  `  ` Whilethemedicalevidenceinthepresentcaseissomewhatweak,it  6\16 isalsouncontradicted,andwearenotpersuadedthetrialjudgeerredin 6F27 drawinginferencesfavorabletotheclaimantwithrespecttotherightleg 7038 injury.Anyreasonabledoubtastowhethersuchaninjuryarisesoutofthe 849 employmentshouldberesolvedinfavoroftheemployee.Tappv.Tapp, 95: 192Tenn.1,236S.W.2d977(1951).Theemployer'sargumentthatthe :5; accidentmerelyincreasedpreexistingpainisnotsupportedbya ;6< preponderanceoftheevidence. r<7=   `  \=8>  ` Theemployernextcontendstheawardofbenefitsbasedonseventy  percentpermanentpartialdisabilitytotheleftfootisexcessivebecauseno  medicalrestrictionswereimposedandbecausethetreatingphysician  assessedonlysevenpercentpermanentimpairment.Oncethecausation n andpermanencyofaninjuryhavebeenestablishedbyexperttestimony,the X trialjudgemayconsidermanypertinentfactors,includingage,jobskills, B  education,training,durationofdisability,andjobopportunitiesforthe , | disabled,inadditiontoanatomicalimpairment,forthepurposeof  f evaluatingtheextentofaclaimant'spermanentdisability.Tenn.CodeAnn.  P 506241(a)(2).Theopinionofaqualifiedexpertwithrespecttoa  :  claimant'sclinicalorphysicalimpairmentisafactorwhichthecourtwill  $  consideralongwithallotherrelevantfactsandcircumstances,butitisfor   thecourttodeterminethepercentageoftheclaimant'sindustrialdisability.   _Pittman_Ԁv._Lasco_ԀIndustries,Inc.,908S.W.2d932(Tenn.1995).    X ` Fortheabovereasonsandfromacarefulconsiderationofallrelevant D  factorsestablishedbytheproofinthiscase,wecannotsaytheevidence .~ preponderatesagainstthejudgmentofthetrialcourt.Thejudgmentis h affirmedandthecauseremandedtothetrialcourtforsuchfurther R proceedings,ifany,asmaybenecessary.Costsonappealaretaxedtothe < defendantappellant. &  X  <( ` hp x (#X<_______________________________ h   ӀJoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge R   ?+ ` hp x (#` X?CONCUR: < _________________________________  FrankF._Drowota_,III,AssociateJustice ~  _________________________________ &$v ThomasW.Brothers,SpecialJudge %`  0`  x (#X0#R{##XX#