WPC =TMcV@a]'2k~4;[cz%4Q1buBWlHȼ((GhGoIQպcYɊ:#k=aYmS^VDh16P]4A:Ϸ0 a?YEqT6 Fd> k .F849J6+Su\TalmSR5roqoG .~G ;;ǍhD,xvE8%4amPe 5Qr Dq虌V00 \W^U-F}DG=G`@wǑa!$#;!-fgZR' »[IV塐ĈBMN=Y\_fˆfŦ~gv81-np57S 伇MR 0I6^)# >UNI % 0(4w@(U:+ 0Cen AQ UB >  A U:N N N N N N N N N N N N N N  0DN 0D 0D D/ BI Bf D3HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0vLh(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($~%\3|x TEPEӀVӀ !"   XXXX R]X X   Ad FILED XX R]  December3,1998CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAh ,cAZ"Arial Regular(2C$ !  ݫ\  `*Times New RomanTTC\  P6QP"AArialTTomanTTXXaptQXp\  `*Times New RomanTT^\  P6QP !"#%C<< C\  `*Times New RomanTT !"  XXXXR]XX   Ad FILEDXXR]  December3,1998CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerkdAh    C)  8  <( ` hp x (#X<  @    2  A    ?+ ` hp x (#` X?,cAZ"Arial RegularLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  (3$ !  ($$   1  ''' dxd dP Pd&&&&'dxd !  sXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'Tr (<,(j 8` `@E` 8ttxP  r@ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  t (>.*jxK` `@E ` 8ttxPX  t@  )ATNASHVILLEJAMESDARVINHARVEY    } p SEQUATCHIECIRCUIT  `  `     h     } p No.Below6752  p  ` Plaintiff/Appellee h     } 0   `     h     } p Hon.ThomasW.Graham @  vs. `     h     } p Judge P   `     h     } `     h     } p No.01S019804CV00073 p  MUELLERCOMPANY    }    `     h     } ` Defendant/Appellant    }   `     h     } p AFFIRMED x   @/@( `     h   JUDGMENTORDER `  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference. `  Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and `  Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. XX `  Costswillbepaidbydefendant/appellant,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. `  ITISSOORDEREDonDecember3,1998."US ,  `     h      p PERCURIAM  H947 TR[A'[A' LegalA' LegalA' LegalT8  &    <( ` hp x (#X<?ps ?p  INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEEt(>.*jx#` `@E"` 8ttxPZ # tSPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANELr(<,(j 8` `@E@` 8ttxPx  rATNASHVILLE(September16,1998Session)  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?JAMESDARVINHARVEY,    ) p SEQUATCHIECIRCUIT    `     h     ) ` PlaintiffAppellee,    ) p Hon.ThomasGraham,    `     h     ) p Judge.   v. `     h     ) 4  `     h     ) p No.01S019804CV00073 J MUELLERCOMPANY,    ) `  `     h     ) ` DefendantAppellant.    ) < ForAppellant:   h      p   ForAppellee:  JosephR.White   h      p   L.ThomasAustin & CarlE.Shiles   h      p   M.KeithDavis  < Spears,Moore,Rebman&Williams   p   Dunlap,Tennessee "R Chattanooga,Tennessee #h   <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION (#! MembersofPanel: -D)& FrankF.Drowota,III,AssociateJustice,SupremeCourtWilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudgeJoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?  <( ` hp x (#X<  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?:L62   AFFIRMED   h      p      x  Loser,  Judge {  <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION'     ?+ ` hp x (#` X? ` Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.section506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Inthisappeal,theemployer,MuellerCompany,insiststheevidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialjudge'sawardofpermanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsbasedonfortyfivepercenttothebodyasawholeandinfavorofonebasedonnotmorethanelevenpercenttothebodyasawhole.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcludedthejudgmentshouldbeaffirmed. ` Ourreviewisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.section506225(e)(2).Wherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweighttobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccordedthosecircumstancesonreview.Humphreyv.DavidWitherspoon,  Inc.,734S.W.2d315(Tenn.1987).Theappellatetribunal,however,isas  wellsituatedtogaugetheweight,worthandsignificanceofdepositiontestimonyasthetrialjudge.Krickv.CityofLawrenceburg,945S.W.2d709  (Tenn.1997).Extentofvocationaldisabilityisaquestionoffact.Collinsv. + HowmetCorp.,970S.W.2d941(Tenn.1998).  { A  ` Atthetimeofthetrial,theclaimantoremployee,Harvey,wasfiftyfiveyearsold.HehasaG.E.D.,isaformermemberoftheNationalGuardandhasworkedforWhelandFoundry,TennesseeConsolidatedCoal,QuakerOatsandMueller.InJulyof1995,whileworkingforMuellerasamaintenancemechanic,hefellfromaheightofthreetothreeandonehalffeettoaconcretefloor.Hewasplacedonlightduty.Later,hereportedtoDr.Rankine;andhewasalsoseenbyDr.Gallagher. ` Dr.DavidA.Rankine,aneurologist,testifiedbydepositionthathefirstsawtheclaimantonOctober25,1995,orderedmagneticresonancetestingand,fromtestresults,diagnosedalumbardiscrupture.Asecondtestrevealedmildbulgingofthedisc,butnoherniation.ThedoctorprovidedconservativecareuntiltheclaimantreachedmaximummedicalrecoveryonNovember26,1996.Heopinedtheinjurywasprobablyanaggravationofanoldinjury,assessedthirtypercentpermanentimpairmentandrecommendedtheclaimantrefrainfromliftingmorethanthirtypoundsorengaginginmorethanmoderatetolightduty. ` Dr.MichaelR.Gallagher,anotherneurologist,alsotestifiedbydeposition.Heevaluatedtheclaimantattherequestoftheemployer.Dr.Gallagherfoundnosignificantdischerniationandassessedtheclaimant'spermanentimpairmentatelevenpercenttothewholebody. 832 ..ThetrialjudgegavegreaterweighttotheopinionofDr.RankinebecausehewasthetreatingphysicianandbecauseDr.Gallagher'sopinionwasbasedlargelyonthefindingsofothers,whosecredibilitycouldnotbetested.TheemployercontendsDr.RankineshouldbediscreditedbecausehedidnotproperlyusetheAMAguidelinesinestimatingpermanentimpairment...Oncethecausationandpermanencyofaninjuryhavebeenestablishedbyexperttestimony,thetrialjudgemayconsidermanypertinentfactors,includingage,jobskills,education,training,durationofdisability,andjobopportunitiesforthedisabled,inadditiontoanatomicalimpairment,forthepurposeofevaluatingtheextentofaclaimant'spermanentdisability.Tenn.CodeAnn.section506241(a)(2).Theopinionofaqualifiedexpertwithrespecttoaclaimant'sclinicalorphysicalimpairmentisafactorwhichthecourtwillconsideralongwithallotherrelevantfactsandcircumstances,butitisforthecourtstodeterminethepercentageoftheclaimant'sindustrialdisability.KellwoodCo.v.Gibson,581S.W.2d645(Tenn.1979).Whenmedicaltestimonydiffers,itiswithinthediscretionofthetrialjudgetodeterminewhichexperttestimonytoaccept.Hinsonv.WalmartStores,Inc.,654S.W.2d675,677(Tenn.1983)...Itisundisputedthattheclaimantisrestrictedbyhistreatingphysicianfromanythingbutmoderatetolightworkandthathehasbeenonlightworksincetheaccident.HisowntestimonyandotherlaytestimonytendtosupporttheopinionofDr.Rankine.Forthereasonsstatedherein,theevidencefailstopreponderateagainstthefindingsofthetrialjudge...Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaccordinglyaffirmed.Costsonappealaretaxedtothedefendantappellant.    2( ` hp x (#2_______________________________    ӀJoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge  5+ ` hp x (#5CONCUR:_________________________________FrankF.Drowota,III,AssociateJustice_________________________________WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudge# x (##Ӝ