WPC !UM7n12I#NqiC,cT(XJ=Oh wHe0@o_K\K.mh  ˡpg";c!s x~< 9/:dA 2yfrwo0WVN1xUlV*3~"R|ҍ & 6斕 /bF_:x խ1zPbL$i?oI[ Ov^sJsxJހ[7=~dUoa{;1i2ob|\sLf$$d%޺e;~@*o=-v;)`於,g̐Vk.3DSG8ͺc$˷U,#Qϐ$;|flۮ8=Bm'+3HYpˬ/G4r'+?S0BaU NN % 0(#! nY w 4  6& U:\ N ^   HU:HHNJ^ L mX o w           B AS7 0D 0DA 0D D5(9 Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($HP LaserJet 8000 Series PS0C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\JO.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\jo.wpt@q'\Pc3|x , \"  _ X!XXX 9X X!   Ad FILED X!X 9  November19,1999Cecil_Crowson_,Jr.AppellateCourtClerkdAx ,cAZ"Arial Regular T \"  _X1XXXXX1   Ad FILEDX1X  November19,1999  Cecil_Crowson_,Jr. xx AppellateCourtClerkdAx Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5,cAZ"Arial Regular#}s'L U12345678910H d[\]^`E<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  (3$ !  ($$   1  YYYY)!dxdx !  _% - TR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'TXX_vZ `@0,j:`  `@E ` 8ttxP  v__@  INTHESUPREMEOFTENNESSEE   @'ATNASHVILLE % # CYNTHIAMORRISON%#@,} p % $ GRUNDYCHANCERY%$ &J @,} p No.Below% % 4737%% 8\  ` Plaintiff/Appellee0 h 0h(#h(#0(#(#}Jn(#(# @,} p Hon.% & JeffreyF.Stewart%&Y \ vs.@-H-} n  @,}@,} p No.% ' M199800246WCR3CV%'   % ( TECUMSEHPRODUCTS%(_0  0(#(#} (#(# COMPANY0 0 (# (#0h(#(#0h(#h(#0(#(#} (#(#  `     h   @,#XvX#XXv@@-}   ` Defendant/Appell% ) ant%)'@,} p % * AFFIRMED%*i  @&JUDGMENTORDER 4  ` ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingthe F!j orderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference. ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. ` Costswillbepaidby% + employer/appellant%+ ,TecumsehProductsCompany,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. ` ITISSOORDEREDon% , November19,1999%,% . `     h      p PERCURIAM :0-  ` #XXd#  6>2/ dXX  8Xdd8  INTHESUPREME#XXd` #ԀdXXCOURTOFTENNESSEE  _xZ`B2.jz`  `@EV` 8ttxP  x_SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL ( ATNASHVILLE  P (July15,1999Session)  d    0  CYNTHIAMORRISON, 8   )  _GRUNDY_ԀCOUNTY H! L  $ $   0      8   )0  CHANCERY^ $$   0      8   ) p   Plaintiff/Appellee, 8   )  Hon.JeffreyF.Stewart, H!  #      0      8   )  Chancellor.   v.  0      8   )     0      8   )  NO.M199800246_WC_ԄR3CV  TECUMSEHPRODUCTS 8   )  COMPANY,     8   ) ,   0      8   ) >  Defendant/Appellant. 8   )   @    P ForAppellant:     8      @ ForAppellee: Z L.ThomasAustin     8      @ RichardA.Schulman ~ M.KeithDavis     8      @ Patrick,Beard,   P.O.Box666     8      @ Schulman&_Jacoway_ ! _Dunlap_,Tennessee   8      @ Chattanooga,Tennessee "   MEMORANDUMOPINION (^#! A  0      8 MAILED:  )p$"   MembersofPanel: h-(&    @ FrankF._Drowota_,III,AssociateJustice,SupremeCourt /*( -  FrankClement,Jr.,SpecialJudge 0+) SamuelL.Lewis,SpecialJudge 1-* AFFIRMED     8      @     Lewis,Judge 8l30      R;63 _  MEMORANDUMOPINION     ThisworkerscompensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecial 6 WorkersCompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordance  Z withTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingoffindings . ~ offactandconclusionsoflaw.Inthisappeal,theemployerappellant, R  TecumsehProductsCompany( Tecumseh),questionsthetrialscourts v  findingin(1)determiningtheleftextremityproblemthattheemployee   appellee,CynthiaMorrison( Morrison),sustainedisworkrelatedand(2)  awardingMorrisona35%impairmentforthisinjury.Thepanelfindsthat 2 theevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthetrialcourtsfindings.Wefind V noerrorandaffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourt. *z  Morrison,theemployeeappellee,is36yearsofage.ShehasaGED r andhasworkedseveraljobs,includingworkingatafoodstore,workingfor ! theStateofTennesseeandworkingatWalmart.Shestartedtoworkat #  TecumsehinMayof1994.Morrisonsjobwasarepetitiveoneturningboth %.! handsapproximately3,000timesaday. (R#!  AccordingtoMorrisonsrecollection,shedevelopedaproblemwith J,'% herlefthandandupperextremityinJuneorJulyof1996.Inhisrecord,Dr. n.)' MarkBrzezienski,ahandsurgery,firstnotedaproblemwithherleftarmor 0+) handonAugust13,1996.Dr.Brzezienskiopinedthattheproblemwithher 2.+ lefthand,whichhebelievedtobecarpaltunnelsyndrome,wasrelatedtoa 4*0- reasonabledegreeofmedicalcertaintytoherworkatTecumseh. 6N2/  "9r41  MorrisonquitherjobatTecumsehonAugust16,1996,andhasnot  workedsincethen.Dr.BrzezienskilastsawMorrisononJuly22,1997;she $ wasstillcomplainingaboutherleftarmandneededasevereconductiontest H andacarpaltunnelreleaseonherlefthandandupperextremity.Tecumseh  l refusedtopayforsurgeryonMorrisonsleftarm.AccordingtoMorrison, @  shehasnothadthetreatmentbecauseshecannotaffordit. d   Dr.BrzezienskiassessedMorrisonslefthandwitha4%to7%  impairmentwithareasonabledegreeofmedicalcertaintyalthoughhenoted   thatitisdifficulttopredictanimpairmentpriortothesurgeryactuallybeing D performed.ThetrialjudgefoundthatMorrisonhadsustaineda4% h impairmenttoherleftupperextremityandawardedher35%permanent < partialdisabilitytoherleftupperextremityinalumpsum. `  Inaworkerscompensationcase,appellatereviewonfactualissuesis " denovowithapresumptionthatthetrialcourtsfindingarecorrect,unless $  thepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506 &@"  225(e)(2)(1991&Supp.1998);seealsoHillv.EagleBendMfg.,Inc.,942 )d$" S.W.2d483,487(Tenn.1997). 8+&$  TecumsehfirstcontendsthatMorrisonsinjurywasnotcausedbyher /*( workatTecumseh.Toprovea workrelatedinjury,aplaintiffmust 1,* establishbyapreponderanceoftheevidencethatshesustainedaninjury 3/,  arisingoutofandinthecourseoftheheremployment.TennCodeAnn. 5<1. 506102(a)(5)(Supp.1998).Thephrase arisingoutofreferstothecause 8`30 ororiginoftheinjury.Thephrase inthecourseofreferstothetime,  place,andcircumstancesoftheinjury.E.g.,Jonesv.HartfordAccident& $ Indem.Co.,811S.W.2d516,519(Tenn.1991).Althoughcausationcannot H bebaseduponspeculativeorconjecturalproof,absolutemedicalcertaintyis  l notrequired,andreasonabledoubtmustbeextendedinfavorofthe @  employee.E.g.,Hill,942S.W.2dat487. d   Inthiscase,Morrisonsworkwasarepetitivejob,turningbothhands  some3,000timeperday.Theproofshowsthatherleftupperextremitypain   occurredwhileshewasonthejobanddoingworkforheremployer, D Tecumseh.MorrisonwenttoseeDr.Brzezienskiforthelefthandproblem h beforeherquittingjobatTecumseh.Dr.Brzezienskispecificallytestifiedto < areasonabledegreeofmedicalcertaintythatMorrisonsleftcarpaltunnel ` syndromewascausedbyherworkatTecumseh.    TecumsehcontendsthatDr.Brzezienskiadmittedthatthereareseveral $  differentcausesofcarpaltunnelsyndrome.However,Dr.Brzezienskis &@"  admissionwasinresponsetoageneralquestionregardingcarpaltunnel )d$" syndromeratherthenthecausationofMorrisonsparticularproblem. 8+&$ TecumsehdidnotputonproofastoanyotherpotentialcausesofMorrisons \-(& lefthandproblem.TecumsehalsoarguesthatMorrisonsconditionshould /*( haveimprovedaftershequitjobifherinjurytoherleftextremitywerework 1,* related;however,herconditionhasdeteriorated.Dr.Brzezienskiexplained 3/, thisphenomenon: 5<1.  8`30  Ithinkthattheinitiationofhersymptomsbeganwhileshewas  working. 0 Shouldtheyhaveimproved?Itwouldhavebeenniceifthey $ improved. 0 Buttheyhavenotimprovedandshehashadsustainedsymptoms H inherleft 0 handwhichwecantracebacktothatdate.Soitisdifficultfor  l metosay 0 that,youknow,becausetheydidnotgetbetterthatitisnot @  necessarily 0 linkedtoherjobatTecumseh. d   Weconcludethattheevidenceintherecorddoesnotpreponderate  againstthetrialcourtsfindingthatMorrisonslefthandsyndromeiswork   related. D  Tecumsehalsoquestionsthepercentageofimpairmentthetrialcourt < awardedtoMorrisonsleftextremity.Infixingtheextentofdisability,the ` trialjudgeshouldconsidernotonlythemedicaltestimony,butalsoevidence   concerningeducation,workskillsandtestimonyoftheplaintiffherselfthat " shewasunabletoreturntocertainpreviousemployments.Baileyv.Knox $  County,732S.W.2d597,59798(Tenn.1987). &@"   Withthisprincipleinmind,wereviewtherecordtodeterminewhether 8+&$ theevidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialcourtsfindingof35%permanent \-(& partialimpairmenttoMorrisonsleftextremity.Astothemedicalexperts /*( opinion,Dr.Brzezienskiassessedthattheimpairmentisprobably4%to7%, 1,* whichistheusualrange,althoughitisdifficulttopredictanimpairment 3/, priortothesurgeryactuallybeingperformed. 5<1.  8`30  WealsoneedtotakeintoconsiderationMorrisonsgeneralsituation  andherowntestimony.Morrisonis36yearsofagewithaGED.Shehas $ workedcleaningrooms,asacashier,andhasworkedforTecumsehsince H 1994.Morrisontestifiedattrialthatshestillhasproblemswithgrippingand  l tinglinginherfingers;shestillhastroublewithsomenumbnessandpain, @  andevengradingpapersasavolunteeratschoolcausesproblems.Shesaid d  thatshehasnotfoundanyothersuitableworkthatshefeltshecoulddowith   hercondition.ThetrialjudgefoundthatMorrisonstestimonywascredible.  ThisCourtmustgiveconsiderabledeferencetothetrialcourtsfindingswith   regardtotheweightandcredibilityoforalargument,asitisthetrialcourt D whichhadtheopportunitytoobservethewitnesssdemeanorandtohearthe h incourttestimony.Hill,942S.W.2dat487. <  Afterconsideringtherecord,weconcludethattheevidencedoesnot   preponderateagainstthetrialcourtsawardof35%permanentpartial " disabilitytoMorrisonsleftextremity. $   Accordingly,thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costson )d$" appealaretaxedtotheemployerappellant,Tecumseh. 8+&$   0      8     򀀀 0+)   0      8     SamuelL.Lewis,SpecialJudge 1,*  (   CONCUR: 3/, 򀀀 6N2/ FrankF.Drowota,III,AssociateJustice 8`30  "9r41 Ї򀀀  FrankClement,Jr.Specialjudge  #XXd#