WPC RvW\p"ؑe+>l";cp)Gp+Vh&󘍨8M!':Ø6o(XoT=mݯWux<2m]-E O@ `Wץ%` iҀ}?ڋ}G0).*jx.` `@EN ` 8ttxP tߛh@@B B SPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANELhh@@ATNASHVILLE   X v SShr(<,(j 8` `@E ` 8ttxPX  r^^h̜REBARECTOR,   h     ) p PUTNAMCIRCUIT R  SS ` Plaintiff/Appellee h     ) p NO.01S019804CV00083 h   `     h     ) p  ~  v. `     h     ) p  4  `     h     ) p  J МSKKSDACCO,    h     ) p HON.JOHNMADDUXSS,R ` ROLLO ` QP PQDefendant/Appellant    ) p Judge  МONNOM ` M `  ̜ FortheAppellant#k"  T8 ##X6JX k"W #k" XX6JT  k": h     FortheAppellee: Z"  LutherE.Cantrell,Jr. h     JamesL.Harris p# ThirdFloor,CourtSquareBldg.  2400CrestmoorRoad $& 300JamesRobertsonParkway    Nashville,TN37215 %< Nashville,TN37201   MEMORANDUMOPINION  ,"  MembersofPanel: #k"  T#.o  k"FrankF.Drowota,III,Justice#k"  .o>#T  k" x0'$ WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudgeJoeC.Loser,SpecialJudge N;1. AFFIRMED   h      p INMAN,SeniorJudge `  R IOa` HH  R @77)D#XX T`#   XXOPINION#XX   #T XXԈ  ,   ` Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'   CompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.  $   ` Theplaintiffallegedthatshesuffered severefright,shock,anxiety,andworry : whichhascausedhertosuffernervous,emotionally(sic)andpsychiatricconsequencesasaresultofassaultsbyafellowemployeeonJune21andJune29,1995. ` Thedefendantdeniedtheallegationsandspeciallypleadedthatanyallegedassaultdidnotoccurduringthecourseandscopeofemploymentandwasthereforenoncompensable. ` Thetrialjudgefoundthattheplaintiffsustainedamentalinjuryduringthecourseandscopeofheremploymentandawardedbenefitsfortemporarytotalandpermanentpartialdisability. ` Thedefendantappeals,andassignsthreeerrorswhichwerestateasissuesonappeal:(1)whetheranyworkrelatedassaultoccurred,(2)whethertheassaultwasmotivatedbyillwill,anger,hatred,orpersonalmotiveofthefellowemployee,and(3)whethertheawardofbenefitsfortemporarytotaldisabilitywasjustified. @gg&DStandardofReview n!   ` Reviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovouponthe "$ recordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefinding,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn. $P М506225(e)(2);Stonev.CityofMcMinnville,896S.W.2d548,550(Tenn.1995).#k"  T # Zo k"Ԁ#k"  Zok#T  k" %f  ` Aswillbeseen,thecredibilityofthekeyplayersinthestrangecircumstancesofthiscaseiscrucial,andonthisissuewemustdefertothejudgmentofthetrialϜjudge,whoobservedandevaluatedthetestimonyofthewitnesses.SeeHumphrey ) v.DavidWitherspoon,Inc.,734S.W.2d315(Tenn.1987). .*   @*DTheAssault D+!   ` Theplaintiff,52yearsold,testifiedthatafterMay1,1995,DavidBaileycame Z,"  intoDaccoDetroitandannouncedthathewasactingforeman;thathe wouldpassmytable,andtellmeifIwasstandinguptoshutupandsitdown,orifhewasgoingtothebathroom,hewouldtellmetoshutup,ifIwassittingdown.ShethoughtheS IOa` HH  Smadethesestatements becausehefeltsuperioranddislikedme,probablybecauseR IOa` HH  Rheresentedheraskingforhelponoccasion. ` ShetestifiedthatBaileycontinuedhisshutupsitdowntiradeforthreeweeks,whenshestartedmeetinghimintheaislewherehewouldsay, Illknockyoudown,getoutofmywayorIllknockyoudown.ShewasworkinginthewarehouseonJune27,1995,whenBaileystatedtoherthat Ioughttoknockyoudown,and wouldntitbeembarrassingifIknockedyoudownandtheotheremployeesdidntknowhowyougotdownthere?Sherepliedthatitwould,towhichherespondedthatJimHall(PresidentofDacco)hadalowopinionofher. ` ContinuinghernarrationaboutBaileysconduct,shetestifiedthatonJune22,1995,Baileyshovedherbackwardsbecause hedidntlikeme.Whensheasked ;.2.  IOa` HH  ^ IOa` HH   IOa` HH   IOa` HH   IOa` HH  ^Baileywhyheshovedher(afterrealizingthatanotheremployee,RonHembry,witnessedthescene),Baileysaidthat Ron,didntseeathing,Ididntlayahandonyou.BaileyandHembrywalkedawayandwhenshesaid, Ron,yousawhimshoveme,hereplied, Ididntseeathing. ` Oneweeklater,onJune29,1995,Bailey,fromclosebehindher,saidthathe oughttoknockmeintothemiddleofnextyear,andwhenshereplied, Idontthinkso,replied, No,maybeIlltakeaknifeand(sic)daytowalkaroundtheblood. ` ShethentestifiedthatBaileywenttoChrisWhitakersworktable,whereBaileypickedupaknife,whichhehandedtoWhitaker.Later,shefiledareportofBaileysconductwiththeSheriff,anddiscussedthematterwithMr.Hall. ` DavidBaileytestifiedthathewasOperationsManagerforDacco,and h thattheeventsdescribedbytheplaintiffonJune21or22didnotoccur.HetestifiedthathewasarrestedfortheJune29incident,whichhedescribedasfollows: ` HewalkedintothewarehouseareaandsawtheplaintifftalkingtoWhitakerfortenminutes.Theotheremployeeswerealsowatching,andBaileydecidedto breakitup.Hesaidtotheplaintiff inajokingmanner, Areyounotgoingtodoanythingtoday?towhichsheresponded WhydontyoutakeϜmetotheboxroomandcutme?Bailey tookthatasajoke,andreplied, Reba,Illputthatknifeinyourbellyandwalkaroundyou.HewalkedovertoWhitaker,pickeduphisknifeandsaid, Chris,domylightworkforme,cutReba. ` RonHembrydeniedanyknowledgeoftheincidentdescribedbythe x4/,  plaintiff. 61.  ` JimHall,Presidentofthecompany,testifiedthattheplaintiffhadbeen   troublesomeonprioroccasions.Becauseherhusbandwasasupervisor,Hallgaveinstructionstothesupervisorsthat wedidntwantanyproblem,andthat wewanttodowhatevershe(theplaintiff)wantedtodoandnothaveanyconflict.HetestifiedthatBaileytoldhim,afterbeingreminded,abouttheknifeincident. ` Thetrialjudgemadenofindingthatanassaultoccurred.Hemerelyfoundthat onJune21and29,theplaintiffsustainedamentalinjury,asaresultofaninjurybyaccidentarisingoutofandinthecourseofemployment.Whilewordsdonotconstituteanassault,theshovingincidentclearlydoes,iftheplaintiffstestimonyiscredited.Tenn.CodeAnn.3913101. @$TheMedicalProof    ` Dr.KennethCarpenter,apsychiatrist,sawtheplaintiffonSeptember19,1995.Thehistoryshegavetohimwasessentiallyequivalenttohertestimony. ` ThetreatmentandevaluationoftheplaintiffbyDr.Carpenterwasalongtraditionallines.TheMinnesotaMultiphasicPersonalityInventoryindicatedaposttraumaticstressdisorder.BothheandDr.RonaldBrown,aclinicalpsychologist,concurredinthediagnosis. ` Theplaintiffwashospitalizedfortendays,withavarietyofmedications.Uponherrelease,shecontinuedtobetreatedbyapsychotherapistunderthedirectionofDr.Carpenter,whotestifiedthatherpermanentimpairmentwasintheseventypercentrange,whichheopinedwasjobrelated. ` Nootherexpertproofwasoffered.̜ \\ 8 40 @<<!TheIssueofCompensability  ` Inorderforamentalinjurybyaccidenttoarisefromemploymentitmust , becausedbyanidentifiable,stressfulworkrelatedeventproducingsuddenmentalstimulussuchasfright,shockorexcessiveunexpectedanxiety.Josev. 4  МEquifax,Inc.,556S.W.2d82(Tenn.1977). `   ` TheeventsoccurringinJune,1995weredescribedindetailbytheplaintiff.Thattheywereidentifiedasstressful,andproducedasuddenmentalstimulusishardlyquestionable;neitherisitseriouslydisputedthattheepisodesresultedinexcessiveandunexpectedanxiety. ` ButtheappellantarguesthattheassaultwascommittedsolelytogratifyBaileysillwill,angerorhatredtowardstheplaintiff,andhencedidnotariseduringthecourseandscopeofemployment,astheprinciplesenunciatedinSandlinv.Gentry,300S.W.2d897(Tenn.1957),andcasescited,provide.  WhileitmaybepassingstrangethattheincidentsoccurringinJune1995couldhaveescalatedintoadestructiveforceintheabsenceofpersonalillwill,thereislittleornoevidenceofthisfactotherthanthesuppositionoftheplaintiffthat hemusthavedislikedme. ` Baileytestifiedthattheentireepisodiceventswerejocular,andthatheharborednoillwillfortheplaintiff,andfeltnoangertowardsher.Giventhistestimony,weareunabletofindthattheevidencepreponderatesagainstthejudgment. @ TheIssueofTemporaryTotalDisability L2-*  ` Theappellantraisesnoissuewithrespecttotheextentorpermanenceof x4/,  theplaintiffspsychologicaldisability,butquestionstheawardfortemporary 61. totalbenefits,becauseshefailedtogivenoticetoheremployerthatshewas makingaclaimforworkrelatedbenefits.  ` ThedefendantacknowledgesthattheplaintiffcalledMr.Hall,thePresidentofheremployer,andadvisedhimoftheproblemswithBailey,andconcedesthat thisnoticeofanincidentissufficienttosatisfynoticeundertheWorkersCompActiftheplaintiffclaimsthisisworkrelated. ` Inlightofthisconcession,weneednotfurtherbelaborthenoticeissue. ` TheplaintiffwasawardedtemporarytotalbenefitsfromJuly1,1995toJune23,1996,thedateonwhichshereachedmaximummedicalrecovery,accordingtoDr.Carpenter.AccordingtothetestimonyofMs.Lewis,thepsychotherapistworkingunderthedirectionofDr.Carpenter,theplaintiffwasdepressedandconfused,andhadbeensosinceJuly1,1995,andthat,asofthedateoftrial,theplaintiffremainedinneedoftreatment.Whiletheissuemaybeclose,wecannotfindthattheevidencemilitatesagainstanawardfortemporarytotalbenefits. ` Thejudgmentisaffirmedatthecostsoftheappellantandthecaseisremanded.Ӏ̀O%  `     h     _______________________________ +'$  `     h     WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudge#O%6# ,>(% CONCUR:O% _______________________________FrankF.Drowota,III,Justice#O%7#O% _______________________________JoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge#O%H8#Ԝ    2