ÿWPCê 6ŠŽ–n­¦U:S % 0¸“4Kw@_ Ÿ¥ 0J­ 0T÷ 0^K 0h© 0r 0|ƒ 0†ÿ 0… 1u 0dŠ AQî Æ? 0Ô 0@Ù 0D D/] BŒ B© D3ÆU *ùB)#DCL AM–ÜfrU6Ø‹v~™vÓ' Ë $ "Steve Miller 0 .   3|x•«*ô\  `(Times NewRomanTTôdô\  PŽÂCôP, øð AZ‹"Arial RegularX(/@$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÑ` °ÑÓÓÑTR[¨ AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'Tѧƒt!ú ƒ„D…D†‡ˆD‰Ó€“”U•îHr2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(¬3QÙ$¢¢Ý ƒ/@!ÝÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÑ` °ÑÓÓÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d----7Border 1dd!#.Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ŒÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€,ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌDecemberÏ19,Ï1996ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ< Œ 9p`(Courier New Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€,ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌDecemberÏ19,Ï1996ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(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 ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€,ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ ` €§XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€Ø÷XXdædÈ7ÑÑ ý ÑÙ€!ÙßR€/0.A1-j|` à. `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌIN›€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌWORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌAT€NASHVILLEó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÓ ` ` §XÓJOHN€D.€BAGGETT,à àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDAVIDSON€CHANCERYÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€€01S01„9603„CH„00055Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Robert€S.€Brandt,ÌFIREMENððS€FUND€INSURANCEà àà à)à àChancellorÌCOMPANY,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellantóó:ó óà àà àò òà àà àà àòòFor€the€Appelleeóó:€òòÌóóà à€€€à àà àà àà àÌó óJoseph€M.€Dalton,€Jr.à àà àà àà àPatrick€A.€Ruth€€€Ì222€Second€Ave.€N.à àà àà àà à150€Second€Ave.€N.ÌWashington€Square€Bldg.à àà àà àà àSuite€201ÌSuite€350€Mà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€€37201„1652ÌNashville,€TN€€37203„1652Ìà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌ€€à àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòòò òÌÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌÌÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌóóó óAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Chief€JusticeÌà@ àà@ àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌWilliam€S.€Russell,€Special€JudgeÌÔ% € ÔÌÌÌÌÌÌò òÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDà àà àà àà àà àINMAN,ÏSenior€JudgeÌÌÓÓó óà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€CourtÏof€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà àThe€complaint€alleges€ð ð[œt]hat›€on€or€about€the€22nd€day€of€June,€1993,€theÏPlaintiff,€while€operating€a€printing€press,€had€his€left€thumb€amputated€when€itÏbecame€caught€in€the€press.ðð€€In€point€of€fact,€he€suffered€an€ð ðœavulsive›€injury€of€theÏdistal€aspect€of€his€thumb,€just€distal€to€the€IP€joint€with€nerve€and€vascular€damageÏwithin€the€thumb€proximal€to€the€point€of€severance.ðð€€The€thumb€fragment€could€notÏbe€re„attached€and€the€amputation€was€surgically€completed€at€the€level€of€theÏinterphalangeal€joint,€resulting€in€the€loss€of€one„half€of€the€thumb.Ìà àThe€defendant€admitted€the€material€allegations€of€the€complaint€andÏessentially€conceded€that€the€plaintiff€was€entitled€to€recover€benefits€for€the€loss€ofÏa€thumb.Ìà àNotwithstanding€that€the€complaint€did€not€allege€disability€to€the€hand,€theÏissue€at€trial€was€whether€the€injury€so€affected€the€hand€as€to€justify€an€award€forÏbenefits€thereto€rather€than€for€the€loss€of€a€scheduled€member.€€The€ChancellorÏlimited€benefits€to€the€loss€of€the€thumb;€the€employee€appeals€insisting€that€he€isÏentitled€to€benefits€for€resultant€partial€permanent€disability€to€his€hand.Ìà àThe€treating€surgeon€was€Dr.€Bruce€Shack,€a€reconstructive€specialist€fromÏthe€Vanderbilt€Medical€Center.€€He€testified:ÌÓÓÌà0 àQ.à àNow,€Doctor,€have€you€formed€an€opinion€based€upon€a€reasonableÏdegree€of€medical€certainty€whether€or€not€this€injury€Mr.€Baggett€sufferedÏwill€result€in€any€permanent€impairment?Ìà0 àA.à àYes,€sir,€I€have.Ìà0 àQ.à àWill€you€tell€the€Court€what€that€opinion€is,€sir.Ìà0 àA.€à àWell,€this€is€a€relatively€straight€forward€type€of€case€where€theÏamputation€through€the€interphalangeal€joint€of€the€thumb€allows€us€to€utilizeÏthe€Guides€that€are€set€forth€in€the€American€Medical€Associationððs€Guides€toÏthe€Evaluation€of€Permanent€Impairment€and€basing€Mr.€BaggettððsÏimpairment€on€the€loss€of€the€thumb€through€the€interphalangeal€joint,€I€hadÏrated€him€as€20€percent€impairment€of€the€hand.€€And,€of€course,€that€usingÏthe€conversion€tables€equals€an€18€percent€impairment€of€the€upperÏextremity€and€11€percent€impairment€of€the€whole€person.Ìà0 àQ.à àNow,€the€injury€to€the€thumb€and€hand€as€youððve€indicated,€is€that€inÏanyway€affected€by€the€upper€extremity?Ìà0 àA.à àWell,€certainly€the€thumb€is€the€digit€that€separates€us€from€lowerÏanimals€as€far€as€the€way€we€use€our€hand€and€without€an€opposableÏthumb,€the€hand€becomes€useless€as€far€as€grasping€and€these€kinds€ofÏtasks,€and€fine€motor€tasks€become€very€difficult€to€perform.€€If€you€just€had€toÏuse€your€four€unopposable€digits,€the€fact€that€you€can€bring€your€thumb€intoÏa€pitch€opposition€with€your€other€fingers,€itððs€what€allows€us€to€pick€things€upÍand€grasp€things€and€really€what€separates€us€from€lower€animals.€€So€whenÏyou€lose€the€thumb,€even€part€of€the€thumb,€it€certainly€affects€the€function€ofÏthe€whole€hand€based€on€that€mechanism€of€activity.Ìà0 àQ.à àIf€Mr.€Baggett€testified€under€oath€in€response€to€Mr.€Ruthððs€questionsÏabout€certain€functional€losses€that€heððs€experienced,€and€he€testified€that€heÏcanððt€button€his€shirt,€he€canððt€tie€his€shoes,€he€canððt€fasten€his€belt,€he€canððtÏgrasp,€are€those€consistent€with€this€type€of€injury?Ìà0 àA.à àI€would€think€so,€yes.ÌÓ  Ó*€€*€€*ÌÓ  Óà0 àQ.à àDoes€he€appear€to€have€normal€range€of€motion€with€whatððs€left€of€theÏthumb?Ìà0 àA.à àHe€has€good€range€of€motion€in€the€base€of€the€thumb,€yes,€sir.Ìà0 àQ.à àWould€it€be€fair€to€say€that€the€anatomical€injury€is€confined€to€theÏthumb?Ìà0 àA.à àIt€is,€yes,€sir.ÌÓ  Ó*€€*€€*ÌÓ  Óà0 àQ.à àJust€one€follow„up.€€The€anatomical€injury€was€confined€to€thumb.€ÏWhat€impact€has€that€had,€functionally€speaking,€on€his€hand?Ìà0 àA.à àWell,€as€I€mentioned€earlier,€I€think€the€thumb€is€the€most€importantÏdigit€and€allows€us€to€use€the€rest€of€the€hand€to€its€fullest€capacity.€€SoÏclearly,€an€injury€to€the€thumb€will€affect€the€use€of€the€hand.Ìà0 àQ.à àAnd,€Doctor,€in€light€of€that€comment,€is€that€why€you€rated€his€hand?Ìà àA.à àYes,€sir.Ìà àQ.à àAnd€thatððs€consistent€with€the€Guidelines?Ìà àA.à àIt€is.Ìà0 àMR.€DALTON:€€Thank€you.ÌÓ  ÓRECROSS„EXAMINATIONÌÓ  Óà0 àBY€MR.€RUTH:Ìà0 àQ.€€The€Guidelines€actually€tell€you€to€convert€any€thumb€or€digit€rating€to€theÏcorresponding€hand€rating€to€the€corresponding€arm€rating€to€theÏcorresponding€body?Ìà0 àA.€€They€do,€thatððs€right.ÌÓ  Ó*€€*€€*ÌFURTHER€DIRECT€EXAMINATIONÌÓ  Óà0 àBY€MR.€DALTON:Ìà0 àQ.à àOne€more€question.€€Did€you€ever€rate€his€thumb?Ìà0 àA.à àYou€know,€I€donððt€think€I€ever€did.€€Although,€if€you€look€at€theÏGuidelines,€it€is€an€IP€„„€at€the€level€of€the€IP€joint€is€50€percent€impairment€ofÏthe€thumb,€which€equals€20€percent€of€the€hand.€€Thatððs€where€thoseÏnumbers€come€from,€as€you€all€know€as€well€as€I€do.ÌÓÓÌà àAppellate€review€is€òòde€novoóó€on€the€record,€accompanied€by€the€presumptionÏthat€the€trial€courtððs€findings€of€fact€are€correct€unless€the€evidence€otherwiseÏpreponderates.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).Ìà àAllied€with€this€statutory€mandate€is€the€rule€that€we€cannot€substitute€ourÏjudgment€for€that€of€the€trial€judge;€our€function€is€to€conduct€an€in„depth€review€andÏdetermine€whether€the€preponderant€evidence€supports€the€findings€of€fact.€ÏFurther€allied€is€the€rule€that€while€the€trial€judge€is€the€well„nigh€exclusive€arbiter€ofÏthe€credibility€of€witnesses,€we€are€as€well„situated€as€the€trial€judge€to€gauge€theÏworth€and€weight€of€depositional€testimony.€€òòCooper€v.€INAóó,€884€S.W.2d€446,€451Ï(Tenn.€1994).Ìà àWe€have€reproduced€the€contextual€portions€of€the€testimony€of€Dr.€Shack€toÏexplicate€the€insistence€of€the€appellant€that€he€is€entitled€to€an€award€for€disabilityÏto€his€hand.Ìà àThe€function€of€the€thumb€is€graphically€described€by€Dr.€Shack,€whoseÏopinion€reflects€not€only€conventional€wisdom€and€common€knowledge€butÏessential€common€sense;€the€thumb€is€our€single€most€significant€digit.€€But€weÏthink€the€conclusion,€perhaps€non„contextual,€that€absent€the€thumb€ð ðthe€handÏbecomes€useless€as€far€as€grasping€[is€concerned]ðð€is€somewhat€of€anÏœoverstatement,€although€there›€can€be€no€doubt€that€the€function€of€a€partiallyÏthumbless€hand€is€substantially€curtailed€with€respect€to€œphysical›€œactivity€requiringÏboth€hands.›Ìà àFrom€a€careful€consideration€of€the€testimony€of€Dr.€Shack€it€is€apparent€thatÏthe€Chancellor€would€have€been€justified€in€finding€that€the€partial€loss€of€the€thumbÏresulted€in€disability€to€the€hand;€i.e.,€that€benefits€are€not€limited€to€the€loss€of€aÏscheduled€member.€€òòSee€œCarney€v.€Safeco€Ins.€Co.,€óó745€S.W.2d€868€(Tenn.€1988);ÏòòFederal€Copper€&€Aluminum€Co.€v.€Wrightóó,€504€S.W.2d€957€(Tenn.1974)òò;€S.C.›ÏWeber€Iron€&€Steel€Co.€v.€Jeffreyóó,€29€S.W.2d€656€(Tenn.€œ1930).›€€Sixty€weeks€ofÏbenefits€for€loss€of€a€thumb,€and€150€weeks€for€the€loss€of€a€hand,€are€prescribedÏby€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„207;€by€extrapolation,€the€loss€of€a€thumb€is€equivalent,€in€benefits,Ïto€an€award€of€40%€disability€to€the€hand.Ìà àBut€we€cannot€find€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€finding€ofÏthe€Chancellor,€not€only€as€a€matter€of€law€but€as€a€practical€œmatter.›€€The€plaintiffÏretains€a€good€range€of€motion€of€the€base€of€his€thumb;€the€anatomical€injury€wasÏconfined€to€the€thumb€and,€from€the€Guidelines,€ð ðthe€level€of€the€IP€joint€is€50%Ïimpairment€of€the€thumb€which€equals€20%€of€the€hand.ððÌà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed€at€the€costs€of€the€appellant,€and€the€case€isÏremanded.Ìà àÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à__________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌWilliam€S.€Russell,€Special€œJudgeÌÌÑ€1ÑÇ›Ñ  ÑÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÔ€2ÔÔ€2&Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌœßJ€/3;+'b|` Ž+ `€@ÿJß›à@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌJOHN€D.€BAGGETT,à àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ì€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant,à àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ h Òv.à àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Davidson€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€No.€94„2121„III€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Hon.€Robert€S.€Brandt,ÌÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒFIREMAN'S€FUND€INSURANCEà àà à(€€ChancellorÌCOMPANY,à àà àà àà àà à(€€ÌÒ € ÒÒ X Òà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€S.€Ct.€No.€01S01„9603„CH„00055Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ 8 Ò€€€€€Defendant„Appellee.à àà à(€€AFFIRMED€and€REMANDED.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€€€€€€€òòà8 ààH.ààH.ààHŽŽ'àò òJUDGMENT€ORDERóóó óÌÌÓÓà àÌà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€reviewÏpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entireÏrecord,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€byÏreference;Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€forÏreview€is€not€well€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€theÏdecision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€plaintiff„appellant,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€œ19th€day›€of€December,€1996.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌBirch,€J.€„€Not€participating.ÌÔ€,ÔÔ€,XÔ