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D3\ DC AMÒ ç v~ vÓ„˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLÐ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX($¡¡¢VK!lar3|x¡ U[‘’E“”E•Ó€Ÿ V¡î2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó% Line 7 d(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd%%%%7Border 1dd!#*Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ÝÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌOctober€17,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHPð€ÿÜÿìô”(üHPð€P € €'Styl{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  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ € ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÓ  ÓÑ  Ñò òÑ\R AØ'\ÑßL€+,*;+'h|Oÿ` ç `€€LßIN›€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€PANELÌAT€NASHVILLEÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌJUANITA€D.€BEAN,à àà àà à)à àFRANKLIN€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)à àNo.€œ01SO1„9505„CH„00071(C)›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€Below€à àœ13,721›Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àà àà àÌROYAL€INSURANCE€COMPANYà à)à àHON.€JEFFREY€F.€STEWARTÌand€CKR€INDUSTRIES,€INC.,à àà à)à àCHANCELLORÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellants.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:óóó óÌÌRandolph€A.€Veazeyà àà àà àà àClinton€H.€SwaffordÌConnie€Jonesà àà àà àà àà àSWAFFORD,€PETERS€&€PRIESTÌGLASGOW€&€VEAZEYà àà àà àà à100€First€Avenue,€SWÌWashington€Squareà àà àà àà àWinchester,€Tennessee€37398Ì222€Second€Avenue€North,€Suite€312ÌP.€O.€Box€198681ÌNashville,€Tennessee€37219„8681ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òÌÓ  ÓòòœMEMORANDUM€OPINIONó óóó›ÌÌÌÌò òòòMembers€of€the€Paneló ó:óóÌÌJustice€Frank€Drowota,€IIIÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSpecial€Judge€Robert€L.€ChildersÌÓ  ÓÌÌò òÌÌÌœAFFIRMED.›à àà àà àà àà àà àà àœCHILDERS,›€Special€Judgeó óÌÌÓÓà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€òòTenn.€Code€Ann.óó€ððÏ50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€œlaw.€€Our€review€is€òòde€novoóó€on€the€record€accompanied€by€a€presumption€thatÏthe€findings€of€fact€of€the€trial€court€are€correct€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€otherwise.€ÏòòTenn.€Code€Ann.óó€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€›Ìà àœThe€trial€court€awarded€Ms.€Bean€$8,831.04€permanent€partial€disability€benefits,Ïrepresenting€forty„eight€(48)€weeks€at€the€benefit€rate€of€$183.98€per€week,€or€twelve€percentÏ(12%)€to€the€body€as€a€whole;€future€medical€expenses€pursuant€to€the€Tennessee€WorkersððÏCompensation€Act;€and€reasonable€costs€of€Dr.€Rodriguez€services.€The€trial€court€alsoÏallowed€attorneys€fees€of€twenty€percent€(20%)€of€the€award,€in€the€amount€of€$1,766.21,€€toÏbe€paid€in€lump€sum.›€€œÌà àThe€appellant€contends€that€the€trial€court€erred€in:ÌÓÓà àà à1.€€€€à àFinding›€that€a€vocational€disability€based€upon€a€permanentÏœà àà àà àmedical€restriction,›€œwith›€œmedical›€testimony€of€œno€medicalÏà àà àà àà àimpairment›€rating€in€œaccordance›€with€the€œA.M.A.›€Guidelines€for€œà àà à€€€€Íà àEvaluation›€of€Permanent€œImpairment,›€constitutes€aÏœà àà àà àà àà àcompensable›€œpermanent›€partial€disability€œunder€the›ÏWorkers'€œà àà àà àCompensation›€œ€Act.›€œÌÌà àà à2.à àAwarding›€permanent€partial€œdisability›€œbenefits€to€the›€Plaintiff€œthatÏà àà àà àwere›€excessive€and€against€the€œweight›€œof›€the€œevidence.Ì›ÌÓÓà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€œcourt.€€›Ìà àMs.€Bean€filed€her€œcomplaint›€in€the€Chancery€Court€for€Franklin€County,€Tennessee,Ïœagainst€›€her€employer,€Defendant€CKR€Industries,€seeking€to€recover€unpaid€benefits€underÏthe€Tennessee€Workers'€Compensation€Act€for€work„related€injuries.€€Ms.€Bean€alleged€thatÏshe€suffered€injuries€as€a€result€of€exposure€to€chemicals€in€use€at€the€CKR€Plant.€€The€caseÏwas€consolidated€with€three€(3)€other€cases€for€trial€œdue›€to€significant€similarities€in€the€œcases.€ÏThe€opinion€of€the€Court€on€the€first€issue€is€contained€in€the€case€of€òòAngela€K.€Hill€v.€RoyalÏInsurance€Company€and€CKR€Industries,€Inc.,€No.€01S01„9505„CH„00071,€óófiledÏsimultaneously€with€this€opinionòò.€€óóThe€Court€held€that€the€trial€court€did€not€err€in€finding€that€aÏvocational€disability€existed€based€upon€the€testimony€of€the€medical€experts€that€aÏpermanent€medical€restriction€existed€which€constitutes€a€permanent€partial€disability€underÏthe€Workerððs€Compensation€Act,€even€though€no€medical€impairment€rating€was€given€by€anyÏof€the€medical€experts.€›ÌÓ  Óà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÓ  Óà àœAs€to€theÏsecond€issue,€the€Appellants€argue€that€€the€amount€of€permanent€partial€disability€awardedÏto€Ms.€Bean€was€excessive€and€against€the€weight€of€the€evidence.€€€Ms.›€Bean€is€thirty€(30)Ïyears€old.€€She€graduated€from€high€school€and€completed€two€years€of€college€learning€toÏbe€a€draftsman.€€She€also€completed€one€€year€of€vocational€training€to€be€an€electrician.€€Ms.ÏBean's€work€experience€includes€owning€and€operating€a€commercial€and€residentialÍcleaning€service,€working€at€General€Mills€as€a€œtemporary€employee,›€caring€for€children,Ïworking€as€a€sewing€machine€operator,€and€supervising€employees€at€the€University€Pub€atÏthe€University€of€the€South€at€Sewanee.Ìà àœWhile€at€CKR,€Ms.€Bean€worked€with€silex€molding.€€She€began€experiencing€difficultyÏin€breathing,€coughing€up€blood,€and€blowing€blood€out€of€her€nose.€Ìà àAt€trial€Ms.€Bean€also€testified€that€since€her€termination€from€employment€by€CKR€thatÏshe€cannot€be€around€strippers,€wax,€strong€chemicals€and€Clorox.›€€œÌ›à àMs.€Bean€œwas›€originally€treated€by€Dr.€Worthington.€€Because€she€was€not€satisfiedÏwith€his€treatment,€she€was€sent€to€Dr.€Vallejo€œwith›€company€approval.€€Ms.€Bean€was€thenÏreferred€to€Dr.€Rodriguez,€a€specialist€in€pulmonary€medicine.€€Dr.€Rodriguez€testified€thatÏalthough€Ms.€Bean€suffered€from€no€physical€impairment,€based€upon€œher›€history,€heÏconcluded€that€her€problems€were€related€to€exposure€to€chemicals.€€Dr.€Rodriguez€opinedÏthat€she€should€not€work€where€she€could€be€exposed€to€chemicals€and€recommended€thatÏshe€not€return€to€work€at€CKR.Ìà àMr.€Edwards,€a€vocational€consultant€with€over€twenty€years€experience,€testified€onÏMs.€Bean's€behalf€at€trial.€€œHe›€testified€that€the€chemicals€causing€Ms.€Bean's€problems,€orÏchemicals€similar€to€those,€are€found€in€twenty„five€percent€(25%)€of€the€work€places.€€HeÏopined€that€in€his€experience€an€individual€with€a€respiratory€insult€should€not€work€in€anÏindustrial€environment€that€has€respiratory€irritants.€€œHe€also›€œconducted€an›€œevaluation›€of€œMs.ÏBean›€to€access€industrial€œdisability.€€His›€œopinion€was€that›€she€œsuffered›€a€thirty€(30%)€to€forty„five€percent€(45%)€industrial€wage€earning€œloss.€›Ìà àœOnce›€causation€and€permanency€have€been€established€by€expert€medical€testimony,Ïthe€trial€judge€may€consider€many€pertinent€factors,€including€age,€job€skills,€education,Ítraining,€duration€of€disability,€anatomical€disabilities€established€by€medical€experts,€and€jobÏopportunities€available€to€a€worker€with€those€anatomical€disabilities,€to€determine€the€extentÏof€the€workerððs€industrial€disability.€€òòWorthington€v.€Modine€Manufacturing€Co.,€óó798€S.W.€2dÏ232,€234€(Tenn.€1990).€€Even€where€an€expert€testifies€as€to€vocational€disability,€the€trialÏjudge€is€not€required€to€accept€without€reservation€the€expertððs€opinion,€but€is€charged€withÏmaking€an€independent€evaluation€based€on€the€factors€above.€€òòMiles€v.€Liberty€MutualÏInsurance€Co.,€óó795€S.W.€2d€665,€666€(Tenn.€1990).Ìà àThe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€trial€courtððs€finding€that€Ms.€BeanÏsuffered€a€twelve€percent€(12€%)€vocational€œdisability.›Ìà à€€œThe›€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€are€assessed€to€the€Appellants.€€WeÏremand€the€case€to€the€trial€court€for€the€entry€of€any€order€necessary€to€carry€out€thisÏjudgment.ÌÌà àÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àœà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à______________________________________›ÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àœRobert›€L.€Childers,€Special€JudgeÌÌœCONCUR:ÌÌÓÓ________________________________ÌFrank›€F.€Drowota,€III,€JusticeÌÌœÌÌ_______________________________ÌJohn›€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeœÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€¼Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌJUANITA€D.€BEAN,à àà àà à}à àFRANKLIN€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€13,721€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Jeffrey€F.€Stewart,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌROYAL€INSURANCE€COMPANYà à}à àNo.€01S01„9505„CH„00071(C)Ìand€CKR€INDUSTRIES,€INC.,à àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendants/Appellantsà àà à}à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€theÏorder€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€theÏPanel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€ofÏthe€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€madeÏthe€judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€appellants€and€their€surety€for€which€executionÏmay€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€October€17,€1996.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€XÔ