ÿWPC\ 5U:ö %06n­F 04ó'w@'4g 0J{Å 0TÅ 0^ 0hw 0r߯QÆÆÝÆ£ 0|i 0†å 0k 1uû 0dp AQÔ Æ% 0Pë 0@; 0D{ D/¿ Bî B  D3(U6[B)‘DCº AMýU*Jtf{*áv~ vÓ‰<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX3|x:«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó &'(D)*{+,D-Ó€7:5D""(d2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 52J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d,,,,7Border 1dd!#-Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ýÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€+ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€/ÔÔ€/ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€/XÔÌÌJanuary€17,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€+ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€/ÔÔ€/ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€/XÔÌÌJanuary€17,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  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€+ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÙ€!ÙßR€.0-A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßÌÌÌÌÌÌÌMARTHA€ANN€BOYD,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€WAYNE€CIRCUIT€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€HON.€WILLIAM€B.€CAIN,€JUDGE€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€ÌLINCOLN€BRASS€WORKS,€INC.,€€€€€€€)€€€No.€01S01„9604„CV„00062Ì€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellant€€€€€€)€€€(No.€3218„C„36€below)Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€APPELLEESóó:ÌÌMARK€C.€TRAVIS€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€WILLIAM€S.€FLEMING€€€€€ÌP.€O.€Box€1066€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.€O.€Box€90€€€€€€€€€€€ÌMorristown,€TN€37815„1066€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Columbia,€TN€38402„0090Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌÌà@ àADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,€CHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€rXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€from€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€aÏworkers'€compensation€case€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(3)Ïfor€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€CASEÌóóà àMartha€Ann€Boyd,€age€22€at€the€time€of€trial,€worked€atÏrunning€a€machine€that€drilled€parts€so€that€they€can€be€placedÏtogether€on€an€assembly€line.€€She€was€required€to€place€a€partÏinside€a€jaw€of€the€machine€and€close€the€jaw€with€a€lever€andÏthen€push€another€handle€to€operate€the€machine.€€She€wasÏrequired€to€produce€a€minimum€of€5,600€parts€per€eight€hourÏshift.ÌÌà àThirteen€months€after€she€commenced€this€job€she€beganÏsuffering€intense€pain€in€her€right€forearm.€€She€sufferedÏtingling,€numbness€and€pain€in€her€arm,€wrist€and€fingers.ÌÌà àHer€attending€physician/surgeon,€H.€James€Wiesman,€M.D.,Ïdiagnosed€her€medical€problem€as€a€right€pronator€syndrome.€€ThisÏis€a€condition€wherein€the€pronator€muscle,€located€in€theÏforearm,€develops€to€the€point€that€it€decompresses€the€medianÏnerve€located€underneath€it.ÌÌà àTreatment€consisted€of€surgery€on€the€right€forearm€toÏrelease€the€trapped€nerve.€€An€incision€was€made€into€the€arm€forÏa€distance€of€about€eight€inches.€€When€the€arm€healed€aÏsignificant€scar€resulted.ÌÌà àMs.€Boyd€returned€to€work€and€was€assigned€to€operate€theÏsame€machine.€€Her€symptoms€returned€and€she€was€transferred€toÏan€easier€machine€that€did€not€require€repetitive€manualÏoperation.€€A€few€months€later€she€was€laid€off,€and€at€the€timeÏof€trial€had€not€found€another€job.ÌÌà àHer€attending€physician€opined€that€she€had€a€10%€permanentÏpartial€anatomic€impairment€to€the€right€arm.€€The€trial€judgeÏassessed€her€vocational€disability€at€25%€of€the€arm.ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€ISSUESÌóóà àThe€appellant€contends€that€the€trial€court€erred€byÏconsidering€the€employee's€surgical€scar€as€a€compensableÏdisfigurement,€and€by€awarding€vocational€disability€"when€thereÏwas€no€showing€of€a€diminution€of€the€plaintiff's€earningÏcapacity€in€the€open€labor€market".ÌÌà àAs€an€alternative€plaint,€it€is€submitted€that€the€award€wasÏexcessive.ÌÌà@ àòòANALYSISóóÌà àThe€appellant€relies€upon€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€SectionÏ50„6„207€(3)(E),€which€limits€disfigurement€awards€toÏdisfigurement€to€the€head,€face€or€hands;€and€to€the€case€ofÏòòOwens€v.€Vulcan€Materials€Companyóó,€503€S.W.€2d€87€(Tenn.€1973),Ïwhich€states€that€a€disfiguring€injury€is€noncompensable€where€itÏand€some€other€compensable€injury€result€from€the€same€accidentÏat€the€same€point€on€the€body.ÌÌà àWe€do€not€find€that€the€judgment€in€this€case€was€in€anyÏpart€based€upon€disfigurement.€€The€trial€judge€held€"that€theÏplaintiff€has€incurred€a€medical€impairment€of€four€percentÏbecause€of€the€injury€and€surgery€and€an€additional€six€percentÏbecause€of€the€scarring",€and€held€that€Ms.€Boyd€suffered€aÏtwenty„five€percent€permanent€partial€disability€to€her€rightÏarm.€€The€attending€surgeon€testified€that€she€had€a€four€percent€Ìfunctional€impairment€and€"six€percent€is€the€scar".€€He€saidÍthat€it€is€not€a€functional€scar.ÌÌà àThere€was€no€evidence€that€contradicted€Ms.€Boyd's€testimonyÏon€this€issue,€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àA.€*€*€*€And€I€cannot€cover€the€scar€becauseÏthe€scar€hurts€so€bad€when€I€try€to€cover€it.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQ.€€What€do€you€mean€by€cover€it?ÌÌà8 àà8 àA.€€To€wear€a€long€sleeved€blouse€or€a€jacketÏor€something€of€that€sort.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQ.€€What€happens€when€you€try€to€do€that?ÌÌà8 àà8 àA.€€It€rubs€the€scar€and€it€hurts€me.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQ.€€Do€you€have€pain€with€the€scar€nowÏbesides€what€you€just€described?€à àÌÌà8 àà8 àA.€€Yes,€sir.ÌÌà8 àà8 àQ.€€Tell€us€about€that.€€Tell€the€judge€whatÏyour€experience.ÌÌà8 àà8 àA.€€I€experience€sharp€pain€through€the€scar,Ïinto€the€scar€tissue,€down€through€the€arm.€ÏIt€will€occasionally€make€me€cry€because€itÏcramps.€€The€pain€is€as€if€someone€is€stillÏcutting€on€it€and€me€awake.€€The€pain€isÏreally€bad.ÌÌÓÓÌà àWe€interpret€the€six€percent€attributed€to€the€scarring€toÏbe€bottomed€upon€the€pain€that€it€causes,€with€resultantÏdisability.€€Disfigurement€is€not€the€basis€for€that€part€of€theÏjudgment.€€This€is€not€a€matter€of€cosmetics,€but€involvesÏdisabling€pain.ÌÌà àRegarding€the€alleged€excessiveness€of€the€award,€theÍinjured€employee€could€not€perform€her€previous€duties€withoutÏreinjury,€and€has€been€unable€to€find€other€work€that€she€canÏtolerate.ÌÌà àWe€review€the€judgment€of€the€trial€judge€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€upon€theÏrecord,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€theÏfindings€below,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(2)€Ì(1991).€€This€standard€of€review€requires€this€court€to€weigh€inÏdepth€the€factual€findings€and€conclusions€of€the€trial€court.€ÏòòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.óó,€734€S.W.€2d€315€(Tenn.Ï1987).ÌÌà àThe€extent€of€vocational€disability€is€a€question€of€fact€toÏbe€determined€from€all€of€the€evidence,€including€lay€and€expertÏtestimony.€€òòWashington€v.€Modine€Mfg.€Co.óó,€798€S.W.€2d€232,€234Ï(Tenn.€1990).ÌÌà@ àòòCONCLUSIONÌÌóóà àWe€find€that€no€error€was€committed€regarding€compensationÏfor€disfigurement€of€an€injured€part€of€the€employee's€body,€forÏthe€reasons€stated.ÌÌà àFurthermore,€the€judgment€is€not€excessive€under€all€of€theÏproof.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.ÌÌÓÓÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,ÌCHIEF€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ìà àÌÌÌÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€+¼ÔÑ€1ÑÇßJ€.2;+'b|—ÿ)` ç `€@ÿJßà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌMARTHA€ANN€BOYD,à àà à}à àWAYNE€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€3218„C„36€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€William€B.€Cain,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌLINCOLN€BRASS€WORKS,€INC.}à àNo.€01S01„9604„CV„00062Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà à}à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€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 àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€theÏMemorandum€Opinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€andÏapproved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel'sÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€andÏaffirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€theÏjudgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Defendant/Appellant€andÍSurety€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€January€17,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÔ€+XÔ