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ÔÔ€'ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÝ  Ý›ò òÓ  ÓÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌKNOXVILLE,€DECEMBER€1996€SESSION̜ـ ÙÓ  ÓßR€+,)A1-j|` à. `€€@ÿRßà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à›Ìœà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à›ÌÌÌÌÌÒ  ÒÒ ° Òó óELMER€BRAMLETT,à àà àà à)à àBRADLEY€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€EARLE€G.€MURPHY,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJUDGEÌBENDIX€ALLIED€SIGNAL,€INC.€à àà à)Ìand€LARRY€BRINTON,€DIRECTORà à)ÌOF€THE€SECOND€INJURY€FUND,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appelleesà àà à)à àNO.€€03S01„9607„CV„00082ÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellees:ÌÌó óóóR.€Jerome€Shepherdà àà àà àThomas€E.€LeQuireÌ2180€N.€Ocoee€St.à àà àà àà àDavid€C.€NagleÌCleveland,€TN€€37311à àà àà àSuite€200,€Flatiron€Bldg.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à707€Georgia€Ave.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àChattanooga,€TN€€37402ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àSandra€E.€KeithÌà àà àà àà àà àà à1510€œParkway›€TowersÌà àà àà àà àà àà à404€James€Robertson€Pkwy.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€€37243„0499ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌò òÓ  ÓAFFIRMED.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àTHAYER,ÏSpecial€Judgeó óÌÓÓà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏÑ  ÑWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordanceÏwith€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€theÏSupreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà àPlaintiff,€Elmer€Bramlett,€has€appealed€from€the€action€of€the€trial€court€inÏdismissing€his€claim€for€benefits.€€The€Circuit€Judge€found€plaintiff€had€failed€toÏestablish€he€had€sustained€a€new€or€additional€compensable€injury€on€MarchÏ16,€1994.Ìà àBramlett,€who€was€38€years€old€and€had€a€12th€grade€education,€hadÏbeen€employed€by€Defendant,€Bendix€Allied€Signal,€Inc.,€since€1977.€€He€firstÏinjured€his€back€sometime€in€1990€but€a€compensation€claim€was€not€filed.€€OnÏJanuary€12,€1992,€he€sustained€a€work„related€injury€for€which€he€was€awardedÏworkersðð€compensation€benefits€of€25%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€bodyÏas€a€whole.Ìà àOn€March€16,€1994,€he€contends€he€was€injured€while€climbing€a€ladder.€ÏHe€testified€as€he€was€pulling€up€with€his€weight,€he€felt€a€sharp€pain€in€his€legÏand€back,€that€he€could€not€walk€well€and€had€to€sit€down€for€awhile.€€The€recordÏindicates€he€had€suffered€from€a€number€of€other€physical€problems€prior€to€thisÏevent€and€had€seen€numerous€doctors€for€bladder€problems,€intestinalÏcondition,€brain€damage€resulting€from€a€mild€stroke€and€cardiac€problems.Ìà àPlaintiff€first€saw€Dr.€Dennis€L.€Stohler,€an€orthopaedic€surgeon€onÏAugust€6,€1992;€he€returned€for€two€visits€during€1993€and€was€seen€twiceÏduring€March€1994.€€One€visit€was€on€March€2nd€(shortly€before€the€event€inÏquestion)€and€the€other€was€on€March€21st€(after€the€event€in€question).Ìà àDr.€Stohlerððs€testimony€was€by€deposition.€€His€diagnosis€concerning€theÏwork„related€accident€of€1992€was€ð ðchronic€thoracolumbar€muscle€strain€andÏL3„4€facet€joint€arthritis€on€the€right.ðð€€He€was€of€the€opinion€a€3%€impairmentÏexisted€as€a€result€of€this€injury.€€Dr.€Stohler€said€when€he€saw€him€on€March€21,Ï1994,€he€did€not€report€a€new€accident€but€said€his€pain€was€worse,€and€he€hadÏto€leave€work.€€His€diagnosis€at€this€time€was€the€same,€and€he€said€he€wouldÏcontinue€to€have€flare„ups€from€time€to€time.€€He€said€there€was€no€significantÏchange€in€his€condition€or€complaints€but€his€arthritis€œhad›€improved€to€someÏdegree.€€The€doctor€had€been€advised€by€plaintiff€of€some€of€his€other€physicalÏproblems,€and€he€felt€plaintiff€could€return€to€work€with€the€same€restrictionsÏfrom€an€orthopaedic€standpoint.Ìà àThe€trial€court€also€heard€the€deposition€testimony€of€Dr.€Richard€B.ÏDonaldson,€an€orthopaedic€surgeon.€€He€first€saw€plaintiff€on€December€10,Í1992,€which€was€almost€a€year€after€the€prior€compensable€injury.€€He€also€sawÏhim€on€June€23,€1994,€about€3€months€after€the€event€in€question.€€HisÏdiagnosis€was€that€he€had€sustained€another€lower€back€strain€on€March€16,Ï1994.€€He€was€of€the€opinion€he€had€a€œ10„15%›€impairment€as€a€result€of€theÏ1992€accident€and€a€30„35%€impairment€as€a€result€of€a€1994€accident.€€He€toldÏthe€court€the€latter€rating€did€not€take€into€consideration€the€other€physicalÏproblems€plaintiff€was€suffering€from.€€Dr.€Donaldson€felt€he€should€not€return€toÏwork€as€his€job€was€too€strenuous;€that€he€should€have€a€sedentary€type€of€jobÏand€only€on€a€part„time€basis.Ìà àThe€only€other€expert€medical€witness€was€the€testimony€of€Dr.€Mark€W.ÏPeterson,€a€psychiatrist.€€Dr.€Peterson€testified€by€deposition€and€indicated€heÏsaw€plaintiff€for€the€first€time€during€November€1992.€€He€testified€he€wasÏsuffering€from€depression€which€was€caused€by€pain€from€his€work„relatedÏaccident;€that€the€back€pain€diminished€his€self„esteem,€and€he€was€of€theÏopinion€he€was€almost€totally€unable€to€function.€€He€felt€plaintiff€was€impairedÏpsychologically€about€90„95%€and€attributed€about€50%€of€the€impairment€toÏthe€back€injury.Ìà àWe€must€review€the€record€of€findings€by€the€trial€court€de€novoÏaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact€unlessÏthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€òòSee€óóT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).Ìà àAn€employee€has€the€burden€of€proving€every€element€of€the€case,Ïincluding€causation€and€permanency€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence.€ÏòòTindall€v.€Waring€Park€Assððnóó,€725€œS.W.2d›€935,€937€(Tenn.€1987).Ìà àWhere€the€trial€court€has€seen€and€heard€witnesses€and€issues€ofÏcredibility€and€the€weight€of€oral€testimony€are€involved,€the€trial€court€is€in€aÏbetter€position€to€judge€credibility€and€weigh€evidence€and€considerableÏdeference€must€be€accorded€to€those€circumstances.€€òòLanders€v.€FiremanððsÏœFund›€Ins.€Co.óó,€775€œS.W.2d›€355,€356€(Tenn.€1989).€€On€the€other€hand,€whereÏevidence€is€introduced€by€deposition,€the€appellate€court€is€in€as€good€aÏposition€as€the€trial€court€in€reviewing€and€weighing€testimony.€€òòLandersóó,€775ÏœS.W.2d›€at€356.Ìà àIt€has€often€been€stated€in€cases€of€this€nature€that€the€trial€court€mustÏdecide€which€medical€testimony€to€accept€where€the€evidence€is€conflicting.€€InÏmaking€that€decision,€the€court€may€consider€the€qualifications€of€the€experts,Ïthe€circumstances€of€their€examination,€the€information€available€to€them€andÏthe€evaluation€of€the€importance€of€that€information€by€other€experts.€€òòOrman€v.ÏWilliams„Sonoma,€Inc.óó,€803€S.W.2d€672,€676€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àThe€general€rule€is€that€where€an€employeeððs€work€aggravates€a€pre„existing€condition€by€making€the€pain€worse€but€does€not€otherwise€injure€orÏadvance€the€severity€of€the€problem,€there€is€no€compensable€injury€because€ofÏthe€aggravation.€€òòTownsend€v.€Stateóó,€826€œS.W.2d›€434€(Tenn.€1992);ÏòòCunningham€v.€Goodyear€Tire€and€Rubber€Co.óó,€811€œS.W.2d›€888€(Tenn.€1991);ÏòòSmith€v.€Smithððs€Transfer€Corp.óó,€735€œS.W.2d›€221€(Tenn.€1987).Ìà àIt€is€rather€apparent€the€trial€court€accepted€the€testimony€and€opinion€ofÏDr.€Stohler€over€the€testimony€and€opinion€of€Dr.€Donaldson.€€The€opinion€of€Dr.ÏPeterson€seems€to€relate€a€portion€of€the€psychological€problem€to€plaintiffððsÍback€problem€without€distinguishing€between€the€prior€injury€and€the€event€inÏquestion.€€We€must€say€that€from€our€review€of€the€case,€we€cannot€conclude€theÏœevÔ% € Ôidence›€preponderates€against€the€conclusion€reached€by€the€trial€court.Ìà àAlthough€plaintiff€contends€he€sustained€a€new€injury,€he€also€argues€heÏis€entitled€to€a€reconsideration€of€the€award€of€benefits€for€the€1992€industrialÏaccident€pursuant€to€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„241()(2).€€Subsection€(a)(1)€of€the€statuteÏprovides€that€an€injured€employeeððs€recovery€is€limited€to€two„and„a„half€timesÏthe€employeeððs€medical€impairment€rating€if€the€pre„injury€employer€returns€theÏemployee€to€work€at€a€wage€equal€to€or€greater€than€that€received€prior€to€theÏinjury;€subsection€(a)(2)€provides€that€the€industrial€disability€award€may€beÏreconsidered€by€the€court€when€the€employee€is€no€longer€employed€by€theÏpre„injury€employer,€the€loss€of€employment€occurs€within€400€weeks€of€the€dayÏthe€employee€returned€to€work,€and€a€new€cause€of€action€is€filed€within€oneÏyear€of€the€employeeððs€loss€of€employment.Ìà àWe€have€carefully€examined€the€statute€and€are€unable€to€agree€with€thisÏinterpretation.€€The€accident€which€resulted€in€an€award€of€disability€to€plaintiffÏoccurred€during€January€1992,€and€the€general€language€used€in€the€statuteÏappears€only€to€apply€to€ð ðinjuries€arising€on€or€after€August€1,€1992.ðð€€Thus€ourÏconstruction€of€the€statute€is€that€the€right€of€reconsideration€of€an€award€appliesÏto€injuries€capped€by€the€statute€and€does€not€apply€to€awards€outstandingÏupon€passage€of€the€statute.Ìà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed€as€entered€below.€€Costs€of€the€appeal€areÏtaxed€to€the€plaintiff€and€sureties.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌœJoe›€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€œJudgeÇÒ  ÒÒ ° Òà àà àà àÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€IN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà à€à à€€€€€€€€€€€€€AT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÒ Ê ÒÒ ° ÒÌÒ S ÒÒ ° ÒELMER€BRAMLETT,€à àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€Bradley€Circuit€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€No.€V„94„449à à€€à à€€€€€€à à€€€Ïà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà àà à)à àà à€à àÌvs.€€à àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€Hon.€Earle€G.€Murphyà à€€€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà à)€€€€€JudgeÌBENDIX€ALLIED€SIGNAL,€INC.€ANDà à)ÌLARRY€BRINTON.€DIRECTOR€OR€THE€€€)ÌSECOND€INJURY€FUNDà àà àà à)Ì€€€€à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ì€€€€€Defendant/Appellee,à àà à€€€€€à à)€€€€€€S.€Ct.€€No.€03S01„9607„CV„00082€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà à€à à)à àÌÓ ì ÓÌÓffÓà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€òòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÓfæÓÓ ø ÓÙ€ÙÙ€ÙÓ` Ü…X ì–XÓ<<€Conversion€error€>>à àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€forÏreview€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann€.ðð€50„6„225€(e)€(5)€(B),€the€entire€record,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€AppealsÏPanel,€and€the€Panelððs€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€factÏand€conclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;ÌÓ  ÓÓÓà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€notÏwell€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€plaintiff„appellant€and€sureties,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€____€day€of€June,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌAnderson,€J.€„€Not€ParticipatingÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà à›