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ÐDISMISSED.Ð Ž=Î9@ ÐÓÓà ` àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€Special€Workers'Ïâ âCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà ` àThe€employer,€Mars,€Incorporated,€has€appealed€from€a€judgment€entered€byÏthe€trial€court€awarding€the€employee,€Lisa€Blankenship,€50%€permanent€partialÏdisability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€The€appeal€presents€issues€concerning€whetherÏthe€court€was€in€error€(1)€in€finding€the€employeeððs€injury€was€work„related,€(2)€inÏfinding€the€employee€gave€proper€notice€of€the€injury,€(3)€in€finding€the€one€yearÏstatute€of€limitations€had€not€expired,€(4)€in€allowing€discretionary€costs€and€(5)€inÏawarding€medical€expenses.Ìà ` àWe€have€carefully€examined€the€record€and€are€of€the€opinion€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€findings€of€the€trial€court€that€the€claim€was€compensable.Ìà ` àPlaintiff€was€30€years€of€age€and€was€a€high€school€graduate.€€When€she€wasÏabout€16€or€17€years€of€age,€she€was€involved€in€an€accident€where€she€sustained€aÏback€injury€as€a€result€of€a€ruptured€disc.€€The€record€indicates€she€made€a€goodÏrecovery€but€still€had€flair„ups€with€her€back€which€continued€up€to€the€time€inÏquestion.Ìà ` àShe€was€employed€with€defendant€at€its€plant,€M€&€M€Mars,€in€Cleveland,ÏTennessee,€as€a€wrapper€operator.€€Her€duties€required€her€to€operate€a€candyÏwrapping€machine€and€involved€some€lifting€of€equipment.Ìà ` àThe€complaint€for€workersðð€compensation€benefits€was€filed€November€12,Ï1992.€€Plaintiff€testified€she€was€injured€on€November€12,€1991€in€the€early€morningÏhours€between€4:30€to€5:00€a.m.€while€lifting€at€her€work€station.€€She€said€after€sheÏfelt€the€pain,€she€asked€co„worker€Tom€Carroll€to€watch€her€machine€while€she€wentÏto€the€nurseððs€station.€€She€did€not€remember€returning€to€work€but€said€she€did€notÏleave€until€the€end€of€her€shift.€€She€stated€her€mother€took€her€to€see€a€doctor€butÏher€mother€testified€she€did€not€remember€the€date.€€She€said€she€reported€theÏincident€to€nurse€Patsy€James€and€also€told€Terry€Lewis,€a€shift€manager,€about€theÏinjury€as€she€left€work.Ìà ` àIt€appears€plaintiff€did€not€work€much€during€December€but€returned€to€work€inÏJanuary€1992€when€defendant€arranged€for€someone€to€help€her€do€the€lifting.€Ð t;´7> ÐDuring€all€of€this€time€she€was€seeing€doctors€and€in€April€1992€a€M.R.I.€reportÏindicated€she€had€a€huge€crushed€disc€and€she€testified€she€then€reported€theÏdiagnosis€to€Ray€Janis,€a€supervisor.€€She€had€surgery€and€has€not€worked€since.Ìà ` àOn€the€question€of€causation€and€notice,€there€is€a€great€deal€of€conflictingÏevidence.Ìà ` àHer€co„worker,€Tom€Carroll,€testified€that€he€watched€her€machine€when€sheÏwent€to€the€nurseððs€station€during€the€early€morning€hours€but€he€did€not€recall€theÏdate.€€He€said€she€did€not€indicate€why€she€was€going€to€the€nurseððs€station.Ìà ` àPatsy€James€Gooden,€a€registered€nurse€in€the€defendantððs€medical€office,Ïtestified€plaintiff€did€not€report€an€on„the„job€injury€to€her€and€that€the€first€notice€ofÏsuch€injury€was€when€the€lawsuit€was€filed.€€She€said€she€was€aware€plaintiff€hadÏback€problems€and€she€had€discussions€with€her€during€her€employment€about€sameÏand€doctor€referrals€but€plaintiff€never€indicated€the€back€problem€was€work„related.€ÏNurse€Gooden€also€testified€she€had€a€medical€certificate€dated€November€12,€1991Ïfrom€a€Dr.€R.D.€Akers,€saying€she€was€under€his€care€for€low€back€pain€and€wouldÏreturn€to€work€soon.€€[Plaintiff€testified€that€prior€to€the€incident€in€question,€she€sawÏDr.€Akers,€a€chiropractor,€often€for€her€pre„existing€back€problems.]Ìà ` àTerry€Lewis,€a€shift€manager€for€defendant,€testified€plaintiff€never€reported€aÏwork„related€injury€to€him.€€He€stated€he€was€not€working€on€November€12,€1991Ïbecause€he€was€in€the€hospital.€€He€said€he€was€aware€of€her€having€back€problemsÏbecause€of€the€accident€some€years€earlier.€Ìà ` àRay€Janis,€a€shift€manager,€also€testified€plaintiff€did€not€report€an€on„the„jobÏinjury€to€him€at€any€time€but€he€was€aware€of€her€pre„existing€back€problems.Ìà ` àSeveral€other€witnesses€who€were€co„workers€testified€plaintiff€neverÏmentioned€being€injured€at€work€although€they€knew€she€had€back€problems.Ìà ` àDoris€Donahue,€defendantððs€personnel€manager,€testified€all€ñ-7ñœñ-7ñemployeesñ-7ñ›ñ-7ñÏpunched€in€with€a€time€clock€and€these€records€were€used€to€computeÏcompensation.€€She€introduced€into€evidence€time€records€of€the€employee€for€theÏweek€of€November€11th€„€November€17th€1991.€€The€records€indicated€she€onlyÏworked€2.1€hours€on€Monday,€November€11th€and€that€she€did€not€work€onÏNovember€12th,€13th€or€14th€as€she€was€off€on€sick€leave€and€received€sick€payÏcompensation€for€these€days.€€She€also€testified€that€all€of€her€medical€bills€wereÐ t;´7> Ðprocessed€as€not€being€work„related€and€was€paid€by€the€group€health€insuranceÏcarrier.Ìà ` àPhillip€M.€Goodrich,€an€official€with€Cigna€Group€Insurance€Company,€testifiedÏby€deposition€and€stated€plaintiff€drew€long„term€disability€benefits€with€his€companyÏbased€on€records€signed€by€plaintiff€certifying€she€was€not€eligible€for€workersððÏcompensation€benefits,€etc.€€As€to€the€date€of€the€accident€or€qualifying€illness,€heÏsaid€her€record€showed€the€answer€as€ð ðNovember€1991.ðð€€She€drew€benefits€fromÏOctober€11,€1992€to€October€31,€1995.Ìà ` àWhen€plaintiff€was€cross„examined€and€was€shown€the€time€cards€indicatingÏshe€was€not€present€at€work€on€November€12th,€she€replied€the€accident€might€notÏhave€been€on€the€12th.€€Also,€when€confronted€by€evidence€which€conflicted€with€herÏversion€of€how€notice€was€rendered,€she€replied€that€she€told€somebody€as€she€leftÏdefendantððs€premises.Ìà ` àAll€of€the€medical€evidence€was€presented€by€deposition.€€This€evidence€doesÏnot€strengthen€plaintiffððs€case.Ìà ` àDr.€Gerald€K.€Mazza,€a€family€practice€physician,€testified€he€saw€her€onÏNovember€13,€1991€and€she€said€she€had€been€injured€at€work€about€one€weekÏearlier;€that€he€felt€she€had€a€back€strain€and€did€not€see€her€again.Ìà ` àDr.€Allan€Chastain,€a€family€practice€physician,€testified€he€saw€her€onÏNovember€22,€1991€and€she€said€she€had€been€suffering€from€back€problems€forÏabout€one€week€but€did€not€indicate€it€was€connected€to€an€on„the„job€accident.€€HeÏstated€she€had€a€urinary€tract€infection€and€felt€the€back€pain€was€probably€comingÏfrom€that.Ìà ` àDr.€Timothy€Strait,€a€neurological€surgeon,€performed€the€ruptured€discÏsurgery€in€1984€and€again€in€April€1992.€€In€connection€with€the€second€surgery,€heÏfirst€saw€her€on€December€9,€1991€when€she€was€complaining€of€low€back€and€legÏpain.€€He€said€she€did€not€give€a€history€of€having€sustained€an€injury€at€work.Ìà ` àDr.€C.€William€Brown,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€testified€he€saw€her€duringÏMarch€1994€and€she€said€she€had€sustained€an€injury€at€work.Ìà ` àThe€case€is€to€be€reviewed€on€appeal€de€novo€accompanied€by€a€presumptionÏof€the€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).Ð t;´7> Ðà ` àAn€employee€has€the€burden€in€a€workersðð€compensation€action€of€provingÏevery€element€of€the€case,€including€causation€and€permanency,€by€ñ-7ñœñ-7ñaÏpreponderanceñ-7ñ›ñ-7ñ€of€the€evidence.€€òòTindall€v.€Waring€Park€Association,óó€725€S.W.2dÐ X˜ Ð672,€676€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà ` àOn€the€other€hand,€the€employer€has€the€burden€of€proof€to€establish€factsÏwhich€the€employer€claims€as€a€bar€to€the€compensation€claim,€such€as€theÏexpiration€of€the€statute€of€limitations.€€òòLunsford€v.€A.C.€Lawrence€Leather€Co.,óó€225Ð ŒÌ  ÐS.W.2d€66€(Tenn.€1949).Ìà ` àIn€examining€the€evidence€and€considering€the€issues€of€causation€of€injury,Ïnotice€to€the€employer€and€the€expiration€of€the€one€year€statute€of€limitations,€weÏfind€the€employeeððs€testimony€to€be€rather€weak€as€opposed€to€the€other€evidence€inÏthe€case.€€When€pressed€with€conflicting€evidence,€she€readily€admits€the€accidentÏmay€have€occurred€on€a€date€other€than€November€12,€1991€and€she€is€not€sure€whoÏshe€gave€the€notice€of€injury€to.€€We€find€plaintiff€failed€to€carry€the€burden€of€proof€inÏestablishing€the€essential€elements€(causation€and€notice)€of€her€claim€and€that€theÏemployer€has€established€the€alleged€claim€was€not€timely€filed.Ìà ` àIn€view€of€this€disposition,€we€need€not€consider€the€questions€raisedÏconcerning€the€allowance€of€discretionary€costs׃×Ý ƒ'ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€and€the€allowance€of€medicalÐ T"”" Ðexpenses.ñ,7ñ׃ æ×ñ,7ññ,7ñ׃B×ñ,7ñÝ ƒ'ÃÝòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×Ð  $` $ Ðà ` àThe€judgment€is€reversed€and€the€case€is€dismissed.€€Costs€of€the€appeal€areÏtaxed€to€plaintiff.Ìà ` àœñ.7ñÌñ.7ññ.7ñÌñ.7ññ.7ñÌñ.7ññ.7ñÌñ.7ññ.7ñÌñ.7ññ.7ñÌñ.7ññ.7ñÌñ.7ññ.7ñÐ 6X28 Ðñ.7ññ/7ñÌñ/7ñÔ% € Ô›ÓÓà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à___________________________________Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌÌœñ07ñÌÌñ07ñCONCUR:›ÌÌÌœñ17ñÌñ17ñ________________________________›ÌWilliam€M.€Barker,€JusticeÌÌÌœñ27ñÌñ27ñ________________________________›ÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Special€Judge€œñ37ñÐ  :z  Ðñ37ññ47ñ›ñ47ññ47ñÑ, ÀÑÒ€ÒÒÀHÒÔ‡X)ÉXXXxàÔà@\ \ ÌàIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEˆÌñ47ññ57ññ57ññ47ññ47ññ57ñßl€*6&"h 8 `€€E- tt06;, ¨çlßâ €;€;€$€$âñ57ññ47ñà@FF!]àAT€KNOXVILLEˆÌÌÌÌÌLISA€M.€BLANKENSHIP,à 8 àà  à)à è àBRADLEYÐ , ÐCIRCUITÌâ €$€$€;€;âà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àNo.€92,469€T.D.€BelowÐ , Ðà Ø àPlaintiff/Appellee,à à àà 8 àà  à)Ð ,  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àHon.€Earl€H.€Henley,Ð ,  Ðv.à Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àChancellorÐ ,  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)Ìà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)€à è àNo.€€03S01„9709„CH„00105Ð ,  ÐMARS,€INC.,à ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)Ð , Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)Ìà Ø àAppellant.à ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àAffirmed.Ð , ÐÌÌà@ÑÑ'ÌàòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóˆÐ , ÐÌÌÔ#†XxàXXX)É/1#Ôñ47ññ57ññ47ñÔ‡XnXXXxàÔÔ#†XxàXXXn 6#Ôñ47ññ57ññ47ñÓÓà Ø àà 0 àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€review€pursuant€toÐ ,  ÐTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€the€order€ofÏreferral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,Ïwhich€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà Ø àà 0 àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€notÏwell„taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà Ø àà 0 àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€ò òÐ X0,&( Ðó óà Ø àà 0 àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€plaintiff.Ð $2ø'* Ðà Ø àà 0 àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€____€day€of€______,€1998.ñ47ññ57ññ47ñÔ‡XnXXXxàÔÔ#†XxàXXXné9#Ôñ47ññ57ññ47ñÌà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àPER€CURIAMÌÔ‡XnXXXxàÔBarker,€J.€„€Not€participating.Ô#†XxàXXXn…;#Ôñ47ñ›