ÿWPC¼ …U:V %–n­¦ 0(SU:{4µÉw@Ñ 0l 0D} 0JÁ 0T 0^_ 0h½ 0r% 0|— 0† 0™ 1u) 0dž U6U*8B)bDC‹ AMÎ B8v~SvÓÑ D3¤ 0@× AOÆf 0D, D/p BŸ<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX3|x «<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXôxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@($¡¡, øð AZ‹"Arial Regular·‚^!øð  { | D} ~ V î€  ‚ Dƒ D„ Ó€((3þÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d####7Border 1dd€-$Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌò òDecember€19,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€"ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò&&&&'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ  ÑÒ ° ÒÒ … ÒÒ  ÒÒ … ÒÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€"ÔÑ7€«¶XXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ќـ€ÙßR€%'$A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€PANELÌAT€KNOXVILLEÌÓ  Óó óÌÌÌRICHARD€CALDWELL,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àSEVIER€CIRCUITÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Ben€W.€Hooper,€II,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJudge€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌACTIVATED€METALS€&€CHEMICALS,à à)à àNO.€€03S01„9602„CV„00015ÌINC.,€et€al.,à àà àà àà àà à)à à(No.€94„866€Below)€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellantsà àà à)ÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellantsóó:à àòòà àà àà àFor€the€Appelleeóó:€Ìó óÌDaryl€R.€Fanslerà àà àà àà àà àGregory€F.€VinesÌFansler€&€Williams€à àà àà àà àà àButler,€Vines€&€BabbÌP.O.€Box€2644à àà àà àà àà à800€First€American€Ctr.ÌKnoxville,€TN€€37901à àà àà àà à507€S.€Gay€St.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àP.O.€Box€2649.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àKnoxville,€TN€37901ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÓ  ÓMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ó óóóÌÌJustice€E.€Riley€AndersonÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSenior€Judge€William€H.€InmanÌÌÌÌÌò òÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€à àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,€Senior€Judge€ÌAND€REMANDEDÌÑ  ÑòòÓÓà àó óóóThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'ÌCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€òòTenn.ÏCode€Annóó.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€ofÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà àThe€trial€court€awarded€plaintiff€35%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€bodyÏas€a€whole.€€Defendant€challenges€the€trial€courtððs€finding€that€plaintiffððs€impairmentÏarose€out€of€a€work„related€injury€and€the€trial€courtððs€consideration€of€the€testimonyÏof€the€plaintiffððs€expert€witness.Ìà àPlaintiff,€43,€finished€the€eleventh€grade.€€He€has€a€varied€work€experience,Ïhaving€worked€in€restaurants,€construction,€as€a€œstockboy,›€a€janitor/security€guardÏand€as€a€salesperson€of€draperies€and€linens.€€He€testified€that€he€suffered€anÏinjury€in€the€nature€of€an€occupational€disease€from€inhaling€aluminum€oxide€dustÏand€€the€dust€of€a€nickel€aluminum€alloy€at€his€workplace,€resulting€in€his€having€toÍstop€working€and€seeking€medical€care€on€July€28,€1993.€€He€began€working€forÏdefendant€in€January€1993.Ìà àPlaintiff€was€referred€to€Barry€Frame,€M.D.,€a€specialist€in€thoracic€andÏcardiovascular€surgery,€who€testified€in€this€case€by€deposition.€€He€diagnosedÏpneumonia€with€complicating€empyema€(or€lung€abscess).€€Apparently,€plaintiffÏsuffered€a€pneumothorax,€or€puncturing€of€the€lung.€€Dr.€Frame€opined€that€thisÏpneumothorax€was€the€result€of€infection,€a€pneumonia€resulting€from€theÏaspiration€of€some€anaerobic€organism.€€No€organism€was€cultured.€€When€asked€ifÏplaintiff€told€him€that€his€condition€started€as€a€result€of€exposure€to€a€metalÏcompound€at€work,€Dr.€Frame€testified€that€he€was€aware€that€there€was€someÏconsideration€of€€an€occupational€factor,€but€that€plaintiff€should€be€referred€to€aÏpulmonologist€to€evaluate€that;€he€had€been€concerned€with€dealing€with€theÏpneumonia€and€its€complications.Ìà àChaim€Cohen,€M.D.,€a€specialist€in€occupational€medicine,€examined€theÏplaintiff€at€the€request€of€his€attorney.€€He€examined€plaintiff,€reviewed€materialÏsafety€data€sheets€for€compounds€to€which€plaintiff€had€been€exposed,€reviewedÏplaintiffððs€medical€records€and€reviewed€medical€literature.€€He€opined€that€plaintiffÏsuffered€a€spontaneous€pneumothorax€related€to€his€work€exposure€to€certainÏmetal€compounds.€€He€further€opined€that€plaintiff€has€suffered€both€a€loss€of€airÏflow€and€a€loss€of€his€ability€to€exchange€gas€in€his€lungs.€€He€assigned€plaintiff€aÏ20%€impairment€rating€under€the€AMA€Guides.Ìà àDefendant€challenges€Dr.€Cohenððs€testimony,€claiming€there€was€a€lack€ofÏshowing€that€he€relied€upon€facts€or€data€of€the€type€reasonably€relied€upon€byÏexperts€in€the€field€of€occupational€medicine.€€òòSeeóó€òòTenn.€R.€Evidóó.€703.Ìà àOur€review€is€òòde€novoóó€on€the€œrecord,›€accompanied€by€the€presumption€ofÏcorrectness€of€the€findings€of€fact€of€the€trial€œcourt,›€unless€the€œpreponderance€of€theÏevidence›€œis€otherwise.›€€òòT.C.A.óó€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€Where€the€trial€judge€has€seenÏand€heard€witnesses,€especially€where€issues€of€credibility€and€weight€of€oralÏtestimony€are€involved,€on€review€considerable€deference€must€still€be€accorded€toÏthose€circumstances.€€òòTownsend€v.€Stateóó,€826€S.W.2d€434,€437€(Tenn.€1992).€ÏHowever,€this€tribunal€is€as€well„situated€to€gauge€the€weight,€worth€andÏsignificance€of€deposition€testimony€as€the€trial€judge.òò€€Seiber€v.€GreenbrierÏIndustries,€Inc.óó,€906€S.W.2d€444,€446€(Tenn.€1995).Ìà àWe€have€reviewed€the€evidence€in€this€case,€including€the€transcript€of€theÏproceedings€and€the€medical€depositions,€and€we€cannot€find€that€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€trial€courtððs€award€of€35%€permanent€partial€disability€toÏthe€body€as€a€whole.Ìà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed,€and€the€case€is€remanded€for€assessment€of€costsÏon€appeal,€which€are€taxed€to€the€defendant/appellant.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌœÌÌCONCUR:›ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌÌÌÌòòÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€œJudgeÇà àà àà àÌà àà àà àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€AT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÌÌÌRICHARD€CALDWELL,à à€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€)€€à àSEVIER€CIRCUITà àà àà àà àà àà à€à à€à à€à àÏ)à àNo.€€94„866€€à àà à€€à àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à à€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àHon.€BEN€w.€HOOPER,€IIÌvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àà à.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à à03S01„9602„CV„00015ÌACTIVATED€METALS€&€CHEMICALS,à à€)€ÌINC.,€ET€ALà àà àà àà àà à€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)Ìà à€Defendants/Appellantsà àà à€)à àà àà àà à€Ô€"îÔÌÌÌÓffÓà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€òòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€WorkerððÏCompensation€Panel,€and€the€Panelððs€Memorandum€OpinionÏsetting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€areÏincorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àÌà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€MemorandumÏOpinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved€;€andÌÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€act€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€ofÏthe€Panel€is€made€the€Judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÌà àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendant/appellant,ÏActivated€Metals€&€Chemicals,€Inc.,€€and€surety,€Daryl€R.€Fansler,Ïfor€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.€€Ì€Ì12/19/96à àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ€à àà à€€à àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ€à àà à€€Ô€!ÔÔ€!XÔ›