ÿWPC 1U:¾ %øþn­ 04»ïw@ï4/C 0JC 0T 0^á 0h? 0r§ 0| 0†• 0 1u« 0d U6„B)º AQãÆ4 0Pú 0@J 0DŠ DCÎ D/ B@ B] D3z AM­ U*ú $ f( 'Ž v~µvÓ3<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX3|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó  DV îÀDÓ€„e"(2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó7Border 1dd(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd!#%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial úÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌJune€24,€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€+XÔÌÌJune€24,€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€TENNESSEEÌÙ€!ÙßR€*,%A1-j|jÿG` ç `€€@ÿRßÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌCALSONIC€YOROZU€CORPORATION€and€€)ÌYASUDA€FIRE€AND€MARINE€INSURANCE€)ÌCOMPANY€OF€AMERICA,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€WARREN€CHANCERY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏPlaintiffs/Appellees€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€HON.€J.€RICHARD€McGREGORÌv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€Special€Judge€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€ÌSULAY€LAMIN,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€No.€01S01„9608„CH„00163€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellant€€€€€€)€€€(No.€5903€below)€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEESóó:ÌÌMICHELLE€M.€BENJAMIN€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€B.€TIMOTHY€PIRTLE€€€€€ÌP.O.€Box€177€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Suite€302,€City€Bank€Bldg.ÌWinchester,€TN€37398€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€McMinnville,€TN€37110€€€€€Ì€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,III,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€ÒtXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà 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.Ìà@ àÌà@ àòòTHE€CASEÌóóà àSulay€B.€Lamin€was€an€assembly€line€worker€for€CalsonicÏYorozu€Corporation.€€He€underwent€surgery€for€a€herniated€lumbarÏdisc€and€claimed€that€the€condition€was€a€compensable€injury.€ÏTwo€issues€of€fact€were€dispositive:€€(1)€was€the€disc€herniatedÏin€the€course€and€scope€of€Mr.€Lamin's€employment;€and€(2)€if€so,Ïwas€the€statutory€notice€requirement€complied€with€or€waived.€ÌÌà àThe€trial€judge€found€both€issues€against€the€employee€andÍdismissed€the€case.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àThe€employee€contends€on€appeal€that€the€trial€court€erredÏin€holding€that€a€compensable€injury€was€not€proved;€erred€inÏholding€that€timely€notice€to€the€employer€was€not€given;€andÏerred€in€holding€that€the€failure€to€timely€give€notice€wasÏprejudicial.€€€Ìà àIt€is€our€duty€to€review€these€findings€of€fact€by€the€trialÏjudge€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€upon€the€record,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€ofÏthe€correctness€of€the€findings;€and€to€affirm€the€findings€ofÏthe€trial€court,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€Tennessee€Cord€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)€(2);ÏòòLollar€v.€Wal„Mart€Stores,€Inc.óó,€767€S.W.€2d€143,€149€(Tenn.Ï1989);€òòWhiteside€v.€Morrison,€Inc.óó,€799€S.W.€2d€213€(Tenn.€1990);ÏòòSimpson€v.€H.D.€Lee€Co.óó,€793€S.W.€2d€929€(Tenn.€1990).€ÌÌà àThe€employee€claimed€to€have€experienced€back€pain€at€workÏin€June€and€on€July€30,€1994.€€On€September€26,€1994,€he€wasÏdiagnosed€as€having€a€ruptured€disc€in€his€low€back€by€Dr.€WarrenÏF.€McPherson,€M.D.€a€neurosurgeon.€€The€employee€told€the€doctorÏthat€"he€was€trying€to€work€our€whether€this€is€a€workers'Ïcompensation€case€or€not,€and€would€call€us€when€he€wantedÏanything€to€be€done."€€Dr.€McPherson€recorded€that€"Mr.€LaminÏgave€me€no€specific€history€of€an€incident€that€started€his€pain.€ÏHe€thinks€that€it€may€be€related€to€his€lifting€and€that€may€beÏtrue€or€it€may€be€related€to€other€factors€equally".€€Dr.ÍMcPherson€did€a€lumbar€laminectomy€on€January€27,€1995.€ÌÌà àThere€was€credible€evidence€that€the€employee€had€sufferedÏan€injury€to€his€lower€back€in€a€motor€vehicle€accident€in€1990,Ïfor€which€he€was€treated€for€five€months.Ìà àÌà àMr.€Lamin€was€treated€by€Dr.€K.€P.€Kumar,€M.D.,€on€AugustÏ29,€1994.€€He€made€no€reference€to€his€employment€in€giving€theÏhistory€of€his€complaints€to€Doctor€Kumar.ÌÌà àWhile€on€vacation€in€Lima,€Ohio,€on€September€9,€1994,heÏsought€treatment€for€pain€in€his€left€hip.€€He€gave€a€history€ofÏ"no€known€injury".€€He€stated€that€his€hip€pain€was€aggravated€byÏhis€activities€of€softball,€soccer€and€sometimes€with€sexualÏactivity.€€He€subsequently€again€went€to€Dr.€Kumar€and€gave€noÏhistory€of€injury€at€work€or€onset€of€symptoms€at€work.ÌÌà àMr.€Lamin€claims€that€he€reported€low€back€pain€to€theÏcompany€nurse.€€However,€her€report€is€a€record€of€shoulder€andÏneck€pain€from€working€above€shoulder€level,€with€no€reference€toÏlow€back€pain.ÌÌà àThe€employee€gave€a€formal€injury€report€on€September€29,Ï1994,€(three€days€after€Dr.€McPherson€diagnosed€the€rupturedÏdisc)€and€claimed€that€he€hurt€his€back€on€July€30,€1994.ÌÌà àMr.€Lamin's€efforts€to€show€actual€knowledge€of€an€on„the„job€low€back€injury€by€company€supervisory€and/or€medicalÏpersonnel€were€unconvincing€and€substantially€denied.ÌÌà àThere€simply€is€no€evidence€of€an€event€in€the€course€andÏscope€of€Mr.€Lamin's€employment€that€can€be€pointed€to€as€theÏtime€and€place€of€this€low€back€injury.€€He€suffered€some€neckÏand€shoulder€pain€in€June,€1994,€from€repetitive€high€lifting;Ïbut€was€taken€off€that€job€and€immediately€got€over€the€soreness.€ÏThat€prompt€recovery€negates€the€idea€that€the€disc€was€rupturedÏthen.ÌÌà àSince€an€incident€marking€the€time€of€the€rupture€of€theÏdisc€cannot€be€identified,€the€notice€issue€becomes€a€non„issue.€ÏThere€is€no€identifiable€time€frame€for€giving€notice€of€anÏinjury€which€cannot€be€shown€to€have€occurred€on€the€job.ÌÌà àMr.€Lamin€simply€did€not€have€convincing€evidence€that€hisÏback€injury€was€job€related.€€It€was€his€burden€to€prove€that€itÏwas,€and€he€failed€to€carry€this€burden.€ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€onÏappeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÍWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€ÌASSOCIATE€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€ÌÑ€-ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòßJ€*.;+'b|U` ç `€@ÿJßà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌCALSONIC€YOROZU€CORP.€andà à}à àÌYASUDA€FIRE€AND€MARINEà àà à}ÌINSURANCE€COMPANY€OFà àà à}à àWARREN€CHANCERYÌAMERICA,à àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€5903€BelowÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àPlaintiffs/Appelleesà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€J.€Richard€McGregor,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àSpecial€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌSULAY€LAMIN,à àà àà àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9608„CH„00163Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à}à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€Memorandum€OpinionÏsetting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€MemorandumÏOpinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€theÏdecision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Sulay€Lamin€and€Surety,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€June€24,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ€