ÿWPC† 4U:è %"(n­8 04åw@4Y 0Jm· 0P· 0T 0^[ 0h¹ 0r! 0|“ 0† 0• 1u% 0dš AQþÆO 0P 0@e 0D¥ D/é B B5 D3R U6… B)» DCä AM' U*t ž f¥ * v~5vÓ³<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó DDD D D D Ó€Vî¢VK!x2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô((3¹$©©Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý2" 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!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3¹$¢¢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€.XÔÌÌOctober€17,€1996ÌÌCecil€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€.XÔÌÌOctober€17,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHPð€ÿÜÿìô”(üHPð€P € €'Styl{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  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€*ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÑ\R AØ'\Ñà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÙ€!ÙßL€-/,;+'h|9È` ç `€€LßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌHELEN€CARROLL,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€COFFEE€COUNTY€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€HON.€JOHN€W.€ROLLINS,€JUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€No.€01S01„9512„CV„00221ÌMOORE€AND€ASSOCIATES€and€€€€€€€€€)ÌTRAVELERS€INSURANCE€COMPANY,€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Defendants/Appellants€€€€)Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLEEóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€APPELLANTSóó:ÌÌROBERT€S.€PETERS€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€W.€RITCHIE€PIGUE€€€€€€€€Ì100€First€Avenue,€S.W.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€WILLIAM€G.€McCASKILL,€JR.ÌWinchester,€TN€37398€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€One€Union€Street€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.€O.€Box€198169Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TN€37219„8169Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,€CHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€€€€€àH,,P à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€JOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€from€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€a€workers'Ïcompensation€case€has€been€referred€to€the€Special€Workers'€CompensationÏAppeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tennessee€CodeÏAnnotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€theÏSupreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÑ7€Â0XXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÑ7€Â0XXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÌà@ àòòTHE€CASEÌà àóóThe€injured€employee€was€awarded€compensation€for€a€65%€permanentÏoccupational€disability€to€her€right€arm.€€The€court€also€ordered€theÏrecovery€of€the€medical€charges€of€Dr.€Keith€Brown,€who€treated€theÏemployee€without€the€express€prior€approval€of€the€employer.ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€ISSUESÌóóà àThe€employer€and€the€insurer€contend€that€the€aforesaid€rulings€areÏnot€supported€by€the€evidence.ÌÌà@ àòòAPPLICABLE€STANDARD€OF€REVIEWóóÌà àOur€review€is€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Ïaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€findings€below,€unlessÏthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏSection€50„6„225€(e)(2)€(1991).€€This€standard€of€review€requires€theÏcourt€to€weigh€in€depth€the€factual€findings€and€conclusions€of€the€trialÍcourt.€€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.óó,€734€S.W.€2d€315€(Tenn.Ï1987).ÌÌà àThe€extent€of€vocational€disability€is€a€question€of€fact€to€beÏdetermined€from€all€of€the€evidence,€including€lay€and€expert€testimony.€ÏòòWorthington€v.€Modine€Mfg.€Co.óó,€798€S.W.€2d€232,€234€(Tenn.€1990).ÌÌà àWhen€the€medical€testimony€is€presented€by€deposition€and€medicalÏrecords,€as€it€was€in€this€case,€this€court€is€able€to€make€its€ownÏindependent€assessment€of€the€medical€proof€to€determine€where€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòLanders€v.€Fireman's€Fund€Ins.€Co.óó,Ï775€S.W.€2d€355,€356€(Tenn.€1989);€òòHenson€v.€City€of€Lawrenceburgóó,€851ÏS.W.€2d€809,€812€(Tenn.€1993).ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€EVIDENCEóóÌà àThe€employee€was€the€only€witness€who€testified€in€person.€€TheÏdeposition€of€Dr.€Keith€Brown€was€introduced;€as€well€as€the€patientÏrecords€of€Dr.€Steven€Pratt,€who€found€no€objective€basis€for€theÏemployee's€complaints€of€right€wrist€pain.€€Dr.€Brown,€who€was€not€aÏcompany€approved€physician,€is€an€orthopaedic€surgeon€who€was€engaged€byÏthe€employee€after€she€was€laid€off€work€by€the€employer€at€a€time€whenÏshe€had€seen€several€company€approved€physicians€but€was€still€havingÏextreme€pain€in€the€hand.€€Apparently€the€pain€was€precipitated€by€theÏrepetitive€assembly€work.€€Dr.€Brown€diagnosed€her€injury€as€work€relatedÏbilateral€hand€tendonitis,€overuse„type€tendonitis,€possible€nerveÏentrapment€at€the€wrist;€and€he€subsequently€confirmed€a€diagnosis€ofÍoveruse€tendonitis€and€compression€neuropathy.€€He€gave€her€restrictionsÏagainst€repetitive€activity€with€the€right€upper€extremity€and€liftingÏrepetitively€more€than€20€pounds,€and€set€her€permanent€anatomicalÏimpairment€to€the€right€arm€at€10%.€€The€trial€judge€equated€this€to€aÏ65%€vocational€right€arm€disability.€ÌÌà@ àòòCONCLUSIONSÌóóà àThe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€judgment€of€a€65%Ïright€arm€vocational€disability,€so€we€affirm€same.ÌÌà àThe€issue€of€the€appropriateness€of€the€employer's€liability€forÏthe€charges€of€Dr.€Keith€Brown€was€not€really€litigated,€but€simplyÏjudged€to€be€owed€by€the€appellants.€€At€places€in€the€record€it€isÏstated€that€all€medicals€had€been€paid.€€The€judgment€specifically€holdsÏthat€Dr.€Brown's€charges€are€to€be€paid.€€We€know€only€that€he€was€notÏapproved€by€the€company,€that€the€injured€employee€sought€his€servicesÏafter€she€had€been€laid€off€and€when€company€doctors€were€saying€that€sheÏwas€not€injured,€and€that€Dr.€Brown,€a€specialist€found€her€to€beÏsubstantially€injured.€€The€record€does€not€reflect€any€reason€for€thisÏcourt€to€overrule€this€part€of€the€trial€court's€judgment,€as€theÏquestion€was€not€explicitly€litigated€below.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€areÏassessed€against€the€appellants.€€The€case€is€remanded€for€enforcement€ofÏthe€judgment.ÌÓÓÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,€ÌCHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURT€Ì€ÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ñ€0ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€*¼ÔßJ€-1;+'b|` ç `€@ÿJßà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌHELEN€CARROLL,à àà àà à}à àCOFFEE€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€26,593€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€John€W.€Rollins,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌMOORE€AND€ASSOCIATES€andà à}à àNo.€01S01„9512„CV„00221ÌTRAVELERS€INSURANCE€CO.,à à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendants/Appellantsà 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€appellants€and€their€surety€forÏwhich€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€October€17,€1996.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€*Ôœ