ÿWPC" 3U:Ú %n­* 04× w: 4EY 0Ja 0T« 0^ÿ 0h] 0rÅ 0|7 0†³ 09 1uÉ 0d> AQ¢Æó 0P¹ 0@ 0DI U6 D/à Bò B D3, B)_ DCˆ AMË U* B fE &« v~ÑvÓO<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|xj«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó XYEZ[ D\D]Ó€ghVjî„e"U2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier New(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d****7Border 1dd!#+Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ùÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€-ÔÔ€-ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€-XÔÌÌMay€16,€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€-XÔÌÌMay€16,€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|ÎÿG` ç `€€@ÿRßÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` °ˆXœÈ“XÓÌÌHERBERT€EARL€CARTER,€€€€€€à àà à)€€FENTRESS€CHANCERY€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€HON.€BILLY€JOE€WHITE,€€Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€CHANCELLOR€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€ÌITT€HARTFORD€INSURANCE€COMPANY,à à)€€NO.€01S01„9606„CH„00111Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà àà à)€€(NO.€94„91€below)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìandà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€ÌSUE€ANN€HEAD,€etc.€(SECONDà àà à)ÌINJURY€FUND),à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà àà à)Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTSóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEEóó:ÌÌROBERT€R.€DAVIES€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€MICHAEL€A.€WALKER€€€€€ÌP.€O.€Box€2644€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.€O.€Box€1780€€€€€€€€ÌKnoxville,€TN€37901€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Jamestown,€TN€38556Ì(FOR€ITT€HARTFORD)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌCHARLES€W.€BURSONÌAttorney€General€&€ReporterÌDIANNE€STAMEY€DYCUSÌSenior€Counsel,€Attorney€General's€OfficeÌ1510€Parkway€TowersÌ404€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌNashville,€TN€37243„0499Ì(FOR€SECOND€INJURY€FUND)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,€CHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€JOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌMODIFIED€AND€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€28XXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà 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€506„225€(e)(3)Ïfor€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€CASEÌóóà àThe€appellee/employee€was€working€as€a€truck€driver€onÏJanuary€27,€1994,€when€he€was€injured€in€a€head„on€collision€withÏanother€truck.€€What€complicates€this€case€is€that€the€injuredÏemployee€had€suffered€two€serious€prior€injuries€of€the€sameÏgeneral€nature€of€those€suffered€in€this€accident.€€In€a€1990Ïaccident€he€suffered€a€ruptured€disc€and€a€fractured€coccyx.€ÍThis€was€a€workers'€compensation€case,€but€the€employer€was€self„insured€and€filed€for€bankruptcy€before€a€settlement€was€made.€ÏMedical€records€for€that€injury€reflect€a€5%€anatomicalÏimpairment.€€Another€back€injury€at€work€in€1991€resulted€in€aÏworkers'€compensation€settlement€based€upon€a€20%€vocationalÏdisability€to€the€whole€body.ÌÌà àIn€the€case€at€bar€the€trial€court€found€that€the€injuredÏemployee,€Herbert€Earl€Carter,€suffered€a€90%€vocationalÏdisability€from€the€1994€accident,€that€he€was€thereafter€totallyÏdisabled;€and,€because€of€the€prior€20%€whole€body€disabilityÏthat€the€defendant€insurance€company€should€pay€him€for€90%€ofÏ400€weeks€and€the€Second€Injury€Fund€10%€of€400€weeks.€€BothÏappealed.ÌÌà àà àà àà@ àòòTHE€ISSUESÌóóà àITT€Hartford€Insurance€Company€(substituted€for€U.S.F.€&€G.ÏInsurance€Company€as€carrier€for€the€employer)€contends€that€theÏfinding€that€the€employee€was€90%€disabled€as€a€result€of€theÏ1994€accident€is€excessive€under€the€proof,€that€the€award€shouldÏhave€been€confined€to€the€right€leg€rather€than€the€whole€body;Ïand,€in€Ìthe€alternative,€the€award€against€the€insurance€carrier€shouldÏhave€at€most€been€80%.€ÌÌ€€€€€The€Second€Injury€Fund€also€contends€that€the€proof€does€notÍsupport€a€judgment€of€90%€permanent€disability€arising€out€of€theÏ1994€accident,€or€the€judgment€of€10%€of€400€weeks€against€theÏSecond€Injury€Fund.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌ€€€€€The€appellee€contends€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€notÏawarding€lifetime€benefits€under€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€SectionÏ50„6„207€(4).€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÓÓÓÓÌà@ àòòAPPLICABLE€LAWÌóóà àLiability€under€the€Second€Injury€Fund€is€defined€underÏTennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„208.ÌÌà àOur€appellate€review€is€òòdeóó€òònovaóó€upon€the€record€of€the€trialÏcourt,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€theÏfindings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderance€is€otherwise.€ÏTennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(3).€€Conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€subject€to€òòdeóó€òònovaóó€review€without€any€presumption€ofÏcorrectness.€€òòPresley€v.€Bennettóó,€860€S.W.€2d€857€(Tenn.€1993).ÌÌà àAn€employee€is€considered€totally€disabled€when€a€coveredÏinjury€totally€incapacitates€him€or€her€from€working€at€anÏoccupation€which€brings€him€or€her€an€income.€€Tennessee€CodeÏAnnotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(2).ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòANALYSISÌà àóóThe€threshold€key€to€an€analysis€of€this€case€is€whether€orÍnot€the€evidence€supports€the€trial€judge's€holding€that€Mr.ÏCarter€is€permanently€and€totally€disabled.ÌÌà àThree€experts€testified.€€A€chiropractor,€Boyd€DentonÏMatthews,€saw€him€eight€times.€€The€subject€injury€occurred€onÏJanuary€27,€1994.€€Dr.€Matthews€saw€him€first€on€August€23,€1994,Ïand€last€on€September€25,€1994.€€He€studied€records€of€Mr.ÏCarter's€prior€injuries,€and€examined€his€present€condition.€€HeÏopined€that€Mr.€Carter€had€a€36%€permanent€partial€anatomicalÏimpairment€to€the€whole€body.€€However,€he€was€unable€to€allocateÏthis€impairment€to€a€specific€prior€accident.€€In€effect,€he€saidÏthat€Mr.€Carter,€when€he€examined€him,€had€these€impairments,€butÏhe€could€not€say€how€or€when€they€originated.€€Specifically,€heÏwas€asked€and€answered:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà8 àQ.€€Doctor,€finally€one€more€question.€€We'veÏtalked€a€lot€about€these€prior€injuries€and€IÏjust€have€one€more€question€in€regard€toÏthose.€€Based€on€the€fact€that€you've€neverÏseen€this€man€prior€to€this€most€recent€autoÏaccident€and€he's€had€all€these€prior€lumbarÏproblems,€you€can't€differentiate€how€much,Ïif€any,€anatomical€changes€are€attributableÏto€the€most€recent€accident€versus€all€hisÏprior€injuries?ÌÌÌà8 àà8 àA.€€Anything€that€I€would€say€prior€toÏ8/23[94]€when€I€saw€him€òòwouldóó€òòbeóó€òòpureóóÏòòspeculationóó.ÌÌÓÓÌà àThe€second€expert€to€testify€was€Norman€E.€Hankins,€Ed.€D.,Ïa€vocational€expert.€€Based€upon€his€review€of€the€medicalÍrecords€of€Mr.€Carter's€1990€and€1991€injuries,€he€opined€thatÏMr.€Carter€had€a€fifty€percent€vocational€disability€when€he€wasÏworking€full€time€as€a€truck€driver€prior€to€January€27,€1994.€ÏThen,€primarily€based€upon€the€conclusions€of€the€chiropractor.ÏDr.€Matthews,€relative€to€the€undifferentiated€disabilitiesÏexistent€after€all€of€the€accidents,€Dr.€Hankins€opined€that€Mr.ÏCarter€was€one€hundred€percent€vocationally€disabled.€€ThisÏwitness€noted€that€Dr.€George€H.€Lien,€M.D.,€a€board€certifiedÏneurological€surgeon€who€had€treated€the€injured€employee€afterÏhis€last€accident,€opined€that€Mr.€Carter€could€return€to€drivingÏa€truck;€but€this€witness€apparently€gave€no€weight€to€Dr.€Lien'sÏexpert€opinion.ÌÌà àThe€third€expert€is€Dr.€Lien.€€He€reviewed€the€prior€medicalÏrecords€and€treated€Mr.€Carter€for€his€1994€injuries.€€He€opinedÏthat€Mr.€Carter€could€return€to€truck€driving,€but€would€beÏunable€to€manually€operate€a€tarp€winch.ÌÌà àDr.€Lien€diagnosed€a€peroneal€nerve€injury€with€leg€atrophy,Ïand€set€a€15%€impairment€to€the€whole€person.€€He€testifiedÏfurther€that€a€peroneal€nerve€palsy€was€a€condition€that€couldÏimprove€or€even€go€away€over€a€prolonged€recovery.€€Dr.€LienÏtestified:€"There€is€no€radiologic€evidence€of€any€problems€thatÏshould€cause€him€from€òòbeingóó€òòableóó€òòtoóó€òòdoóó€òòunlimitedóó€òòworkóó."ÌÌà àDr.€Lien€was€asked€and€answered:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà8 àQ.€„€„€„€can€you€say€within€a€reasonableÏdegree€of€medical€certainty€as€to€whether€orÏnot€the€peroneal€nerve€palsy€was€caused€byÏthe€accident€in€January€of€1994?ÌÌÌòòà8 àà8 àóóA.€€I€think€that€there€are€a€lot€of€unknownsÏin€this€case.€€I€do€not€know€the€exact€siteÏof€his€nerve€injury,€whether€its€at€the€levelÏof€the€peroneal€nerve€or€whether€it's€at€theÏlevel€of€his€lumbar€spine.€€There€is€no€wayÏfor€determining€the€age€of€the€injury€basedÏupon€objective€criteria.€€All€that€I€have€toÏgo€by€is€the€patient,€the€history€that€heÏpresents€of€this€atrophy€occurring€since€theÏaccident.òòÌÌÓÓÌóóà@ àòòCONCLUSION€AND€JUDGMENTÌÌóóà àThe€weight€of€the€evidence€is€that€Mr.€Carter€hadÏsubstantially€the€same€injuries€prior€to€1994,€and€that€heÏsuffered€an€exacerbation€in€the€subject€accident.€€The€mostÏpersuasive€testimony€regarding€his€fitness€to€return€to€work€as€aÏtruck€driver€comes€from€Dr.€Lien.€€We€find€that€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€judgment€that€Mr.€Carter€is€totally€andÏpermanently€vocationally€disabled.€€We€hold€that€the€January€27,Ï1994€accident€resulted€in€37€1/2%€permanent€partial€vocationalÏdisability€to€the€body€as€a€whole,€and€amend€the€judgment€of€theÏtrial€court€accordingly.€€The€case€is€remanded€for€enforcement€ofÏthe€decree.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€ITT€HartfordÏInsurance€Company,€the€substitute€appellant.òòÌóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,ÌCHIEF€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ìà àÌÌÌÌÌÑ€/ÑÇÑ h ÑÒ € ÒÒ Ð ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÔ€%&ÔßJ€,0;+'b|` ç `€@ÿJßà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌHERBERT€EARL€CARTER,à àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ì€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,à àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ h Òv.à àà àà àà àà àà à(€Fentress€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à(€No.€94„91€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ X ÒITT€HARTFORD€INSURANCE€COMPANY,à à(€Appeal€No.€0lS01„9606„CH„00111€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€Ìà àDefendant„Appellant,à àà à(€Hon.€Billy€Joe€White,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€ChancellorÌandà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌSUE€ANN€HEAD,€ETC.€(SECONDà àà à(ÌINJURY€FUND),à àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àDefendant„Appellee.à àà à(€MODIFIED€AND€REMANDED.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€€€€€€Ïòòà8 ààH.ààH.ààHŽŽ'àò òJUDGMENT€ORDERóóó óÌÌÓÓà àÌà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€reviewÏpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entireÏrecord,€including€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 àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€forÏreview€is€not€well€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€factÏand€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decisionÏof€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€defendant„appellant,€ITT€HartfordÏInsurance€Company.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€16th€day€of€May,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌBirch,€C.J.€„€Not€participating.ÌÔ€%XÔÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ