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ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€&ÖÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ&  ÔÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€JACKSONÌ(August€29,€1996€Session)ÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓJAMES€RAYMOND€CASEY,à àà à)€€€€€CROCKETT€CHANCERYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,à à)€€€€€Hon.€George€R.€Ellis,Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€)€€€€€Chancellor.Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€Ô€Ô€€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)ÌÙ€€ÙßL€)+(;+'h|›` Å `€€L߀€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€)€€€€€No.€02S01„9605„CH„00047ÌTHE€TRAVELERS€INSURANCEà à)ÌCOMPANY,à àà àà àà à)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€Ô€XÔ€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant.à à)ÌÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee:ÌóóÌS.€Newton€Anderson€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€T.€J.€Emison,€Jr.ÌMemphis,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Alamo,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌLyle€Reid,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌF.€Lloyd€Tatum,€Special€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÔ'  ÔÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÓ ¹ ÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÓ rAÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€andÏreporting€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€In€this€appeal,€theÏemployer's€insurer€contends€(1)€the€award€of€permanent€partial€disabilityÏbenefits€is€excessive,€(2)€the€award€of€temporary€total€disability€benefits€isÏexcessive€and€(3)€the€trial€court€erred€in€granting€plaintiff's€motion€forÏdiscretionary€costs.€€As€discussed€below,€the€panel€concludes€the€judgmentÏshould€be€modified.Ìà àà àThe€employee€or€claimant,€Casey,€is€29€years€old€and€has€aÏtenth€grade€education.€€His€working€experience€consists€of€light€to€mediumÏmanual€labor.Ìà àà àOn€October€11,€1994,€his€right€hand€caught€in€some€belts€atÏwork€and€was€injured.€€He€continued€working€for€approximately€one€month.€ÏHe€was€treated€by€an€orthopedic€surgeon€beginning€on€December€22,€1994.Ìà àà àThe€treating€doctor€diagnosed€a€rupture€of€the€extensor€tendonÏof€the€last€joint€of€the€claimant's€right€little€finger,€swelling€of€the€PIP€jointÏof€the€ring€and€middle€fingers€of€the€same€hand€and€decreased€range€of€handÏmotion,€for€all€of€which€he€prescribed€a€splint€for€the€little€finger€and€rangeÍof€motion€exercises€for€the€hand.€€In€time€the€swelling€disappeared€and€heÏrecovered€full€range€of€motion€in€the€hand.€€He€improved€to€the€extent€thatÏhe€could€have€returned€to€work€on€January€13,€1995.Ìà àà àThe€doctor€assigned€a€permanent€partial€impairment€rating€ofÏeight€percent€to€the€right€little€finger€because€the€claimant€"lacked€aboutÏthirty€degrees€of€extension€of€the€DIP€joint€of€the€right€little€finger."€€TheÏdoctor's€testimony€also€included€the€following€questions€and€answers:Ìà0 àà àà àQ.€€...€in€your€opinion,€he€did€not€sustain€any€permanentÏimpairment€with€regard€to€his€hand€or€to€the€arm?Ìà0 àà àà àA.€€No,€Ma'am.Ìà0 àà àà àQ.€€Okay.€€In€your€opinion,€...€would€the€plaintiff€haveÏnecessarily€had€any€problems€in€going€back€to€work€and€using€hisÏhand?Ìà0 àà àà àA.€€No,€ma'am.€....€In€fact,€...€the€more€he€used€his€hand,Ïthe€better€he€would€get....Ìà àà àThe€claimant€testified,€however,€that€he€was€unable€to€workÏbecause€of€lack€of€grip€strength.€€Another€orthopedic€surgeon,€whoÏexamined€the€claimant,€diagnosed€severe€soft€tissue€injury€to€the€right€handÏwith€secondary€grip€strength€loss.€€The€examining€doctor€opined€theÏclaimant€had€suffered€a€permanent€loss€of€grip€strength€and€assigned€aÏpermanent€impairment€rating€of€twenty€percent€to€the€right€upperÏextremity.Ìà àà àThe€trial€court€awarded€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€onÏthe€basis€of€fifty€percent€to€the€right€arm,€temporary€total€disability€benefitsÍfrom€October€11,€1994€through€December€22,€1994,€and€discretionary€costsÏfor€fees€incidental€to€the€testimony€of€the€examining€doctor.Ìà àà àAppellate€review€of€the€award€of€disability€benefits€is€de€novoÏupon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€ofÏcorrectness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidenceÏis€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(2).€€This€tribunal€isÏrequired€to€conduct€an€independent€examination€of€the€evidence€toÏdetermine€where€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòWingert€v.ÏGovernment€of€Sumner€Countyóó,€908€€S.W.2d€€921€(Tenn.€1995).Ìà àà àÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓPERMANENT€PARTIAL€DISABILITYÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àWhere€a€worker's€only€injury€is€to€a€scheduled€member,€theÏworker€may€receive€only€the€amount€of€compensation€provided€by€theÏstatutory€schedule€for€the€worker's€permanent€disability.€€òòGenesco,€Inc.€v.ÏCreameróó,€584€€S.W.2d€€191€(Tenn.€1979).€€The€hand€is€a€scheduled€member.€ÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„207.€€From€an€independent€examination€ofÏthe€record,€the€panel€finds€that€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€supports€anÏaward€to€the€hand,€but€not€to€the€arm.Ìà àà àIf€the€injury€causes€a€permanent€loss€of€part€but€not€all€of€theÏuse€of€a€scheduled€member,€and€if€such€loss€is€not€specifically€provided€forÏin€the€schedule,€benefits€are€computed€by€applying€the€percentage€of€loss€toÏthe€total€loss€benefit€contained€in€the€schedule.€€In€cases€where€the€employeeÏloses€all€or€part€of€the€use€of€a€scheduled€member,€the€injury€is€compensableÏwhether€or€not€there€has€been€any€loss€of€earning€capacity.€€òòHedges€Mfg.ÏCo.€v.€Worleyóó,€223€€Tenn.€102,€€442€€S.W.2d€€624€(1969).€€We€find€in€theÏrecord€no€persuasive€medical€evidence€that€the€claimant€suffered€anyÏpermanent€impairment€beyond€the€hand.Ìà àà àThe€panel€finds€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€anÏaward€of€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€based€on€fifty€percent€to€theÏarm€and€in€favor€of€one€based€on€twenty€percent€to€the€hand.€€The€judgmentÏis€modified€accordingly.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓTEMPORARY€TOTAL€DISABILITYÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àTemporary€total€disability€refers€to€the€injured€employee'sÏcondition€while€disabled€to€work€because€of€the€injury€and€until€theÏemployee€recovers€as€far€as€the€nature€of€the€injury€permits.€€òòRedmond€v.ÏMcMinn€Countyóó,€209€€Tenn.€€463,€€354€€S.W.2d€€435€(1962).€€Benefits€forÏtemporary€total€disability€are€payable€until€the€injured€worker€is€able€toÏreturn€to€work.€€òòSimpson€v.€Satterfieldóó,€564€€S.W.2d€€953€(Tenn.€1978).Ìà àà àThe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€in€this€case€is€that€theÏclaimant€became€disabled€to€work€on€November€11,€1994€(approximatelyÏone€month€after€the€injurious€occurrence)€and€that€he€was€able€to€return€toÏwork€on€January€13,€1995.€€The€award€of€temporary€total€disability€benefitsÏis€modified€to€provide€for€an€award€of€such€benefits€between€those€dates.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓDISCRETIONARY€COSTSÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àBecause€the€treating€physician€did€not€evaluate€the€claimant'sÏloss€of€grip€strength€in€his€injured€hand,€the€claimant€found€it€necessary€toÏconsult€another€physician€and€to€obtain€that€physician's€evidential€deposition.€ÏIn€such€cases,€the€cost€of€obtaining€such€proof€is€recoverable€asÏdiscretionary€costs.€€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€54.€€Finding€no€abuse€of€discretion€byÏthe€chancellor,€and€finding€in€the€record€no€persuasive€evidence€that€theÏcharges€were€unreasonable,€the€panel€affirms€the€award€of€discretionaryÏcosts.Ìà àà àAs€modified€above,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€isÍaccordingly€affirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€parties,€one„halfÏeach.Ó *bÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________Ó ÓÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌLyle€Reid,€Associate€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌF.€Lloyd€Tatum,€JudgeÌÑ€,ÑÇÑ ` ÑÔ€Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÔ€XÔÌÌÌÓ#` p…XÈ‚„(#X#ÓJAMES€RAYMOND€CASEY,à à)€€CROCKETT€CHANCERYÌÓ#` p` È‚„(#X#Óà à)€€NO.€6975ÌÓ ` p` ¸ Èx‘X Óà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à à)à àÌÓ#` p` ¸ È‚„(#X#Óà àà à)€€Hon.€George€R.€Ellis,Ìvs.à àà à)€€ChancellorÌà àà à)ÌTHE€TRAVELERS€INSURANCEà à)ÌCOMPANY,à à)€€NO.€02S01„9605„CH„00047ÌßJ€).;+'b|Fƒ` Å `€@ÿJßà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)€€AFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€¼ÔJUDGMENT€ORDERÔ€XÔÌÌÓ  ÓÓÓÌÓ` p`  ’XÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€theÏorder€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€theÏPanel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€OpinionÏof€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà 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.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Appellant€and€Appellee,€one„half€each,€forÏwhich€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€5th€day€of€November,€1996.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌ(Reid,€J.,€not€participating)ÌÌÌÌÔ€ÔÔ€¼Ô