ÿWPCs 4# èU:ó %- 0û3w@.4n‚ 0?‘ 0DÐ   0D" 0Jf 0T° 0^ 0hb 0rÊ 0|< 0†¸ 0> 1uÎ 0dC AQ§ Æø 0D¾ 0@ BB D/_ BŽ D3«U*ÞB)DC1 AMt¶Á«wv~"vÓ ˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLHÎ,c½¬AZ‹"Arial RegularX(Ó­$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal[  AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ LegalTÑÔ€XXXXÔÑ7€.íXXdðXXdð7Ñ 78D9Ó€CDÓ€NOPQRDujý"(3|xR(ï(2$¤¤Ý ƒ­!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€XŠÐXXXÔÑ7€ŠÐXXdædæ7ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóH($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò d(('÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd$$$$'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d----7Border 1dd!#.Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ¬Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€,ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌAugustÏ28,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó ó ¡Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€,ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌAugustÏ28,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  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€,ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÝ  Ý›ò òÓ  ÓÞ ÞÌ̜ـ!ÙßR€/0.A1-j|öÿ¥` à. `€€@ÿRß›IN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌAT€NASHVILLEÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌó óCARL€E.€CHURCH,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àMAURY€€CIRCUITÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01S01„9609„CV„00174Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌMONSANTO€œCOMPANY,›à àà àà à)à àJIM€T.€HAMILTON,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJUDGEÌà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:ÌÌó óóóPatrick€A.€Ruthà àà àà àà àSonya€W.€HendersonÌJulia€J.€Tate€à àà àà àà àà à218€W.€Main€St.,€Ste.€1Ì150€Second€Ave.€N.,€Ste.€201à àà àMurfreesboro,€TN€€37130ÌNashville,€TN€€37201ÌÌÌÌò òòòÌÌÌ̛̜ÌÌÌÌÌóóó óÌò òòòÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌœÌÌ›Ìò òòòMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóChief€Justice€Adolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.ÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSpecial€Judge€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.ÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌò òÌœAFFIRMEDÌAS€MODIFIED›à àà àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,€SeniorÏJudgeÌÓÓó óà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€CourtÏof€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà àThis€case€was€heard€on€March€15,€1996.€€The€plaintiff€alleged€that€heÏsustained€work€injuries€on€October€29,€1986€(pulmonary€injury),€January€21,€1986Ï(carpal€tunnel€syndrome),€and€January€6,€1986€(back€injury).€€The€trial€court€foundÏthe€plaintiffððs€injuries€were€compensable€and€awarded€the€plaintiff€permanent€totalÏdisability€plus€medical€costs.Ìà àPrior€to€July€1,€1985,€the€level€of€review€on€appeal€was€whether€there€wasÏany€material€evidence€to€support€the€findings€of€a€trial€court.€€òòHilton€v.€Food€Lion,ÏInc.óó,€738€S.W.2d€œ626,€627›€(Tenn.€1987).€€After€July€1,€1985,€the€level€of€review€is€òòdeÏnovoóó€upon€the€record€with€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€trial€courtððsÏfindings€of€fact€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€òòAlley€v.ÍConsolidated€Coal€Co.óó,€699€S.W.2d€œ147,€147„48›€(Tenn.€1985).€€All€of€the€injuriesÏupon€which€the€trial€court€awarded€compensation€occurred€after€July€1,€1985.€€TheÏstandard€of€review,€therefore,€is€under€the€preponderance€rule€set€out€in€the€1985Ïamendment€to€the€Workersðð€Compensation€Law€as€elucidated€in€òòAlley,€supra.óó€€TheÏstandard€of€review€created€by€the€amendment€requires€us€to€conduct€anÏindependent€examination€of€the€record€on€appeal€to€determine€where€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòGalloway€v.€Memphis€Drum€Storeóó,€822€S.W.2dÏœ584,€586›€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àThe€plaintiff€commenced€working€for€the€defendant€on€August€27,€1956.€€AtÏthe€time€of€trial,€he€was€64€years€of€age.€€He€did€not€complete€high€school.Ìà àThere€is€little€dispute€about€the€accidents€the€plaintiff€suffered€with€theÏexception€of€the€injury€to€the€plaintiffððs€lungs,€which€the€defendant€asserts€did€notÏoccur.€€However,€the€œmedical›€evidence€in€this€record€on€œThe›€back€injury€and€theÏcarpal€tunnel€œsyndrome›€is€furnished€by€the€plaintiffððs€œdoctors€and€the€standard€formÏmedical€report€of€Dr.€Haynes,€introduced€by€the€defendant.€€Dr.€Haynes€found€theÏplaintiff€suffered€no€permanent€orthopedic€injury.›Ìà àOn€April€7,€1979,€the€plaintiff€was€working€as€a€machinist€when€a€metalÏsplinter€broke€off€œa›€chisel€and€was€embedded€in€his€right€wrist.€€The€sliver€remainedÏin€the€plaintiffððs€wrist€until€1984.€€The€plaintiff€testified€that€during€the€time€the€splinterÏwas€in€his€wrist,€he€over„used€his€left€hand€and€that€this€precipitated€the€carpalÏtunnel€syndrome€in€his€left€wrist.€€The€plaintiff€testified€his€right€wrist€also€was€foundÏto€have€a€carpal€tunnel€syndrome.€€Dr.€Alfred€Callahan€diagnosed€the€plaintiffððsÏcondition€of€bilateral€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€but€would€not€assign€a€permanentÍimpairment€rating€for€the€condition,€although€he€found€the€condition€to€be€work„related.€€This€doctor€did€not€rule€out€a€permanent€œimpairment„„he›€raised€a€generalÏobjection€to€assigning€impairment€ratings€in€any€case.Ìà àDr.€Vaughn€Allen,€a€neurosurgeon,€examined€the€plaintiff€on€January€8,Ï1986.€€He€found€the€plaintiff€to€be€suffering€from€degenerative€disc€disease€andÏfound€the€plaintiff€had€sustained€a€lumbosacral€strain.€€Dr.€Allen€placed€restrictionsÏof€40€pounds€of€weight€for€occasional€lifting€and€20€to€25€pounds€for€frequent€lifting.€ÏFurther,€Doctor€Allen€directed€the€plaintiff€to€avoid€repetitive€flexation€above€theÏwaist.€€Dr.€Allen€found€the€plaintiff€had€a€seven€percent€whole€body€impairment.Ìà àDr.€Stanley€Hopp,€orthopedic€surgeon,€found€the€plaintiff€had€an€injury€to€œhis›Ïback€and€œneck;›€he€assigned€a€five€percent€medical€impairment€rating€for€the€backÏinjury€and€a€œfour€percent›€medical€impairment€rating€for€the€neck.€€Dr.€HoppÏassessed€a€three€percent€impairment€for€the€left€wrist€and€a€four€percent€impairmentÏfor€the€right€wrist.€€He€found€the€plaintiff€had€a€19%€whole€body€impairment€as€aÏresult€of€his€combined€œinjuries.›Ìà àDr.€A.€Clyde€Heflin,€a€pulmonary€specialist€and€internist,€saw€the€plaintiff€inÏFebruary€1992.€€Dr.€Heflin€found€the€plaintiff€suffered€from€lung€obstruction€andÏfound€the€injury€caused€the€plaintiff€to€sustain€a€12%€medical€impairment€rating€toÏthe€body€as€a€whole.Ìà àAs€we€said€before,€the€only€significant€issue€raised€was€whether€the€plaintiffÏsuffered€an€accident€which€caused€him€to€suffer€damage€to€his€lungs.Ìà àOn€October€29,€1986,€the€plaintiff€and€two€co„workers€were€assigned€to€cleanÏout€a€tank€car€which€had€been€used€to€transport€œphosphorous›€€The€plaintiff€enteredÍinto€the€tank€car€to€remove€a€residue€of€phosphorous€which€was€left€in€the€car€afterÏthe€bulk€of€the€phosphorous€had€been€pumped€out€of€the€car.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€wore€an€oxygen€mask€to€protect€himself€from€the€fumes.€ÏAccording€to€the€plaintiff,€the€oxygen€ran€out€in€the€tank,€and€he€removed€his€maskÏto€call€out€for€the€two€co„workers€to€lower€a€ladder€so€that€he€could€climb€from€theÏtank.€€The€plaintiff€contended€he€was€œseized€by€a€fit›€of€coughing€as€a€result€of€thisÏand€that€he€subsequently€required€treatment€for€his€lungs.€€The€two€co„workersÏtestified€concerning€this€incident.€€There€was€some€difference€in€the€telling€by€theÏplaintiff€and€the€witnesses,€who€also€gave€different€testimony€on€this€occurrence.€ÏNevertheless,€it€is€clear€the€plaintiff€was€in€fact€exposed€to€the€phosphorous€fumes.Ìà àDr.€Clyde€Heflin€found€the€plaintiff€sustained€a€12%€whole€body€impairmentÏas€a€result€of€his€lung€condition.€€A€fair€reading€of€Dr.€Heflinððs€deposition€shows€heÏfound€the€inhaling€of€phosphorous€fumes€could€be€the€cause€of€the€plaintiffððs€lungÏinjury.Ìà àThe€defendant€introduced€into€evidence€the€standard€form€medical€report€ofÏDr.€J.€Brevard€Haynes€œJr.›€€Dr.€Haynes€found€the€plaintiff€suffered€no€permanentÏpulmonary€injury€œnor›€any€orthopedic€injury€related€to€his€work€and€found€him€toÏhave€zero€whole€body€impairment.Ìà àThe€defendant€asks€us€to€repudiate€the€trial€judgeððs€finding€that€the€plaintiffÏwas€a€credible€witness.€€The€trial€judge€saw€and€heard€the€plaintiff€testify.€€We€didÏnot.€€This€court€is€not€in€a€position€to€re„evaluate€the€credibility€of€the€testimony€ofÏwitnesses€who€appeared€before€the€trial€judge.Ìà àIn€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.óó,€œ734›€S.W.2d€315€(Tenn.€1987),€theÍCourt€held€ð ðwhere€the€trial€judge€has€seen€and€heard€witnesses,€especially€whereÏissues€of€credibility€and€weight€of€oral€testimony€œare›€œinvolved,›€on€reviewÏconsiderable€deference€must€œstill€be›€accorded€to€those€circumstances.ððÌà àIn€the€matter€of€assessing€the€credibility€of€witnesses,€short€of€patentÏabsurdities€or€like€circumstances€in€oral€testimony,€this€court€is€bound€by€the€findingÏof€the€credibility€of€witnesses€made€œby›€the€trial€judge.Ìà àWe€have€reviewed€the€evidence€as€to€the€injuries€alleged€to€be€suffered€byÏthe€plaintiff,€the€evidence€as€to€the€extent€of€these€injuries,€and€the€trial€courtððsÏfinding€as€Ñ Ð Ñto€the€œvocational›€disability€of€the€plaintiff€as€a€result€thereof.€€We€find€theÏevidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€finding€of€the€trial€judge€on€the€issue€ofÏwhether€the€plaintiff€sustained€work„related€injuries,€and€we€affirm€that€portion€of€theÏverdict.€€We€do€find,€however,€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€a€findingÏthat€the€plaintiff€suffered€permanent€and€total€vocational€disability€as€a€result€ofÏœthese›€injuries.€€We€find€the€evidence€preponderates€in€favor€of€an€award€of€60%Ïpermanent€partial€impairments,€and€we€fix€that€as€the€judgment€in€this€case€andÏaward€the€plaintiff€œ$45,360.00€based›€upon€the€rate€of€compensation€applicable€toÏthis€œcase.Ì›à àThe€trial€judge€awarded€the€plaintiff€the€sum€of€$6,932.50€for€medicalÏexpenses,€which€he€found€were€reasonable€and€necessary€as€a€result€of€theÏplaintiffððs€injuries.€€We€find€there€were€many€medical€expenses€claimed€which€wereÏnot€related€to€the€injuries€œor,€in€some€instances,›€to€the€plaintiff.€€We€find€the€plaintiffÏis€entitled€to€recover€$1,415.00€in€medical€expenses€based€upon€the€record€in€thisÏœcase.Ìà àThe€cots€are€taxed€to€the€defendant.›ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌÌÔ% € ÔCONCUR:ÌÌÌ______________________________ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌ______________________________ÌJoe€C.€œLoser,›€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌà àœÇÑ ° ÑÒ  ÒÒ î Òà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÓ?ÓÌÌÌCARL€E.€CHURCH,€à àà à€€€€à à)à àMaury€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€5042€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€€01„S„01„9609„CV„00174ÌßJ€/1;+'b|`ÿã` à. `€@ÿJßV.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHonorable€Jim€T.€Hamilton,€ÌMONSANTO€COMPANY,à àà àà à)à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant,à àà à)à àAffirmed€in€part;€Remanded€in€part.ÌÌÌà@ àòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌÌÓÓà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€review€pursuant€to€Tenn.ÏCode€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€MemorandumÏOpinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€areÏincorporated€herein€by€reference;ÌÌà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€notÏwell„taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€and€conclusionsÏof€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgmentÏof€Ìthe€Court.ÌÌà àà àCosts€are€taxed€to€the€defendant.ÌÌà àà àIt€is€so€ordered€this€28th€day€of€August,€1997.ÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌBirch,€J.,€not€participatingš›