ÿWPC¼ …U:V %–n­¦ 0(SU:{4µÉw@Ñ 0l 0D} 0JÁ 0T 0^_ 0h½ 0r% 0|— 0† 0™ 1u) 0dž U6U*8B)bDC‹ AMÎ B8v~SvÓÑ D3¤ 0@× AOÆf 0D, D/p BŸ<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX3|xV «<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXôxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@($¡¡, øð AZ‹"Arial Regular·‚^!øð  B C DD DE F DG DH  I VJ îK Ó€((3þÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d####7Border 1dd€-$Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌò òDecember€19,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€"ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò&&&&'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ  ÑÒ ° ÒÒ … ÒÒ  ÒÒ … ÒÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€"ÔÑ7€«¶XXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÓ` °ŒXÝ"€%ŽXӜـ€ÙßR€%'$A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€PANELÌAT€KNOXVILLEÌÓ  Óó óÌÌÌTIMOTHY€CRABTREE,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àKNOX€CHANCERYÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€H.€David€CateÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌAPAC€TENNESSEE,€INC.,à àà à)à àNO.€€03S01„9603„CH„00035Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à(No.€118369„2€Below)€€€€€€Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)ÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellantóó:à àòòà àà àà àà àFor€the€Appelleeóó:€Ìó óÌJanet€L.€Hoganà àà àà àà àà àPerry€H.€Windle,€IIIÌHogan€&€Hogan€à àà àà àà àà à6322€Papermill€Rd.,€Ste.€CÌ620€W.€Hill€Ave.à àà àà àà àà àP.O.€Box€51545.ÌKnoxville,€TN€€37902à àà àà àà àKnoxville,€TN€37901ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÓ  ÓMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ó óóóÌÌJustice€E.€Riley€AndersonÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSenior€Judge€William€H.€InmanÌÌÌÌÌÌò òÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€à àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,€Senior€Judge€ÌAND€REMANDEDÌÑ  ÑòòÓÓà àó óóóThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏòòTenn.€Code€Annóó.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€ofÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà àThe€trial€judge€found€the€plaintiff€had€sustained€an€injury€to€his€knee€andÏback€arising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€his€employment€with€the€defendant.€€TheÏtrial€court€awarded€the€plaintiff€30%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€leg€as€aÏresult€of€the€knee€injury€and€25%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€aÏwhole€as€a€result€of€the€back€injury.Ìà àThe€defendant€says€the€trial€judge€erroneously€found€the€plaintiff€had€givenÏnotice€of€an€accidental€injury€to€his€back€and€says,€also,€that€the€awards€for€theÏinjuries€were€erroneous.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.ÌÓ  ÓInjury€to€the€KneeÌÓ  Óà àDuring€March€1992,€the€plaintiff€injured€his€right€knee.€€He€was€treated€by€Dr.ÏPaul€Naylor€for€this€injury.€€Dr.€Naylor€performed€surgery€on€the€plaintiffððs€knee€onÏOctober€13,€1992€to€repair€the€damage€sustained€by€the€plaintiff.€€Dr.€NaylorÏtestified€the€plaintiff€had€a€12%€medical€impairment€to€his€knee€as€a€result€of€theÏaccident,€which€the€defendant€does€not€dispute.€€We€find€the€evidence€does€notÏpreponderate€against€the€evidence€of€30%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€legÏfound€by€the€trial€judge,€and€we€affirm€the€judgment€œthereon.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).›ÌÓ  ÓœInjury›€to€the€BackÌÓ  Óà àThe€plaintiff€testified€he€injured€his€back€in€April€1993€when€he€reached€backÏto€lock€the€tailgate€of€a€truck€he€was€driving€in€the€course€of€his€employment.€€HeÏtestified€he€gave€notice€of€the€injury€to€his€supervisor,€James€Hawkins,€and€theÏsafety€director,€Steve€Bell.€€Hawkins€and€Bell€testified€the€plaintiff€did€not€give€themÏnotice€of€an€accidental€injury€as€he€testified.€€They€testified€the€plaintiff€related€thatÏthe€back€pain€he€was€having€was€connected€to,€or€was€a€result€of,€the€knee€injury.Ìà àMedical€reports€submitted€to€Steve€Bell€by€Dr.€Naylor€addressed€the€matterÏof€the€plaintiffððs€back€injury.€€The€plaintiff€testified€he€discussed€the€trial€injury€withÏSteve€Bell€by€phone€after€being€seen€by€Dr.€Naylor€concerning€his€back€injury.€€Mr.ÏBell€testified€the€plaintiff€again€related€that€the€back€pain€was€caused€by€the€kneeÏinjury.€€Dr.€Naylor€testified€the€injury€to€the€plaintiffððs€back€was€a€separate€andÏdistinct€injury€from€the€injury€to€his€knee.€€Dr.€Naylor€testified€the€plaintiff€hadÏsustained€a€ten€percent€permanent€medical€impairment€to€the€body€as€a€whole€asÍa€result€of€the€back€injury.€€Dr.€Naylor€was€of€the€opinion€the€plaintiff€would€haveÏdifficulty€bending,€stooping,€climbing€and€sitting€or€standing€for€long€periods€of€timeÏbecause€of€the€back€injury.Ìà àDr.€Steven€Sanders€saw€the€plaintiff€also€as€a€result€of€the€injury€to€his€backÏand€found€he€retained€a€four€percent€neurological€impairment€to€the€back.Ìà àThe€only€significant€issue€raised€in€this€case€is€whether€the€plaintiff€gaveÏnotice€to€the€defendant€that€he€had€sustained€a€back€injury.€€The€testimony€on€thisÏissue€is€in€direct€conflict€as€shown€by€the€testimony€of€the€plaintiff€who€says€heÏgave€notice€and€by€the€testimony€of€James€Hawkins€and€Steve€Bell€who€say€he€didÏnot€give€notice.Ìà àThe€trial€judge€found€the€plaintiff€had€given€notice€of€the€injury€as€heÏtestified.€€Thus,€the€trial€judge€accredited€the€plaintiffððs€testimony.€€In€òòClarendon€v.ÏBaptist€Memorial€Hospóó.,€796€S.W.2d€685,€689€(Tenn.€1990),€the€TennesseeÏSupreme€Court€noted:ÌÓÓÌà0 àà àIn€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.,óó€734€œS.W.2d›€315,€315€(Tenn.Ï1987),€this€Court€held,€€ð ðWhere€the€trial€judge€has€seen€and€heardÏwitnesses,€especially€where€issues€of€credibility€and€weight€of€oral€testimonyÏare€involved,€on€review€considerable€deference€must€still€be€accorded€toÏthose€circumstances.ðð€€òòSee€also€Tenn„Tex€Properties€v.€Brownell„Electro,ÏInc.óó,€778€œS.W.2d›€423,€426€(Tenn.€1989)€(ððWhere€the€issue€for€decisionÏdepends€on€the€determination€of€the€credibility€of€witnesses,€the€trial€court€isÏthe€best€judge€of€the€credibility€and€its€findings€of€credibility€are€entitled€toÏgreat€weight.ðð)€€òòClarendon€v.€Baptist€Memorial€Hosp.óó,€796€S.W.2d€685,€689Ï(Tenn.€1990).ÌÓÓÌà àWe€do€not€œre„weigh›€the€credibility€of€witnesses€seen€and€heard€by€the€trialÏjudge.€€That€duty€lies€with,€and€remains€with,€the€trial€judge.€€We€review€a€case€deÏnovo€with€the€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€trial€courtððs€findings€of€œfact,ÏT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2),›€and,€in€determining€where€the€preponderance€of€theÏevidence€lies,€we€receive€as€established€those€facts€found€œby›€the€trial€œjudge€thatÏare€based€upon›€the€œcredibility›€of€the€witnesses€whom€the€trial€judge€saw€and€heardÏtestify.€€We€conclude€the€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€finding€of€theÏtrial€judge€that€the€plaintiff€gave€notice€to€the€defendant€of€the€injury€to€his€back.Ìà àWe€see€no€need€to€go€into€further€analysis€of€the€medical€testimony€in€thisÏcase€in€the€matter€of€the€injury€to€the€plaintiffððs€back.€€The€evidence€supports€theÏtrial€judgeððs€award€of€25%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole€as€aÏresult€of€the€back€injury.Ìà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed,€and€we€remand€the€case€forÏassessment€of€the€costs,€which€are€taxed€against€the€defendant/appellant.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€œJudgeÔ€!ÔÇà àà àà àÌà àà àà àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€AT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÌÌÌTIMOTHY€CRABTREEà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€)à àKNOX€CHANCERYà àà àà àà àà àà à€à à€à àÏà à€)à àNo.€€118369„2€€à àà à€€à àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)à à€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àHon.€H.€David€CateÌvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àà à.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€)à à03S01„9603„„CV„00035ÌAPAC€TENNESSEE,€INC.à àà àà à€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)Ìà à€Defendant/Appellantà àà àà à€)à àà àà àà à€Ô€!îÔÌÌÌÌÓffÓà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€òòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€theÏentire€record,€including€the€order€of€referral€toÏthe€Special€Workerðð€Compensation€Panel,€and€theÏPanelððs€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€itsÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àÌà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€theÏMemorandum€Opinion€of€the€Panel€should€beÏaccepted€and€approved€;€andÌÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€PanelððsÏfindings€of€act€and€conclusions€of€law€areÏadopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€theÏPanel€is€made€the€Judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÌà àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€theÏdefendant/appellant€and€surety,€Janet€L.€Hogan,Ïfor€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.€€Ì€Ì12/19/96à àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ€à àà à€€à àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ€à àà à€€œÔ€!Ô›