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ÔÔ€'ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÝ  Ý›Þ ÞÌà@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEE̜ـ ÙßR€+,)A1-j|` à. `€€@ÿRß›à@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLE€ó óÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌEBASCO€CONSTRUCTORS,€INC.à à)à àRHEA€CHANCERYÌand€INSURANCE€COMPANY€OF€à à)ÌNORTH€AMERICA,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€œ03S01„9701„CH„00009›à àÌà àPlaintiffs/Appellantsà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€JEFFREY€F.€STEWART,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àCHANCELLORÌDONALD€RICE,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellants:à àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:ÌÌó óóóF.R.€Evansà àà àà àà àà àà àJames€S.€ThompsonÌMilligan,€Barry,€Hensley€&€Evansà àà àà àLogan,€Thompson,€Miller,€Bilbo,Ì800€First€Tennessee€Bldg.à àà àà àà àà àThompson€&€Fisher,€P.C.ÌChattanooga,€TN€€37402à àà àà àà à30€Second€St.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àP.O.€Box€191Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àCleveland,€TN€€37354„0191ÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌóóó óÌò òòòÌÌMembers€of€Panel:Ìóóó óÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌDon€T.€McMurray,€JudgeÌWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àINMAN,€SeniorÏJudgeÌÑ  ÑÓÓó 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 àThe€paraphrased€issue€in€this€case€is€whether€the€finding€of€15%€permanentÏpartial€disability€is€supported€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€under€ourÏstandard€of€review€as€mandated€by€Rule€13(d),€T.R.A.P.€and€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€It€is€not€disputed€that€the€appellee€suffered€a€job„related€accidental€backÏinjury€on€August€12,€1993,€while€using€a€20„pound€drill€with€one€hand€because€ofÏclose€working€quarters.Ìà àOfficially,€he€lost€no€time€from€work€but€was€assigned€to€lighter€duties€until€heÏwas€laid€off€in€July€1994.€€He€testified€that€during€the€year€following€his€injury,€heÏmissed€about€25„30€days€because€of€back€pain.€€In€October€1994€he€was€employedÏby€another€company€as€a€pipefitter€but€was€laid€off€after€only€three€weeks€becauseÍhe€could€not€do€heavy€lifting.€€He€took€re„training€courses€in€valve€technology€andÏobtained€satisfactory€employment€not€involving€the€lifting€of€heavy€materials.€€HeÏtestified€that€he€can€no€longer€engage€in€physical€activities€which€require€heavyÏlifting.Ìà àDr.€Herbert€Dodge€was€his€treating€physician.€€He€initially€prescribedÏconservative€treatment€for€a€spondylolisthesis€at€the€lowest€part€of€the€low€back,Ïwith€accompanying€muscle€spasms.€€He€did€not€relate€the€spondylolisthesis€to€anÏinjury,€because€it€was€congenital,€but€œsaid€the›€muscle€spasm€was€caused€byÏtrauma.€€Dr.€Dodge€continued€to€see€the€appellee€who€complained€of€pain€butÏfollowed€instructions€with€respect€to€light€work.€€He€opined€that€the€appellee€had€aÏthree€(3%)€percent€medical€impairment€to€his€whole€body€as€a€result€of€his€injury.Ìà àDr.€Lester€Littell€examined€the€appellee€on€one€occasion,€March€2,€1994,€forÏthe€purpose€of€evaluation.€€He€concurred€in€the€diagnosis€of€spondylolisthesis€andÏtestified€that€if€the€condition€is€symptomatic,€i.e.,€if€the€patient€suffered€a€reportedÏinjury€which€was€documented€and€if€he€complains€of€pain,€the€AMA€Guidelines€callÏfor€a€seven€(7%)€percent€impairment€rating.€Ìà àThe€trial€judge€found€injury,€causation€and€impairment.€€He€attributed€greaterÏweight€to€the€opinion€of€Dr.€Littell€and€used€the€2.5€multiplier€in€arriving€at€a€findingÏof€15%€permanent€partial€disability.Ìà àThe€appellant€argues€that€the€impairment€assigned€by€both€orthopedicÏspecialists€was€based€upon€a€pre„existing€developmental€condition€unrelated€to€theÏemployment€and€not€advanced€by€the€job€injury.€€If€so,€there€can€be€no€recovery€ofÏbenefits.€€òòSee€Cunningham€v.€Goodyear€Tire€&€Rubber€Co.óó,€811€S.W.2d€888€(Tenn.Í1991).€€But€the€thrust€of€both€medical€opinions€indicated€that€an€injury€caused€theÏpre„existing€anomaly€to€become€symptomatic,€which€resulted€in€impairment€withinÏthe€ambit€of€the€Workersðð€œCompensation›€Law.Ìà àThe€appellant€next€argues€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€applying€the€disabilityÏcap€of€2.5€times€the€impairment€assessment€of€Dr.€Littell,€who€examined€theÏappellee€only€on€one€occasion€and€found€no€advancement€of€the€pre„existingÏcondition.€€However,€Dr.€Littell€apparently€relied€in€part€upon€the€medical€recordsÏgenerated€by€Dr.€Dodge,€who€also€recognized€that€the€injury€caused€theÏspondylolisthesis€to€become€symptomatic,€which€is€cognizable€under€the€AMAÏGuidelines€as€a€œratable›€injury.€€Dr.€Dodge€did€not€utilize€the€Guidelines€[ððthey€wereÏnot€written€in€stoneðð],€and€we€cannot€say€that,€given€all€the€circumstances,€theÏimpairment€percentage€assessed€by€the€evaluating€physician€should€not€have€beenÏpreferred€over€that€of€the€treating€physician.Ìà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed€and€costs€assessed€to€the€appellant.ÌÓÓÓÓÌà àÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÌÌÌœÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:›ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌDon€T.€McMurray,€œSpecialÔ% € Ô›€œJudgeÇÒ  ÒÒ H Òà àà àà àÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€IN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà à€à à€€€€€€€€€€€€€AT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÒ Ê ÒÒ H ÒÌÒ S ÒÒ H ÒEBASCO€CONSTRUCTORS,€INC.€€€€€€€€€€)€€RHEA€CHANCERYà àÌand€INSURANCE€COMPANY€OF€€à à€)à àà à€€€€€€€€€€ÌNORTH€AMERICA,à àà àà àà à€)€€No.€€8318Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellantsà àà àà à€)€€€à à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà à€€€€€€à à€)€€€€€à àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)à à€à àÌvs.€€à àà àà àà àà àà à€)€€€€€Hon.€Jeffrey€F.€Stewart,€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà à€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€ChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€)ÌDONALD€RICE,à àà àà àà à€)à àà àÌ€€€€à àà àà àà àà àà à€)€€€€€€03S01„9701„97010„CH„00009Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendants/Appellee.à àà à€)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌà àà àà àà àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌà àà àà àÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€ÓfæÓÓ ø ÓÓ` Ü…X ì–XÓThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€theÏorder€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€Panel,€and€the€PanelððsÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€of€theÏPanel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€JudgmentÏof€the€Court.€€à àà àÌÒ  ÒÒ H Òà à€€€€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendant/appellant,€EbascoÏConstructors,€Inc.€and€surety,€F.€R.€Evans,€for€which€execution€may€issue€ifÏnecessary.ÌÌ08/21/97€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÙ€ÙÙ€Ù<<€Conversion€error€>>à àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€forÏreview€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann€.ðð€50„6„225€(e)€(5)€(B),€the€entire€record,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€AppealsÏPanel,€and€the€Panelððs€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€factÏand€conclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;ÌÓ  ÓÓÓà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€notÏwell€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€plaintiff„appellant€and€sureties,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€____€day€of€June,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌAnderson,€J.€„€Not€ParticipatingÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌal€to€the€Special€Workerðð€Compensation€Panel,€and€the€Panelððs€MemorandumÏOpinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€areÏincorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àÌà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€of€theÏPanel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€act€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€theÏJudgment€of€the€Court.ÌÌà àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€€to€the€plaintiff„appellant,€Vernon€Harris€andÌGilbert€and€Faulkner.€surety,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.€€ÌÌ06/03//97à àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€Judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àà àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendant/appellant,€BaptistÏHospital€of€East€Tennessees€and€Barry€K.€Maxwell,€surety,€for€which€executionÏmay€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌ07/11/97€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ<<€Conversion€error€>>à àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€forÏreview€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann€.ðð€50„6„225€(e)€(5)€(B),€the€entire€record,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€AppealsÏPanel,€and€the€Panelððs€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€factÏand€conclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€notÏwell€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€plaintiff„appellant€and€sureties,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€____€day€of€June,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌAnderson,€J.€„€Not€ParticipatingÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌal€to€the€Special€Workerðð€Compensation€Panel,€and€the€Panelððs€MemorandumÏOpinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€areÏincorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àÌà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€of€theÏPanel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€act€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€theÏJudgment€of€the€Court.ÌÌà àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€€to€the€plaintiff„appellant,€Vernon€Harris€andÌGilbert€and€Faulkner.€surety,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.€€ÌÌ06/03//97à àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌà à›