ÿWPCL 7# UN %k 0ûqU:l4¦º 0DÉ w@ 0?U 0D” Ø Þ 0JÞ 0T( 0^| 0hÚ 0rB 0|´ 0†0 0¶ 1uF 0d» AQÆp 06 0@M B D/ª BÙ D3öU>)U *gU*‘B)»DCä AM'Ét¾=v~ûvÓy˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ÓH=$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal[  AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ LegalTÑÔ€XÎ_XXXÔÑ7€¾úXXdðXXdð7Ñ, øð AZ‹"Arial Regular„e"øð 3|x($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó ôõÊöD÷Ó€U îÀÓ€(ï(3½l$¤¤Ý ƒH=!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€XX›XXXÔÑ7€¥pXXdìdì7ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóH2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"# &Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(ï3¬G$¢¢Ý ƒH=!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€XX›XXXÔÑ7€¥pXXdìdì7ÑÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò d(('÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd$$$$'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial< Œ 9p`(Times% Line 7 d00007Border 1dd!#1Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ¿Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€-ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€.ÔÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌJuneÏ24,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó ó ´Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€-ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€.ÔÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌJuneÏ24,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'\ÑÔ€.ÔÑ#€//Xd#ÑÑ#€//Xd#ÑÝ  Ý›Ñ À ÑÑ X Ñò òÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÞ ÞÌÌÌÓÓó óà@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEE̜ـ!ÙßR€231A1-j|(C` 81 `€€@ÿRß›à@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEó óÌÓÓÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌDARLA€GAIL€FARMILOE,à àà àà à)à àMAURY€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)à àNO.€œ01S01„9610„CV„00199›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€JIM€T.€HAMILTON,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJUDGEÌSATURN€CORPORATION,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:ÌÌó óóóThomas€H.€œPeebles›,€IVà àà àà àJ.€Anthony€ArenaÌDana€C.€œMcLendon›,€IIIà àà àà àœSchulman›,€œLeRoy›€&€BennettÌœWaller›€œLansden›€œDortch›€&€Davisà àà à501€Union€Building,€œ7th›€FloorÌ809€South€Main€Street,€Suite€300à àP.€O.€Box€190676ÌP.€O.€Box€1035à àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€37219„0676ÌColumbia,€TN€38402„1035ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóJustice€Lyle€œReid›ÌSenior€Judge€William€H.€InmanÌSpecial€Judge€William€S.€RussellÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òMODIFIEDà àà àà àà àà àà àINMAN,€Senior€Judgeó óÌÌÌÓÓà 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€complaint€was€filed€June€23,€1994.€€The€plaintiff€alleged€that€sheÏsustained€various€job„related€injuries€arising€from€her€employment,€the€first€beingÏNovember€21,€1991€involving€upper€back€and€shoulder€pain€which€developedÏgradually.€€The€defendant€admitted€the€report€of€these€injuries.Ìà àTrial€of€the€case€in€œFebruary›€1996€resulted€in€a€finding€that€the€plaintiffððs€jobÏduties€advanced€the€severity€of€her€pre„existing€conditions€and€that€she€hadÏsustained€a€75€percent€occupational€disability€with€benefits€payable€in€a€lump€sum.€ÏThe€employer€appeals,€and€presents€for€review€the€issues€of€(1)€whether€the€plaintiffÏsustained€a€compensable€injury€to€her€neck,€back€and€left€upper€extremity,€(2)Ïwhether€the€award€is€excessive,€and€(3)€whether€the€award€should€be€paid€in€aÏlump€sum.€€We€will€consider€these€issues€jointly.Ìà àOur€review€of€the€findings€of€fact€made€by€the€trial€court€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€theÏrecord€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€theÍfinding,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€òòTenn.€Code€Ann.€ððóóÏ50„6„225(e)(2).€€òòStone€v.€City€of€œMcMinnville›,€óó896€S.W.2d€584€(Tenn.€1991).€Ìà àWhere€testimony€is€presented€by€deposition,€this€Court€is€able€to€make€itsÏown€independent€assessment€of€the€proof€to€determine€where€the€preponderanceÏof€the€evidence€lies.€€òòCooper€v.€œINA›,€óó884€S.W.2d€446€(Tenn.€1994).Ìà àThe€plaintiff€is€48€years€old,€and€a€high€school€graduate.€€She€applied€forÏemployment€at€Saturn€in€March,€1990€and€revealed€in€her€application€that€she€wasÏinjured€in€a€traffic€accident€in€1986,€suffering€pulled€muscles€in€her€back;€that€sheÏhad€been€in€another€accident€ð ða€few€months€before,ðð€and€was€having€back€andÏneck€problems;€and€that€she€had€a€carpal€tunnel€release€performed€in€1986.Ìà àBefore€1990€she€worked€in€restaurant€management,€studied€computerÏsoftware€applications€and€medical€laboratory€technology,€and€managed€a€businessÏforms€supply€company€for€three€years.Ìà àShe€did€not€reveal€to€Saturn€that€in€addition€to€the€two€automobile€accidentsÏmentioned,€she€sustained€neck€and€back€injuries€in€another€automobile€accidentÏtwenty€years€earlier€and€had€since€suffered€persistent€pain€in€her€neck€and€back.€ÏShe€also€failed€to€reveal€that€she€had€refused€to€undergo€carpal€tunnel€release€toÏher€left€arm€notwithstanding€medical€advice€to€do€so€contemporaneously€with€theÏcarpal€tunnel€release€to€her€right€arm.Ìà àShe€began€work€on€January€3,€1991€and€within€ten€weeks€complained€ofÏpain€in€her€lower€back.€€Four€weeks€later,€she€complained€of€left€wrist€pain.Ìà àOn€September€24,€1991,€she€saw€her€personal€physician€with€a€complaint€ofÏneck€pain€that€had€persisted€since€1990,€relating€it€to€her€latest€automobileÏaccident.€€She€was€treated€and€released.Ìà àOn€November€12,€1991,€she€complained€of€pain€in€her€upper€back€which€sheÏattributed€to€lifting€and€bending€at€her€work€station.€€She€was€treated€and€released.Ìà àIn€February€1992€she€complained€of€neck€and€back€pain,€and€was€againÏtreated€and€released.Ìà àIn€October€1992,€she€complained€of€pain€in€her€right€hip€which€she€attributedÏto€stepping€and€bending€on€her€job.Ìò òòòà@ àThe€Medical€ProofÌà àó óóóShe€was€referred€to€Dr.€Jeffrey€Adams,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€on€JanuaryÏ21,€1993.€€She€complained€of€pain€in€her€right€hip€of€three€monthsðð€duration,€andÏstated€to€Dr.€Adams€that€she€was€born€with€dysplasia,€but€did€not€tell€him€about€herÏother€injuries€and€complaints.€€Dr.€Adams€diagnosed€her€hip€pain€as€caused€byÏmeralgia€œparesthetica›,€an€inflammation€of€a€nerve.€€He€treated€the€plaintiff€for€theÏensuing€nine€months,€but€she€never€mentioned€to€him€any€problems€about€herÏshoulder,€back€or€neck.€€Dr.€Adams€released€her€in€October,€1993€with€someÏtemporary€restrictions€as€to€lifting,€bending€and€walking.Ìà àOn€November€2,€1995,€he€performed€an€independent€medical€evaluation€ofÏthe€plaintiff.€€He€attributed€her€neck€pain€to€a€bulging€disc€and€cervical€spondylosis,Ïwith€a€history€of€neck€injuries,€with€a€five€percent€impairment.€€He€declined€toÏattribute€her€neck€problems€with€employment€since€she€never€mentioned€theseÏproblems€to€him€during€the€eight€months€of€his€treatment.€€He€saw€her€eleven€timesÏfor€her€hip€problems,€which€he€attributed€to€the€repetitive€physical€actions€of€her€job,Ïand€assessed€her€impairment€at€one€(1)€percent€to€her€whole€body.€€For€her€left€armÏhe€assessed€a€six€percent€impairment€to€her€whole€body,€or,€in€toto,€a€12€percentÏimpairment€to€her€whole€body.Ìà àPlaintiff€sought€treatment€by€Dr.€Jimmy€Wolfe,€a€neurologist.€€He€first€saw€herÏon€January€25,€1994.€€She€complained€of€pain€in€her€right€hip€and€shoulder,€whichÏshe€represented€as€job„related.€€Dr.€Wolfe€diagnosed€her€neck€pain€as€beingÏcaused€by€a€pinched€nerve€for€which€he€assigned€a€15€percent€impairment€to€herÏwhole€body;€for€the€lumbar€sacral€area€he€assigned€a€ten€percent€impairment€to€herÏwhole€body;€for€the€carpal€tunnel€a€six€percent€impairment;€for€the€right€hip€a€twoÏpercent€impairment,€and€in€combination€an€impairment€to€her€whole€body€of€28Ïpercent.Ìà àAppellant€argues€that€Dr.€Wolfe€was€unaware€of€the€plaintiffððs€extensiveÏhistory€of€pre„employment€injuries.€€Perhaps€so;€his€deposition€does€not€reveal€thatÏhe€was€questioned€about€her€various€traumas,€and€the€argument€thus€has€aÏlessened€impact.€€He€attributed€his€impairment€rating€of€28€percent€to€injuriesÏsustained€on€the€job,€with€no€reference€to€aggravation€of€pre„existing€conditions.€ÏòòSee,€Smith€v.€Smithððs€Transfer,€óó735€S.W.2d€221€(Tenn.€1987).Ìà àWe€have€carefully€reviewed€the€deposition€of€Dr.€Wolfe€and€can€butÏimpermissibly€speculate€about€his€testimony€had€the€plaintiffððs€admitted€medicalÏhistory€been€spread€before€him.€€His€admitted€recourse€to€certain€diagnosticÏprocedures€that€bear€scrutiny€affects€the€weight€of€his€evaluations€to€an€extent,Ïkeeping€in€mind€that€he€was€not€an€approved€physician€but€was€employed€by€theÏplaintiff€for€reasons€unnecessary€to€be€articulated€since€the€defendant€does€notÏquestion€his€charges.Ìà àThe€primary€treating€physician,€Dr.€Adams,€was€also€kept€in€the€dark€aboutÏthe€plaintiffððs€pre„existing€problems.€€As€already€observed,€he€treated€herÏcomplaints€of€hip€pain€for€eight€months€during€which€time€she€never€mentioned€anyÏinjury€or€œproblems›€with€her€shoulder,€back,€or€neck,€a€singularly€strange€behavioralÍmode,€to€say€the€least.€€The€circumstances€of€the€treatment€by€experts,€and€theÏinformation€available€to€them,€are€important€to€consider,€òòœOrman›€v.€WilliamsÏœSonoma›,€Inc.,€óó803€S.W.2d€672€(Tenn.€1991),€and€this€rule,€born€of€experience,€hasÏa€peculiar€application€to€the€case€at€hand.Ìà àWe€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€evidence€does€not€support€a€finding€of€75Ïpercent€occupational€disability.€€We€find€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€supportsÏa€finding€of€45€percent€disability€or€180€weeks€at€the€rate€of€$294.00€per€week,€andÏthe€judgment€is€modified€accordingly.Ìà àThis€complaint€was€filed€June€23,€1994.€€The€judgment€shall€be€paid€in€aÏlump€sum€pursuant€to€T.€C.€A.€50„6„229.€€Costs€are€evenly€divided€and€the€case€isÏremanded€for€all€appropriate€purposes.ÌÌÓÓÌà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌLyle€œReid›,€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌWilliam€SÔ% € Ô.€Russell,€Special€œJudgeÌÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€.ŠÔßJ€24;+'b|7¡` 81 `€@ÿJßà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌDARLA€GAIL€FARMILOE,à àà à}à àMAURY€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€6133€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Jim€T.€Hamilton,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌSATURN€CORPORATION,à àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9610„CV„00199Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à}à àMODIFIED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà 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 àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€ofÏthe€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà 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.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€evenly€between€the€Plaintiff€and€the€Defendant,Ïfor€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€June€24,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ̛Ԁ.XÔ