ÿWPC 7# UL %i 0(o4—«U:ºU:ô. 0l6 0D¢ 0Jæ D30 0Tc 0^·w@U 0hU 0r½ 0|/ 0†« 01 1uÁ 0d6 AQš Æë 0D± 0@õ 0D5 D/y B¨ BÅ U *â B) DC5 AMx üÅ ÝÁžv~½vÓ;˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLÐ.@FÐ Z‹4GeoSlab703 Lt BT LightX($¡¡¢VK!3|x;,†r‰AZ‹"Arial Regular"Arial Regular((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô))))'ÿÿdxd2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô )*{+,Ó€67I8Ê9E:V;î26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd d< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d////7Border 1dd!#0Cþÿ << Gÿÿ òÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌOctober€17,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó ÓÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÔ€.ÔÓ  Óà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóIn€its€oral€findings€the€trial€court€referenced€Dr.€Barnettððs€finding€of€six€(6%)Ïpercent€permanent€impairment€and€stated,€ð ðThe€Court€finds€the€multiplier€of€six€shouldÏapply€in€this€case.ðð€€However,€the€final€order€signed€by€the€court€awards€benefits€basedÏon€thirty€(30%)€percent.Ì Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌOctober€17,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHPð€ÿÜÿìô”(üHPð€P € €'Styl{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  BA Op Geneva ÒÒ  BA Op Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÙ€!ÙÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€.Ôò ò›œßL€120;+'h|ÇÚ` ç `€€LßÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSððÏCOMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌó óÌÌÌò òDONNA€FORRESTER,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)à àHUMPHREYS€COUNTYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€ANTHONY€L.€SANDERSÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJUDGE€€€€€ÌOSHKOSH€BððGOSH€andà àà àà à)ÌTRAVELERS€INSURANCEà àà à)à àNo.€01S01„9511„JP„00206ÌCOMPANY,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellantsà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTóó:òòà àà àà àà àFOR€APPELLEESóó:€€ÌCharles€L.€Hicksà àà àà àà àWilliam€Ritchie€PigueÌPost€Office€Box€424à à€à àà àWilliam€G.€McCaskill,€Jr.Ì9€N.€Court€Squareà àà àà àà àOne€Union€StreetÌCamden,€TN€38320à àà àà àPost€Office€Box€198169Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TN€37219„8169ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€JUSTICEÌà@ àJOE€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌà@ àCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIEDà àà àà àCLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌó óÑ7€üžXXdðXXdð7ÑÓÓà àThis€workerððs€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€special€workerððsÏcompensation€appeals€panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.Ïðð50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law.€€ÌÌà àIn€this€appeal,€the€employer€contends€the€award€of€permanent€partial€disabilityÏbenefits€based€on€thirty€(30%)€percent× ƒ3 ××  ×€to€the€body€as€a€whole€is€excessive.€€This€panelÏconcurs,€and€modifies€the€award€of€the€trial€court€for€the€reasons€stated€below.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€Donna€Forrester€was€thirty„seven€years€old€at€the€time€of€trial.€€SheÏcompleted€the€tenth€grade€and€received€her€G.E.D.€in€1993€or€1994.€€Plaintiff€beganÏwork€for€Oshkosh€BððGosh€in€McEwen,€Tennessee€in€1984.€€In€1989€she€underwentÏsuccessful€bilateral€carpel€tunnel€surgery€and€returned€to€work€at€Oshkosh€as€a€sewingÍoperator.€€In€that€job€she€was€required€to€handle€her€own€bundles€of€clothing€and€to€pullÏup€to€seven€hundred€pairs€of€garments€a€day€to€sew.ÌÌà àIn€May€1993€plaintiff€began€to€experience€pain€in€her€hands,€arms,€neck€and€leftÏshoulder.€€Plaintiff€reported€these€problems€to€her€employer,€who€sent€her€to€Dr.€Noel€R.ÏDominguez.€€He€prescribed€medication€and€returned€her€to€work.€€the€medication€did€notÏhelp.€€Plaintiff€had€severe€headaches.€€Dr.€Dominguez€referred€plaintiff€back€to€Dr.€CarlÏHampf,€who€had€performed€the€earlier€carpel€tunnel€surgery.€€In€August€1993€plaintiffÏsaw€Dr.€Hampf,€who€ordered€a€nerve€conduction€study.€€The€results€were€normal.ÌÌà àIn€the€fall€of€1993€plaintiff€saw€Dr.€John€McInniss,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€whoÏordered€an€MRI€and€prescribed€physical€therapy.€€She€saw€Dr.€McInniss€four€or€fiveÏtimes.€€Following€her€final€visit€with€Dr.€McInniss,€plaintiff€never€returned€to€any€of€theÏauthorized€treating€physicians.€€Plaintiff€testified€that€employerððs€representative€KarenÏJones€advised€her€that€her€employer€would›€not€cover€any€further€visits€to€a€doctor.€ÏHowever,€she€admitted€that€on€June€20,€1994€€Oshkosh€notified€her€in€writing€that€sheÏcould€return€to€either€Dr.€Hampf,€Dr.€McInniss,€or€Dr.€David€Knapp.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€then€sought€treatment€from€Dr.€Dickie€Jackson,€who€ordered€physicalÏtherapy€and€referred€her€to€Dr.€Michael€Pagnani€and€Dr.€Carl€Misulis,€orthopedic€andÏneurological€physicians.€€Dr.€Misulis€ordered€a€CT€scan€and€received€a€copy€of€the€MRIÏdone€by€Dr.€McInniss.€€He€referred€plaintiff€to€Dr.€Joe€Rowland€in€the€same€clinic,€whoÏperformed€a€myelogram.€€That€test€result€was€normal.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€last€worked€for€Oshkosh€in€July€1994.€€She€testified€that€performing€thatÏwork€caused€her€hands€to€cramp€and€swell,€radiating€pain€through€her€arms,€across€theÏback€of€her€neck,€and€into€her€head.€€She€had€developed€a€knot€on€her€neck€which€stillÏexisted€at€trial.€€She€testified€that€she€could€no€longer€perform€work€in€a€sewing€factoryÏbecause€sitting€for€long€periods€of€time€was€not€possible.€€On€the€day€she€€quit€work€forÏdefendant€she€joined€the€certified€nursing€assistant€program€at€Waverly€Health€Care.€ÏShe€has€now€completed€this€course,€passed€an€examination,€and€become€a€certifiedÏnursing€assistant.€€In€September€1994€she€began€employment€at€Baptist€Three€RiversÏHospital.€€At€the€time€of€trial€she€was€still€working€there€part€time€while€attending€schoolÏto€become€a€licensed€practical€nurse.€€She€continues€to€experience€problems.€€She€canÏno€longer€perform€factory€work.ÌÌà àThere€is€conflicting€medical€evidence.€€All€diagnostic€tests€performed€byÏemployer„approved€doctors€were€normal.€€None€of€the€orthopedists€or€neurosurgeonsÏwho€examined€and€treated€plaintiff€found€any€objective€findings€to€substantiate€herÏcomplaints.€€Except€for€plaintiffððs€testimony,€no€medical€proof€was€tendered€at€trialÏregarding€the€reports,€findings€or€opinions€of€any€of€the€treating€physicians,€authorized€orÏunauthorized.€€The€only€direct€medical€proof€introduced€at€trial€was€the€deposition€of€Dr.ÏRobert€Barnett,€who€saw€plaintiff€on€one€occasion,€October€21,€1994,€at€the€request€ofÏher€attorney.€€His€notes€make€reference€to€the€findings€of€other€doctors.€€Dr.€BarnettÏassigned€a€six€(6%)€percent€impairment€to€the€body€as€a€whole€based€on€his€reading€ofÏan€earlier€MRI€report€showing€a€mild€disc€bulge€at€the€C5„6€level.€€He€did€not€review€theÍactual€MRI€film,€nor€did€he€measure€the€plaintiffððs€range€of€motion€in€her€neck.€€Dr.ÏBarnett€testified€that€plaintiffððs€EMG€and€nerve€conduction€studies€were€normal€and€that€aÏmyelogram€of€her€neck€also€was€normal.€€He€further€testified€by€deposition€that€theÏbulging€disc€at€C5„6€was€not€causing€any€nerve€root€impingement.€€He€also€testified€thatÏhe€placed€no€restrictions€on€plaintiffððs€activity.ÌÌà àAppellate€review€is€de€novo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderance€of€theÏevidence€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(2).€€This€tribunal€is€required€toÏconduct€an€independent€examination€of€the€record€to€determine€where€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòWingert€v.€Government€of€Sumner€Countyóó,€908ÏS.W.2d€921€(Tenn.€1995).€€We€also€make€an€independent€assessment€of€the€medicalÏproof€when€testimony€is€in€the€form€of€depositions.€€òòLanders€v.€Firemanððs€Fund€InsuranceÏCompanyóó,€775€S.W.2d€355,€356€(Tenn.€1989).ÌÌà àAn€employee€has€the€burden€of€proving€every€element€of€the€workerððsÏcompensation€case€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence.€€òòTindall€v.€Wearing€ParkÏAssociationóó,€725€S.W.2d€935,€937€(Tenn.€1987).€€Causation€and€permanency€must€beÏshown€by€expert€medical€evidence€except€in€the€most€obvious€cases.ÌÌà àAfter€carefully€reviewing€this€record,€we€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€finding€of€the€trial€court€that€plaintiff€suffered€a€thirty€(30%)Ïpercent€permanent€vocational€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole€as€a€result€of€her€work„related€injury.€€The€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€modified€to€provide€for€an€award€basedÏon€eighteen€(18%)€percent€to€the€body€as€a€whole.ÌÌà àAs€modified,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€The€case€is€remanded€toÏthe€trial€court€for€the€collection€of€costs€and€such€other€proceedings,€if€any,€as€mayÏappropriate.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendants/appellants.€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€JUSTICEÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌJOE€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌœ›œÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€.¼Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€14;+'b|k®` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌDONNA€FORRESTER,à àà àà à}à àÔ€.ŠÔHUMPHREYS€JUVENILE/PROBATEÔ€.¼ÔÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€P„0768„93€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Anthony€L.€Sanders,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌOSHKOSH€BððGOSH€andà àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9511„JP„00206ÌTRAVELERS€INSURANCE€CO.,à à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendants/Appellantsà àà à}à àAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIED.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€is€madeÏthe€judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€appellants€and€their€surety€for€which€executionÏmay€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€October€17,€1996.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€ÔÔ€Ôœ›œ›