ÿWPC 1U:¾ %øþn­ 04»ïw@ï4/C 0JC 0T 0^á 0h? 0r§ 0| 0†• 0 1u« 0d U6„B)º AQãÆ4 0Pú 0@J 0DŠ DCÎ D/ B@ B] D3z AM­ U*ú $ f' & v~³vÓ1<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó Ó€DVîÀDPD Ó€ „e"(2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó7Border 1dd(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd!#%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ùÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌMay€13,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌMay€13,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  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€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€*,%A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌà@ à(FEBRUARY€1997€SESSION)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌDIANNE€B.€FOWLER,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€No.€0S01„9607„GS„00151€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏPlaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€WARREN€GENERAL€SESSIONSÌv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€ÌLIBERTY€MUTUAL€INSURANCE€€€€€€€€)€€HON.€BARRY€MEDLEY,€JUDGE€€€€ÌCOMPANY€and€DELORES'€MARKET€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Defendants/Appellants€€€)€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTSóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEEóó:ÌÌROBERT€R.€DAVIES€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€FRANK€D.€FARRAR€€€€€€€ÌDAVIES,€CANTRELL,€HUMPHREYS€&€McCOY€€€€€€WILLIAM€JOSEPH€BUTLER€ÌP.O.€Box€190609€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€FARRAR€&€HOLLIMAN€€€€€€ÌNashville,€TN€37219„0609€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.O.€Box€280€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Lafayette,€TN€37083ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,III,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌMODIFIED€AND€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€â{XXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€from€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€aÏworkers'€compensation€case€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(3)Ïfor€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà@ àòòÌóóà àThe€dispositive€issue€in€this€case€is€whether€or€not€theÏtrial€judge's€award€of€compensation€for€permanent€partialÏdisability€based€upon€a€vocational€disability€of€50%€to€the€bodyÏas€a€whole€is€adequately€supported€by€the€evidence.€€We€hold€thatÏthe€evidence€preponderates€against€an€award€in€that€amount€andÏmodify€the€judgment€to€reduce€the€permanent€partial€disabilityÏjudgment€to€an€amount€based€upon€a€vocational€disability€of€20%Ïto€the€body€as€a€whole.€€This€modification€renders€moot€theÏappellants'€other€issues.ÌÌà àIt€is€the€duty€of€this€court€to€review€the€findings€of€factÏof€the€trial€court€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€upon€the€record,€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€of€the€correctness€of€those€findings,€modifying€theÏtrial€court's€judgment€only€when€we€judge€it€to€be€contrary€toÏthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence.€€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏSection€50„6„225€(e)(2),€so€applied€in€countless€cases.ÌÌà àThe€appellee,€Dianne€B.€Fowler,€worked€at€Delores'€Market,Ïwhere€her€duties€required€her€to€operate€the€cash€register,€stockÏshelves,€make€sandwiches,€etc.€€Occasionally€she€would€unloadÏstock€from€delivery€trucks.€€On€June€8,€1995,€she€injured€herÏback€by€lifting€a€24€pound€bag€of€salt.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àTwo€orthopedic€surgeons€testified€by€deposition.€€Dr.€JohnÏC.€McInnis€diagnosed€her€injury€as€a€low€back€muscle€strain.€€HeÏarranged€to€have€an€MRI€of€her€low€back,€and€it€was€essentiallyÏnormal.€€The€employee€did€have€mild€bulging€of€the€disc€at€L4„5,Ïwhich€is€not€per€se€an€abnormal€finding.€€There€was€no€evidenceÏof€a€ruptured€disc€or€pinching€of€a€nerve.€€Dr.€McInnis€treatedÏher€until€November€30,€1995,€when€he€felt€that€she€had€reachedÏmaximum€medical€improvement.€€He€placed€no€specific€activityÏrestrictions€upon€her€and€assessed€an€impairment€rating€of€0%€toÏ5%€to€the€body€as€a€whole.ÌÌà àThe€second€specialist,€Dr.€Roger€Zwerner,€saw€her€at€theÏrequest€of€her€attorney,€for€evaluation€purposes.€€He€reviewedÍthe€M.R.I.€and€agreed€that€it€showed€central€bulging€but€noÏimpingement€on€the€nerve€roots.€€He€judged€her€impairment€at€13%.€ÏHe€restricted€her€bending€and€stooping€and€heavy€lifting,€butÏindicated€that€she€could€do€regular€work.€€He€advised€her€againstÏtaking€a€job€where€she€had€to€make€a€living€with€her€back.€€Dr.ÏZwerner€testified€that€he€anticipated€that€this€type€of€injuryÏwould€improve€over€a€period€of€time.ÌÌà àMrs.€Fowler€returned€to€her€old€job,€working€only€four€hoursÏa€day.€€She€did€this€for€two€months,€then€quit.€€She€testifiedÏthat€the€work€caused€her€severe€pain.€€She€testified€that€herÏcondition€had€worsened€since€Dr.€McGinnis€last€saw€her.ÌÌà àIt€is€our€judgment€that€her€vocational€disability€resultingÏfrom€this€low€back€muscle€strain€should€be€modified€to€20%€to€theÏbody€as€a€whole.Ìà àÌà àThe€trial€court's€judgment€is€so€modified€and€the€causeÏremanded€to€the€trial€court€for€all€necessary€purposes.€€Costs€onÏappeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellants.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€ÌASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURT€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ìà àÌÌÌÑ€-ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ Òòòà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌßJ€*.;+'b|}3` ç `€@ÿJßÌÌÌDIANNE€B.€FOWLER,à àà àà à}à àWARREN€GENERAL€SESSIONSÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€6097„GSWC€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Barry€Medley,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌLIBERTY€MUTUAL€INSURANCEà àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9607„GS„00151ÌCOMPANY€&€DELORESðð€MARKET,à à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àÌà àDefendants/Appellantsà à}à àMODIFIED€AND€REMANDED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€Memorandum€OpinionÏsetting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€MemorandumÏOpinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€theÏdecision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Liberty€Mutual€Insurance€CompanyÏand€Deloresðð€Market,€Principals,€and€their€Surety,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€May€13,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ