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ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€*ÖÑ  ÑÔ&  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÙ€!ÙÖ€-ÖÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔßR€./,A1-j|2` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€NASHVILLEÌ(March€20,€1997€Session)Ì€ÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCAROL€A.€HILLIARD,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€STEWART€CHANCERYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellant,€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€)€€€€€Hon.€Robert€E.€Burch,Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€)€€€€€Judge.Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€No.€01S01„9609„CH„00193ÌTENNESSEE€STATE€HOME€HEALTH€)ÌSERVICES,€INC.,€now€HEALTH€PLUSÔ€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€)ÌOF€TENNESSEE,€INC.€and€AETNA€€€€€€€)ÌCASUALTY€&€SURETY€COMPANY,€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendants„Appellees.€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)ÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€State€Farm€ÏInsurance€óóÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòCompany:óóÌHerbert€E.€PatrickÌClarksville,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Tom€CortsÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ortale,€Kelley,€Herbert€&ÏCrawfordÌGregory€D.€Smith€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TennesseeÌClarksville,€TennesseeÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€Aetna€Casualty€&óóÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòSurety€Company:ÌóóÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Tracy€ShawÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Howell€&€FisherÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TennesseeòòÌóóÌÌÌÔ'  ÔòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓVACATED€AND€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÓ ö€ÓÌà àà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€andÏreporting€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€The€employeeÏcontends,€in€this€appeal,€that€there€is€a€genuine€issue€of€material€factÏconcerning€causation€and€that€the€summary€judgment€of€dismissal€should€beÏreversed.€€As€discussed€below,€the€panel€has€concluded€the€case€should€beÏremanded€for€trial.Ó ¹ ÓÌà àà àIn€1971€and€1972,€the€claimant€underwent€gallbladder€surgeryÏand€a€hysterectomy.€€In€conjunction€therewith,€she€was€given€two€bloodÏtransfusions.€€Over€the€next€several€years,€she€carried€on€a€normal€life€andÏexhibited€no€more€than€normal€health€problems.Ó rAÓÌà àà àHowever,€in€1988,€the€claimant€visited€a€doctor€complaining€ofÏextreme€fatigue,€a€symptom€of€hepatitis€C.€€In€1989,€she€visited€a€doctorÏwho€noted€she€had€an€enlarged€liver,€also€a€symptom€of€hepatitis€C.Ìà àà àBy€1992,€the€claimant's€fatigue€had€become€worse€and€sheÏexperienced€a€series€of€colds€and€viruses.€€She€was€again€diagnosed€with€anÏenlarged€liver,€and€hepatitis€C€was€diagnosed€for€the€first€time.€€She€has€seenÏseveral€doctors,€including€Dr.€Ellen€B.€Hunter,€whose€deposition€was€filedÍin€support€of€the€defendants'€motion€for€summary€judgment.Ìà àà àDr.€Hunter€testified€that€hepatitis€C€sufferers€often€remainÏasymptomatic€for€many€years.€€The€claimant€testified€that€the€signs€of€theÏdisease€began€after€she€started€working€for€the€employer€providing€nursingÏcare€for€medical€patients.€€She€said€she€never€had€any€major€health€problemsÏbefore€that,€a€circumstance€confirmed€by€her€family€doctor€in€his€affidavit.Ìà àà àDr.€Hunter€testified€the€condition€could€have€been€caused€by€theÏabove€transfusions€or€by€working€with€patients€having€hepatitis€C.€€SheÏconfirmed€that€a€health€care€worker€such€as€the€claimant€"is€at€risk€forÏacquiring€hepatitis€C."Ìà àà àThe€trial€court€granted€a€summary€judgment€of€dismissal.€ÏAppellate€review€is€controlled€by€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€56.€€òòDownen€v.€AllstateÏIns.€Co.óó,€811€€S.W.2d€€523€(Tenn.€1991).€€The€pleadings€and€evidence€mustÏbe€viewed€in€the€light€most€favorable€to€the€opponent€of€the€motion.€€òòWyattÏv.€Winnebago€Indus.,€Inc.óó,€566€€S.W.2d€€276€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1977).€ÏSummary€judgment€is€to€be€rendered€only€when€it€is€shown€that€there€is€noÏgenuine€issue€as€to€a€material€fact€and€that€the€moving€party€is€entitled€to€aÏjudgment€as€a€matter€of€law.€€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€56.€€It€is€almost€never€anÏoption€in€workers'€compensation€cases.€€òòBerry€v.€Consolidated€Systems,ÏInc.óó,€804€€S.W.2d€€445€(Tenn.€1991).€€In€a€summary€judgment€hearing,€evenÏwhere€the€parties€have€no€right€to€a€jury€trial,€the€trial€judge€is€not€at€libertyÏto€weigh€the€evidence.Ìà àà àFrom€a€deliberate€consideration€of€the€record,€the€briefs€andÏthe€law€governing€the€issue€presented,€we€conclude€this€is€not€a€proper€caseÏfor€summary€judgment.€€Our€action€should€not€be€interpreted€as€aÏsuggestion€that€the€claim€is€necessarily€meritorious.€€We€make€no€judgmentÏin€that€regard.€€That€decision€is€for€the€trial€court€after€a€full€opportunityÏfor€both€sides€to€present€their€witnesses.€€The€claimant€is€not€relieved€of€theÏburden€of€proving€the€necessary€elements€of€her€claim.Ìà àà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€accordingly€vacated€and€theÏcause€remanded€for€further€proceedings.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€theÏAetna€and€State€Farm,€one„half€each.Ó ¹ ÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________Ó ÓÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÑ€0ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ Òòòà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€.1;+'b|õ` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌCAROL€A.€HILLIARD,à àà àà à}à àSTEWART€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€93„6„170€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Robert€E.€Burch,€Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌTENNESSEE€STATE€HOMEà àà à}ÌHEALTH€SERVICES,€INC.,€nowà à}à àNo.€01S01„9609„CH„00193ÌHEALTH€PLUS€OF€TENNESSEE,à à}ÌINC.€and€AETNA€CASUALTY€&à à}à àÌSURETY€COMPANY,à àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendants/Appelleesà àà à}à àVACATED€AND€REMANDED.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€conclusionsÏof€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€OpinionÏof€the€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 àOne„half€of€the€costs€will€be€paid€by€Aetna€Casualty€&€SuretyÏCompany;€and€one„half€of€the€costs€will€be€paid€by€State€Farm€InsuranceÍCompany,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€May€21,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóó