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Ë’U6] AQ“Æä 0Pª 0@ú 0D:B)~ D/§ BÖ Bó D3DCC AM†U*Óýf*jv~”vÓ<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô3|xM«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó 9:;<E=>D?Ó€ILM5D""#X2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓWIG:\CLERKS\SWCOPN\JENKINS.OPNE‡¡IN[‡¡THE[‡¡SUPREME[‡¡COURT[‡¡OF[‡EE ¡ TENNESSEE[‡¡SPECIAL[‡EEEEEE E E E E EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE‡‡EE E!E"E#E$E%E&E'E(E)E*E+E,E-E.E/E0E1E2E3E4E5E6E7E8E9E:E;E<E=E>E?E@EAEBECEDEEEFEGEH‡EIEJ‡EK‡‡ELEMEN‡@ @(W1-TEST)‡EOEPEQER‡ESETEU‡EVEWEXEY‡EZE[E\E]‡E^E_E`EaEbEcEdEeEfEg‡EhEiEjEk‡‡ElEm‡‡|‡¡HER[‡¡JOB[‡¡IN[‡¡MAY[‡¡OF[‡En‡EoEpEqErEsEtEuEvEwExEyEzE{E|E}E~EE€EE‚Eƒ‡E„E…E†E‡EˆE‰EŠE‹EŒEEŽEEE‘E’E“E”E•E–E—E˜E™EšE›EœEEžEŸE E¡E¢E£E¤E¥E¦E§E¨E©EªE«E¬E­E®E¯E°E±E²E³E´EµE¶‡E·E¸E¹‡‡EºE»E¼E½E¾E¿EÀEÁEÂEÃEÄEÅEÆ/< Œ 9p`(Courier New!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3¾¹$¢¢Ý ƒ ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó% Line 7 d(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd%%%%7Border 1dd!#*Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ýÝ ƒ !ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌJanuary€17,€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€,XÔÌÌJanuary€17,€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|Îÿ` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌBARBARA€JENKINS,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€MACON€COUNTY€CRIMINAL€COURTÌ€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€HON.€J.O.€BOND,€JUDGE€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€ÌYASUDA€FIRE€&€MARINE€INSURANCE€€€)€€€No.€01S01„96021„CR„00036ÌCOMPANY,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€(No.€92„318€below)Ì€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellant.€€€€€)Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€APPELLEESóó:ÌÌNEIL€B.€KRUGMAN€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€E.€GUY€HOLLIMAN€€€€€€€€Ì511€Union€Street,€Suite€2100€€€€€€€€€€€WILLIAM€JOSEPH€BUTLER€€ÌNashville,€TN€37219„1760€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.O.€Box€280€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Lafayette,€TN€37083Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌÌà@ àADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,€CHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌREVERSED€AND€DISMISSEDà àà àà àà àRUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€²eXXdÈdÈ7Ñà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€CourtÏin€accordance€with€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225Ï(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findingsÏof€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€CASEÌóóà àThe€dispositive€issue€in€this€case€is€whether€or€not€theÏsuit€is€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€€The€trial€courtÏtried€this€issue€separately€on€December€23,€1993.€€After€hearingÏproof€relative€to€this€issue,€the€court€recessed€the€trial€andÏtook€the€statute€of€limitations€issue€under€advisement.€€A€yearÏand€a€half€later,€on€May€14,€1995,€the€court€ruled€that€the€suitÏwas€not€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€€The€trial€wasÏresumed€on€September€27,€1995,€and€resulted€in€a€judgment€for€aÏ45%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.ÌÌà àThe€employee€was€injured€on€the€job€on€February€13,€1991.€ÏShe€injured€her€shoulder€while€lifting.€€This€suit€was€not€filedÏuntil€July€31,€1992.€€To€counter€the€obvious€statute€ofÏlimitations€problem€the€complaint€alleged€that€the€plaintiff€"hasÏlearned€that€her€injuries€will€be€disabling€and€that€she€learnedÏsame€within€one€year€previous€to€the€filing€of€this€complaint".ÌÌà àThe€trial€court,€in€overruling€the€statute€of€limitationsÏdefense,€based€the€ruling€upon€this€finding:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àThis€worker€did€not€know€that€the€work€injuryÏwas€not€a€temporary€injury€but€permanent€inÏcharacter.€€In€fact,€the€company€doctor€toldÏher€the€injury€was€temporary.€€She€was€notÏafforded€a€list€of€three€(3)€doctors,€but€wasÏ"sent"€to€Dr.€Lu€Ponce,€who€x„rayed€her€andÏprovided€ultrasound€treatments.€€Drs.€HearnÏand€Ferrell€did€not€attribute€any€permanentÏdisability€to€her€work€injury.€€It€was€notÏuntil€April€1993€that€the€plaintiff€wasÏdiagnosed€with€a€condition€that€was€jobÏrelated,€and€that€the€condition€was€permanentÏand€disabling€in€nature.Ìà@ àÌà8 àà8 àThe€employee€was€reasonably€diligent€in€herÏquest€€for€medical€help.€€She€relied€on€theÏÑ7€²eXXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÑ7€²eXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñmedical€experts€who€treated€her.€€She€had€noÏreason€to€believe€her€injuries€wereÏpermanent.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌà8 àà8 àI€find€from€all€of€the€evidence€that€theÏemployee€was€not€informed€any€time€beforeÏApril€1993€that€her€injury€at€work€caused€herÏpermanent€disability€and€restrictions.€€TheÏstatute€of€limitation€was€tolled€and€her€suitÏwas€timely€filed.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÓÓÌà àNote€that€the€trial€court€found€that€it€was€not€until€AprilÍ1993€that€the€plaintiff€was€informed€that€her€injury€at€workÏcaused€her€permanent€disability€and€restrictions;€but,€asÏheretofore€noted,€this€suit€was€filed€on€July€31,€1992.€€It€isÏalleged€in€the€complaint:ÌÌà8 àà8 àÓÓ4.€€As€a€result€of€said€injury,€plaintiff€hasÏsuffered€temporary€and€òòpermanentóó€òòdisabilityóóÏòòtoóó€òòtheóó€òòbodyóó€òòasóó€òòaóó€òòwholeóó€*€*€*ÌÌà8 àà8 à5.€€As€a€result€of€the€aforenoted€injury€toÏplaintiff,€she€is€entitled€to€the€worker'sÏcompensation€benefits€of€this€State€asÏprovided€for€by€statutes.ÌÌà@ à*€*€*€*€*€*€ÌÌà8 àà8 à7.€Plaintiff€has€not€reached€her€maximumÏmedical€improvement€at€this€time€andÏòòplaintiff€has€learnedóó€that€her€injuries€willÏbe€disabling€and€that€òòshe€learned€same€withinÏone€year€previousóó€to€the€filing€of€thisÏcomplaint.ÌÌà8 àà8 àWHEREFORE€PLAINTIFF€PRAYS:ÌÌà@ à*€*€*€*€*€*ÌÌà8 àà8 à4.€That€plaintiff€be€awarded€temporary€totalÏdisability€from€the€date€of€her€injury€untilÏshe€reaches€maximum€improvement,€temporaryÏpartial€disability,€òòpermanent€partialÏdisability,€permanent€total€disability,€*€*€*€óóÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€evidence€presented€upon€the€trial€was€that€theÏplaintiff,€then€46€years€old,€had€nine€years€of€formal€schooling.ÏHer€work€history€was€mostly€as€a€homemaker,€sewing€machineÏoperator€and€assembly€line€worker.€€In€May€of€1990€she€òòfellóó€òòatóóÏòòhomeóó€and€fractured€her€collarbone.€€A€subsequent€x„ray€revealed€aÏcallusÌover€the€break,€an€indication€of€healing.€€She€was€employed€byÏYamakawa€Manufacturing€Corporation€of€America,€insured€by€theÏdefendant,€in€November€of€1990,€six€months€after€having€brokenÏher€Ñ7€²eXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñcollarbone€in€a€fall€at€home.€€She€testified€that€she€workedÏwithout€pain€until€February€11,€1991,€at€which€time€she€felt€aÏ"pop"€in€the€area€of€her€collarbone€halfway€between€her€neck€andÏshoulder.ÌÌà àShe€reported€this€injury€to€her€employer.€€She€was€notÏoffered€a€panel€of€physicians,€but€was€sent€to€a€Dr.€Ponce.€€HeÏdiagnosed€an€overuse€injury€to€her€shoulder€and€a€muscle€sprain.€ÏShe€was€off€work€February€13€through€17,€1991;€and€worked€withÏrestrictions€until€March€18,€1991.€€She€quit€her€job€in€May€ofÏ1991€because€of€continued€pain.€€She€then€went€to€Dr.€Alan€S.ÏHenson,€M.D.,€an€orthopaedic€surgeon,€on€July€3,€1991,€upon€theÏrecommendation€of€a€friend,€complaining€of€a€left€shoulder€girdleÏproblem;€i.e.,€pain€predominantly€in€the€clavicle€or€collarboneÏarea.€€She€gave€a€history€of€having€fractured€the€collarbone€inÏApril€1990,€and€said€nothing€about€any€work€injury.€€The€medicalÏrecord€of€Dr.€Ponce,€the€original€treating€physician€for€the€workÏinjury,€reflected€that€she€had€a€muscle€strain€in€the€leftÏshoulder€girdle,€and€x„rays€at€that€time€showed€the€old€clavicleÏfracture€òòandóó€òònon„unionóó.€€Dr.€Henson€found€her€current€problem€toÏbe€non„union€of€the€broken€collarbone,€and€this€was€"absolutelyÏnot"€caused€by€the€work€injury.€€He€noted€that€she€had€beenÏpreviously€treated€by€another€orthopaedic€surgeon,€and€hisÏrecords€indicated€noncompliance€by€the€patient€with€theÍphysician's€instructions,€which€could€have€contributed€to€theÏnon„union.ÌÌà àDr.€M.€Craig€Ferrell,€M.D.,€another€orthopaedic€surgeon,Ïprovided€a€second€opinion€at€Dr.€Henson's€request.€€It€was€Dr.ÏFerrell's€opinion€that€the€non„union€of€the€fractured€collarboneÏprobably€dated€from€the€time€of€the€original€fracture€caused€by€Ìthe€fall€at€home.€€He€diagnosed€non„union,€brachial€plexusÏirritation€and€work„related€tenderness€of€the€shoulder.€€TheÏplaintiff€saw€Dr.€Ferrell€on€July€16,€1991,€more€than€a€yearÏbefore€she€filed€suit.€€She€discussed€with€this€physician€herÏtrapezius€strain€that€was€"workmen's€comp€related".€€She€€told€Ìthis€doctor€that€this€"caused€her€trouble€out€in€the€shoulderÏÑ7€²eXXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÑ7€²eXXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÑ7€²eXXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÑ7€²eXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñitself,€with€tenderness€over€the€front€of€the€shoulder,€not€overÏthe€clavicular€non„union".ÌÌà àIt€was€Dr.€Ferrell's€opinion€that€on€July€16,€1991,€she€hadÏa€non„union€òòthat€developed€as€a€result€of€her€fracture€from€herÏfall€at€home€about€a€year€prior€to€seeing€meóó,€and€that€was€"theÏreason€she€came€to€see€me€was€that€non„union".€€It€was€hisÏunequivocal€opinion€that€the€work€injury€muscle€strain€couldÏtemporarily€aggravate€the€non„union€site,€but€not€permanently.ÌÌà àDr.€Richard€Fishbein,€M.D.,€an€orthopaedic€surgeon€whoÏpractices€in€Tullahoma,€Tennessee,€examined€the€plaintiff€onÏApril€8,€1993,€at€the€behest€of€her€attorney,€nearly€a€year€afterÍsuit€was€filed.€€He€opines€that€she€has€a€26%€anatomicalÏdisability€to€the€body€as€a€whole€as€a€result€of€the€work€injuryÏof€February€13,€1991.€€He€largely€ignores€the€fact€that€herÏunderlying€problem,€the€fractured€clavicle€and€subsequent€non„union,€pre„dated€the€muscle€strain€and€was€not€work€related.€€HisÏopinion€is€in€conflict€with€all€of€the€prior€treating€physicians.ÌÌà@ àòòCONCLUSIONÌÌóóà àWe€review€the€record€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€with€a€presumption€ofÏcorrectness€of€the€findings€below,€unless€the€preponderance€ofÏthe€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(2)€(1991).€€This€standard€of€review€requires€this€courtÏto€weigh€in€depth€the€factual€findings€and€conclusions€of€theÏtrial€Ìcourt.€€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.óó,€734€S.W.€2d€315Ï(Tenn.€1987).ÌÌà àThe€overwhelming€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€that€theÏplaintiff's€work€injury€was€simply€a€muscle€strain,€that€itÏtemporarily€aggravated€a€pre„existing€non„united€fracture€of€theÏplaintiff's€clavicle,€which€fracture€had€its€genesis€in€a€fall€atÏhome.ÌÌà àThe€attempt€to€avoid€the€facial€bar€of€the€statute€ofÏlimitations€by€showing€a€lack€of€timely€knowledge€of€the€natureÍand€extent€of€the€injury€fails€because€it€is€clear€that€whateverÏpermanent€disability€the€plaintiff€has€is€the€result€of€her€fallÏat€home€and€not€the€later€lifting€accident€on€the€job.€€She€wasÏat€all€times€aware€of€her€true€condition,€as€it€is€defined€by€theÏtreating€medical€specialists.€€The€"knowledge"€that€herÏdisability€is€all€work€related€imparted€to€her€by€Dr.€Fishbein€isÏcontrary€to€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed€and€the€suitÏdismissed.€€The€arguments€for€the€tolling€of€the€statute€ofÏlimitations€are€not€supported€by€the€greater€weight€of€theÏevidence.€€Costs€are€assessed€to€the€appellee.ÌÌÓÓÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,ÌCHIEF€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€ÌÌÌÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€¼ÔÑ€.ÑÇÌßJ€+/;+'b|eÿÝ` ç `€@ÿJßÌÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌBARBARA€JENKINS,à àà à}à àMACON€CRIMINALÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€92„318€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€J.€O.€Bond,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌYASUDA€FIRE€&€MARINEà àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9602„CR„00036ÌINSURANCE€COMPANY,à àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà à}à àREVERSED€AND€DISMISSED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entireÏrecord,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€byÏreference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€theÏMemorandum€Opinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€andÏapproved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel'sÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€andÏaffirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€theÍjudgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Plaintiff/Appellee€forÏwhich€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€January€17,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€XÔÌÌ