ÿWPCÜ …# VUDa %¥ 0(«w@Ó4 ' 6 0L> 0JŠ 0TÔ 0^( 0h† 0rî 0|` 0†Ü 0b 1uò U,g 0d“ U,÷ B)#DCL AMU*Ü B#v~%vÓ£ D3v 0@© 0Né AO7Ɔ 0DL D/ B¿˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 8§ÖhZŠ,Century-WP RegularX($¡¡ 0U12U34U5678Ó€Dz!àèô&&3|xD> ÿÿ$Small Circleððà0 à2 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)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco% Line 7 d!!!!7Border 1dd€-"Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial d øÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€$ÔÔ€$ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€$XÔÌÌò òSeptember€9,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€$ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò>‡¦$"Small Circleð"ðà0  à€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€  X„d&ÓÑ#€  Xd#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  Ý›Ò  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑœÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›ÌÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ àMay€17,€1996ÌÌÌÌJIMMY€JOHNSON,à àà àà à)€€€OBIONÏCHANCERYà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€NO.€18,315€€€Ìà àPlaintiff,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€Hon.€William€Michael€MaloanÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€ChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌWAUSAU€INSURANCE€CO.,à àà à)€€€NO.€02S01„9601„CH„00008̜ـ€ÙÙ€€ÙßL€#&";+'h|%` Å `€€Lß›à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant.€€€à à€€€€€€à àà à)€€ÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€Plaintiffóó:à àà àà àà àòòFor€Defendantóó:ÌÌPatrick€N.€Parkerà àà àà àà àR.€Dale€ThomasÌGarrety€&€Sanders,€P.C.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Rainey,€Kizer,€Butler,€Reviere€&ÏBell€€65€Stonebridge€Boulevardà àà à105€South€Highland€AvenueÌJackson,€Tennessee€38305€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Jackson,€Tennessee€38302„1147ÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌà@ àMailed€(then€insert€date€it€was€mailed)ÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌà@ àLYLE€REID,€JUSTICEÌà@ àHEWITT€TOMLIN,€JR.,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌà@ àCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àTOMLIN,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌÌÓÓà àÌÌÑ7€'XdìXXdì7ÑÓ  Óà àThis€workersðð€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workersðð€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court,Ïin€accordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€andÏreporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw.€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àJimmy€Johnson€(ð ðplaintiffðð)€has€appealed€the€trial€courtððsÏdismissal€of€his€suit€for€workersðð€compensation€benefits€on€theÏgrounds€that€plaintiff€failed€to€prove€that€he€sustained€an€injuryÍarising€out€of€and€in€the€course€and€scope€of€his€employment€byÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence.€€Plaintiff€was€employed€by€GurienÏFinishing€Corporation€(ð ðGurienðð),€who€was€insured€by€defendant,ÏWausau€Insurance€Company.€€For€the€foregoing€reasons,€we€find€noÏerror€and€affirm.ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€was€employed€at€Gurien€as€a€washer€operator€as€partÏof€Gurienððs€manufacturing€process€of€stonewashed€jeans.€€PlaintiffÏalleges€that€on€August€10,€1993,€he€injured€his€lower€back€whileÏpulling€open€a€washer€door€that€had€been€jammed€with€a€rock.€€HeÏstated€that€he€did€not€report€the€injury€at€the€time€of€the€accidentÏbecause€it€felt€more€like€a€cramp.€€When€he€woke€up€in€pain€theÏfollowing€morning,€plaintiff€testified€that€he€reported€the€accidentÏto€his€shift€manager,€Cindy€Long.€€He€stated€that€he€advised€Long€thatÏhe€hurt€himself€jerking€on€a€washer€door.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€was€treated€by€his€personal€physician,€Dr.€PhilipÏSherman,€on€August€16,€1993.€€He€gave€Dr.€Sherman€a€history€ofÏhurting€his€back€while€pulling€machines€at€work.€€PlaintiffÏcomplained€to€Dr.€Sherman€of€low€back€pain€with€some€pain€radiatingÏinto€his€legs,€with€the€pain€being€worse€in€his€left€leg€than€his€right.€ÍDr.€Sherman€diagnosed€plaintiff€as€suffering€from€lumbosacralÏstrain€and€prescribed€pain€medication.ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àIn€November€1993€plaintiff€returned€to€Dr.€Sherman€withÏcomplaints€of€lower€back€pain€that€had€existed€from€September€toÏNovember€1993.€€Dr.€Sherman€referred€plaintiff€to€Dr.€JosephÏRowland,€a€neurosurgeon.€€On€his€initial€visit€to€Dr.€Rowland,Ïplaintiff€complained€principally€of€low€back€pain,€with€pain€in€bothÏlegs.€€A€test€by€Dr.€Rowland€indicated€that€plaintiff€had€negativeÏstraight€leg€raising,€minimal€limitation€of€bending,€and€no€muscleÏspasm.€€Dr.€Rowland€made€an€initial€diagnosis€of€lumbosacral€strain,Ïalthough€a€CAT€scan€revealed€a€general€bulging€disc€at€L5€with€aÏlittle€spur€formation.€€Dr.€Rowland€prescribed€conservativeÏtreatment€and€pain€medication.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€was€absent€from€work€for€only€four€days€from€AugustÏ1993€to€March€1994.€€In€December€1994€plaintiff€returned€to€see€Dr.ÏSherman€with€complaints€of€low€back€pain€and€again€on€January€4,Ï1995€for€pain€in€his€upper€back.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àOn€March€8,€1994,€plaintiffððs€shift€manager,€Long,€testifiedÍthat€plaintiff€telephoned€her€to€advise€her€that€he€would€not€beÏreporting€to€work€that€day€because€he€had€suffered€an€ð ðaccident€offÏduty.ðð€€The€following€day,€plaintiff€advised€her€that€he€had€hurt€hisÏback€while€coughing.€€Gurienððs€personnel€manager,€June€Robinson,Ïtestified€that€on€the€same€day,€March€8,€plaintiff€called€to€tell€herÏthat€he€would€not€be€reporting€to€work€because€he€had€reinjured€hisÏback€from€the€August€1993€accident€while€sneezing.€€She€alsoÏidentified€at€trial€a€report€of€a€guard€responsible€for€taking€downÏinformation€regarding€absence€or€lateness€reports€of€employees.€ÏThis€report€shows€that€on€March€8,€plaintiff€called€in€to€say€that€heÏhad€an€ð ðaccident€off€dutyðð€and€that€he€would€not€be€in.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€again€went€to€see€Dr.€Sherman€on€March€8€withÏcomplaints€of€low€back€pain.€€Dr.€Sherman€diagnosed€plaintiffððsÏcondition€at€that€time€as€acute€exacerbated€lumbar€strain€withÏsciatica.€€A€week€later,€plaintiff€was€seen€by€Dr.€Grover€Schleifer,Ïwho€stated€that€plaintiff€gave€a€history€of€injuring€his€back€a€weekÏearlier€while€coughing.€€Plaintiff€also€gave€Dr.€Schleifer€a€history€ofÏinjuring€his€back€in€August€1993.€€Dr.€Schleifer€prescribed€a€painÏmedication,€physical€therapy,€and€instructed€plaintiff€to€stay€offÍwork€for€two€weeks.€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àIn€May€1994€Dr.€Schleifer€recommended€that€plaintiff€return€toÏwork€without€any€restrictions.€€After€plaintiffððs€pain€persisted€theÏfollowing€month,€Dr.€Schleifer€referred€plaintiff€to€Dr.€GlennÏBarnett,€a€neurosurgeon€in€Jackson.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àTestifiying€from€his€records,€Dr.€Barnett€stated€that€plaintiffÏcomplained€of€low€back€pain€as€well€as€right€leg€pain€and€rightÏtesticular€pain.€€He€did€not€complain€of€pain€in€his€left€leg.€€WhileÏplaintiff€gave€Dr.€Barnett€a€history€of€hurting€his€back€at€work€onÏAugust€10.€1993,€he€stated€that€it€resulted€from€pulling€jeans€out€ofÏa€washer,€not€jerking€open€a€washer€door.€€An€MRI€performed€at€thatÏtime,€showed€a€very€large€paracentral€L5€disc€herniation€to€the€rightÏof€midline.€€Shortly€thereafter,€Dr.€Barnett€performed€surgery€toÏremove€plaintiffððs€herniated€disc.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àPostoperatively€there€was€no€indication€of€any€residual€orÏrecurrent€disc€herniation,€yet€plaintiff€continued€to€suffer€pain.€€InÏOctober€1994€Dr.€Barnett€was€of€the€opinion€that€plaintiff€hadÏreceived€the€maximum€medical€benefit€from€surgery€and€give€him€aÍten€(10%)€percent€permanent€impairment€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àDr.€Barnett€testified€to€the€effect€that,€assuming€no€otherÏhistory,€the€work€injury€was€causally€related€to€plaintiffððs€ultimateÏneed€for€surgery€a€year€later.€€€Dr.€Barnett€was€of€the€opinion€thatÏthe€acutely€herniated€L5€disc€was€a€relatively€recent€occurrence.€€HeÏadmitted€on€cross€examination€that€a€coughing€episode€could€haveÏcaused€the€herniated€disc.€€ÌÌà àAt€the€insistence€of€plaintiffððs€counsel,€plaintiff€saw€Dr.ÏRobert€J.€œBarnett,€an›€orthopedic€surgeon€in€Jackson,€for€the€purposeÏof€performing€a€one„time€medical€evaluation€of€plaintiffððs€back.€ÏPlaintiff€gave€Dr.€Barnett€a€history€of€injuring€his€back€on€AugustÏ12,€1993€while€trying€to€jerk€open€a€washer€door.€€Dr.€Robert€BarnettÏstated€that€plaintiffððs€condition€was€the€result€of€the€August€1993Ïaccident€and€that€he€relied€on€the€history€provided€him€by€plaintiffÏin€giving€this€opinion.ÌÓÓÌÌÓÓà àDr.€Riley€Jones,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€reviewed€plaintiffððsÏmedical€records€and€x„rays€at€the€request€of€defendantððs€counsel€andÍgave€his€testimony€by€deposition.€€Dr.€Jones€stated€that€the€largeÏherniated€disc€fragment€found€at€L5€in€plaintiffððs€June€1994€MRIÏwould€have€shown€up€on€plaintiffððs€December€1993€CT€scan€had€itÏbeen€present€at€that€time.€€Dr.€Jones€was€of€the€opinion€that€theÏAugust€1993€accident€did€not€cause€the€herniation.ÌÌà àOn€appeal,€this€Court€is€required€to€view€the€findings€of€theÏtrial€court€de€novo€upon€the€record€of€that€court,€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€of€correctness€of€the€trial€courtððs€findings,€unless€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€is€found€to€be€otherwise.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àIt€is€well€settled€that€a€plaintiff€in€a€workersðð€compensationÏcase€has€the€burden€of€proving€every€element€of€his€or€her€case€by€aÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence.€€òòElmore€v.€Travelerððs€Ins.€Co.óó,€824ÏS.W.2d€541,€543€(Tenn.€1992).€€The€law€in€this€state€pertaining€toÏthe€issue€of€causation€is€clearly€set€out€in€òòTindall€v.€Waring€ParkÏAssððnóó,€725€S.W.2d€935,€937€(Tenn.€1987),€wherein€this€Court€stated:ÌÓÓÌà8 àThis€Court€has€consistently€held€that€causation€andÏpermanency€of€a€work„related€injury€must€be€shown€inÏmost€cases€by€expert€medical€evidence.€€Furthermore,€byÍð ðcausal€connectionðð€is€meant€not€proximate€cause€asÏused€in€the€law€of€negligence,€but€cause€in€the€sense€thatÏthe€accident€had€its€origin€in€the€haxards€to€which€theÏemployment€exposed€the€employee€while€doing€his€work.€ÏAlthough€absolute€certainty€is€not€required€for€proof€ofÏcausation,€medical€proof€that€the€injury€was€caused€inÏthe€course€of€the€employeeððs€work€must€nt€be€speculativeÏor€so€uncertain€regarding€the€cause€of€the€injury€thatÏattributing€it€to€the€plaintiffððs€employemtn€would€be€anÏarbitrary€determination€or€a€mere€possibility.€€If,€uponÏundisputed€proof,€it€is€conjectural€whether€disabilityÏresulted€from€a€cause€operating€within€employment,Ïthere€can€be€no€award.€€If,€however,€equivocal€medicalÏevidence€combined€with€other€evidence€supports€aÏfinding€of€causation,€such€an€inference€may€neverthelessÏbe€drawn€by€the€trial€court€under€the€case€law.ÌÌÌÌòòId.óó€(citations€omitted).ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àIn€regard€to€our€review€of€findings€based€upon€expertÏtestimony,€this€Court€in€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.óó,€734ÏS.W.2d€315€(Tenn.€1987)€stated€as€follows€concerning€theÏpreponderance€standard€of€review€adopted€effective€July€1,€1985:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àThis€standard€of€review€differs€from€thatÏpreviously€provided€and€requires€this€Court€to€weigh€inÏmore€depth€factual€findings€and€conclusions€of€trialÏjudges€in€workersðð€compensation€cases.€€Where€the€trialÏjudge€has€seen€and€heard€witnesses,€especially€whereÍissues€of€credibility€and€weight€of€oral€testimony€areÏinvolved,€on€review€considerable€deference€must€still€beÏaccorded€to€those€circumstances.€€In€the€present€case,Ïhowever,€some€of€the€issues€involve€expert€medicalÏtestimony.€€All€of€the€medical€proof€was€taken€byÏdeposition€or€was€documentary,€so€that€all€impressionsÏof€weight€and€credibility€must€be€drawn€from€theÏcontents€thereof,€and€not€from€the€appearance€ofÏwitnesses€on€oral€testimony€at€trial.ÌÌÌÌòòÓÓId.óó€at€315„16.€€òòSee€also€Talley€v.€Virginia€Ins.€Reciprocalóó,€775€S.W.2dÏ587,€589€(Tenn.€1989).€€ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àFrom€our€thorough€review€of€the€evidence€in€this€case,€weÏconclude€that€it€does€not€preponderate€against€the€chancellorððsÏfinding€that€ð ðthe€employee€failed€to€prove€by€a€preponderance€of€theÏevidence,€that€he€sustained€an€injury€arising€out€of€and€in€the€courseÏand€scope€of€his€employment€at€Gurien€Finishing€Company€on€AugustÏ10,€1993€or€at€any€other€time€during€his€employment.ðð€€While€it€isÏplaintiffððs€contention€that€he€injured€himself€on€August€10,€1993Ïð ðjerking€on€a€washer€door,ðð€there€is€evidence€in€the€recordÏcontradictory€to€his€testimony.€€Cindy€Long,€plaintiffððs€shiftÏmanager,€testified€that€she€completed€an€accident€report€the€dayÏafter€plaintiff€contends€he€reported€the€injury.€€She€stated€thatÍplaintiff€was€ð ðnot€sureðð€how€he€hurt€his€back,€but€that€he€ð ðcouldÏhave€been€pulling€washersðð€when€the€accident€occurred.ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àJohn€Shumate,€a€co„worker€of€plaintiff€who€was€present€whenÏhe€reported€the€injury€to€Long,€testified€that€plaintiff€told€Long€thatÏhe€did€not€know€whether€he€had€hurt€his€back€at€work€or€at€home.€ÏShumate€further€testified€that€he€saw€plaintiff€in€the€bathroomÏstretching€his€back€from€side€to€side€the€day€before€he€reported€theÏaccident.€€When€Shumate€inquired€as€to€what€was€wrong,€plaintiff,Ïaccording€to€Shumate,€told€him€that€he€had€hurt€his€back€whileÏhaving€sex.ÌÓÓÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€also€testified€that€Shumate€and€he€went€rabbitÏhunting€in€January€or€February€1994,€and€at€that€time€plaintiff€fellÏhead€first€into€a€forty€foot€ditch.€€Both€plaintiff€and€ShumateÏtestified€that€the€fall€did€not€hurt€plaintiffððs€back.€€Plaintiff€alsoÏtestified€that€he€played€tackle€football€once€and€went€fishing€afterÏthe€August€1993€incident.€€Brian€Moran,€a€co„worker,€testified€thatÏhe€often€car€pooled€to€work€with€plaintiff€and€socialized€at€hisÏhouse€during€the€period€from€August€1993€to€March€1994,€and€thatÏplaintiff€never€complained€of€back€pain€during€that€œtime.€€Jacqueline›ÍGilliam,€a€physical€therapist,€attended€œplaintiff›€on€March€17,€1994.€ÏShe€testified€when€she€saw€plaintiff€on€that€date,€he€could€notÏrecall€a€specific€injury€as€to€how€he€had€injured€his€back,€but€that€heÏbegin€experiencing€pain€on€August€11,€1993.€€œÌÓÓÌÓÓà àAlthough›€the€chancellor€did€not€make€any€specific€finding€thatÏplaintiffððs€testimony€was€not€credible,€his€determination€that€heÏfailed€to€establish€by€preponderance€of€the€evidence€that€he€hadÏsustained€an€injury€in€the€course€of€performing€his€employment€ofÏnecessity€implied€that€his€testimony€was€not€credible.€€In€light€ofÏthis€contradictory€testimony,€coupled€with€the€conflicting€medicalÏevidence,€we€are€of€the€opinion€that€the€evidence€does€notÏpreponderate€against€the€chancellorððs€findings€below.€€Consequently,Ïthe€chancellor€did€not€commit€an€error.€€œÌà àThe›€decree€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€in€this€causeÏon€appeal€are€taxed€to€plaintiff,€for€which€execution€may€issue€ifÏnecessary.ÌÌœ›ÓÓà àà àà àà à€€€€€Ï___________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà à€€€€€€HEWITT€P.€TOMLIN,€JR.€SENIOR€JUDGE€Ìœ›Ìœ›ÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_____________________________________ÌLYLE€REID,€JUSTICEÌÌÌ_____________________________________ÌCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌà à