ÿWPC¥' ¹Š. ¸ À n­Ð U:} %· 0¸½ 4u‰w@‰ É 0LÏ 0JÆeÆ+Æñ 0T· 0^  0hi 0rÑ 0|C 0†¿ 0E 1uÕU,J 0dv BÚU,÷U *# D3MB)€DC© 0@ì 0K, AOwiÆf/i•U6þv~4vÓ² D+…# 0N°# Aþ# AO›$Æê$ 0D°% D/ô% B#& AY@&Æ™& 0F_'' Ë $ "Steve Miller 0 .   3|xé«*ô\  `(Times NewRomanTTôdô\  PŽÂCôP, øð AZ‹"Arial RegularX(/@$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÑ` °ÑÓÓÑTR[¨ AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑypÑ øð ÞßDàáâãäçDèDéUHR> ÿÿ$Large Circleððà0 à2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  ÔLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 52" 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 d< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Arial%%%%'ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d++++7Border 1dd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó€-.,Cþÿ << Gÿÿ _Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€)ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÔ€)ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€)XÔÌÌò òJulyÏ30,Ï1996ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€)ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ _Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€)ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÔ€)ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€)XÔÌÌò òJulyÏ30,Ï1996ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€)ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier NewPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò'ÈÈÈÈdxd>û¥$Large Circleððà0  à-.: I&mage <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKK€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd·-¸:Müÿ << deUU…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(n$––ò ò(Ú  Ú1Ú  Ú)ó óÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€((X„d&ÓÑ#€((Xd#ÑÔ€)ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÙ€€ÙÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÑ Ü ÑÓ)` Ü` ¸ Å h…XÃÐ (#)ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òßL€/0,;+'h|oë` à. `€€LßIN›€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌWORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌAT€KNOXVILLEó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌJOYCE€JONES,à àà àà àœà à)›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àSULLIVANÏCHANCERYÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€€03S01„9505„CH„00050Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Richard€E.ÏLaddÌNEW€YORK€UNDERWRITERS€œà à›à à)ÌINSURANCE€COMPANY,à àà àœà à)›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellant:óóà àà àà àà àòòFor€theÏAppellee:ÌÌó óóóRobert€D.€Van€de€œVuurst›à àà àà àWilliam€S.€ToddÌSteven€H.€œTrent›à àà àà àà àTodd€&€œDossett›,€P.€C.ÌBaker,€œDonelson›,€œBearman›à àà à134€W.€Center€StreetÌà à&€Caldwellà àà àà àà àKingsport,€TN€37660Ì207€Mockingbird€LaneÌP.€O.€Box€3038ÌJohnson€City,€TN€37602ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  Óò òòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÌÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ó óóóÌÌJustice€Penny€J.€WhiteÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSpecial€Judge€Joseph€C.€LoserÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  Óò òAFFIRMED.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,€SeniorÏJudge€ÌÓÓà àó óThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'ÌCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€òòTenn.€CodeÏAnnóó.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà àPlaintiff€alleged€injury€to€her€back€and€neck€at€work.€€The€trial€judge€awardedÏher€15€percent€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.Ìà àPlaintiff€was€working€for€at€Arcata€Graphics€on€March€17,€1992€when€herÏright€index€finger€was€caught€in€a€re„press€roller.€€She€tried€to€jerk€her€finger€œout€ofÏthe€roller,€fearing€her€whole€hand€and€arm€would€be€caught,›€and€her€supervisorÏpushed€her€back€from€the€machine€while€trying€to€turn€the€machine€off.€€She€wasÏœtreated€in›€the€emergency€room€and€subsequently€referred€to€Dr.€James€Phillips,Ïorthopedic€surgeon.€€She€received€anti„inflammatory€medication€and€underwentÍphysical€œtherapy.›€€Two€weeks€later€she€began€experiencing€increasing€pain,Ïð ðmoving€up€her€arm€and€in€her€shoulder€and€neck€area,ðð€and€still€later€she€beganÏhaving€severe€headaches€on€the€right€side€of€her€head.€œÌà àDr.€Gregory›€œCorradino,€a€neurologist,›€œbegan€treating€plaintiff€in€late€1993Ïand€performed€surgery€on€her€cervical€spine.›€€When€deposed,€Dr.€Phillips€opinedÏthat€if€plaintiffððs€finger€crush€injury€were€accompanied€by€a€jerking€maneuver,€itÏcould€have€caused€her€disc€rupture,€and€that€this€possible€causal€connection€wouldÏbe€strengthened€if€surgery€resolved€her€complaints.€€Ìà àDr.€Gregory€Corradino€found€that€plaintiff€had€a€herniated€cervical€disc€atÏC4/5€and€performed€surgical€removal€of€the€disc.€€€When€asked€whether€the€discÏherniation€had€been€caused€by€plaintiffððs€jerking€her€finger€out€of€the€press€at€work,Ïhe€opined€that€such€motion€could€cause€a€disc€herniation.Ìà àDr.€John€Marshall,€physiatrist,€evaluated€plaintiff€for€defendant€and€treatedÏher€for€nine€months.€€He€opined€that€although€the€jerking€motion€could€herniate€aÏdisc,€he€did€not€think€that€it€had€done€so€in€this€case.€€Ìà àPlaintiff€testified€that€she€jerked€her€head€and€neck€hard€to€remove€her€fingerÏfrom€the€press.€€She€further€said€that€prior€to€the€injury€at€Arcata€Graphics,€she€hadÏnever€had€any€injury€or€trauma€to€the€upper€part€of€her€body€or€shoulders.€€She€feltÏthe€surgery€helped€her€a€great€deal€but€that€she€still€has€pain€in€her€neck€andÏshoulder.Ìà àThe€trial€court€considered€both€the€lay€and€expert€testimony€and€found€thatÏthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€œsupports›€the€plaintiffððs€claim€that€her€jerkingÏmotion€caused€the€herniated€disc.€€Ìà àDefendant€appeals€the€trial€courtððs€award€of€permanent€partial€disability,Ïasserting€that€plaintiff€has€failed€to€prove€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence€thatÏher€accident€at€work,€which€œdefendant€admits›€injured€plaintiffððs€finger,€also€causedÏher€herniated€disc.Ìà àOur€review€of€the€findings€of€fact€made€by€the€trial€court€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€theÏrecord€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€theÏfinding,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€òòTenn.€Code€Ann.€ððóóÏ50„6„225(3)(2).€€òòStone€v.€City€of€McMinnville,€óó896€S.W.2d€584€(Tenn.€1991).€Ìà àThe€plaintiff€in€a€workersðð€compensation€suit€has€the€burden€of€proving€everyÏelement€of€her€case€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence.€€òòTindall€v.€Waring€ParkÏAssððn.,€óó725€S.W.2d€935,€937€(Tenn.€1987).€€Causation€and€permanency€must€beÏshown€in€most€cases€by€expert€medical€evidence.€€Id.€€ð ðCausal€connectionðð€meansÏð ðcause€in€the€sense€that€the€accident€had€its€origin€in€the€hazards€to€which€theÏemployment€exposed€the€employee€while€doing€her€work.ðð€€òòTapp€v.€Tapp.€óó236ÏS.W.2d€977,€979€(Tenn.€1951).€€Although€absolute€certainty€is€not€required€for€proofÏof€causation,€medical€proof€that€the€injury€was€caused€in€the€course€of€theÏemployeeððs€work€must€not€be€speculative€or€so€uncertain€regarding€the€cause€ofÏthe€injury€that€attributing€it€to€the€plaintiffððs€employment€would€be€an€arbitraryÏdetermination€or€a€mere€possibility.€€If,€upon€undisputed€proof,€it€is€conjecturalÏwhether€disability€resulted€from€a€cause€operating€within€petitionerððs€employment,Ïor€a€cause€operating€without€employment,€there€can€be€no€award.€€If,€however,Ïequivocal€medical€evidence€combined€with€other€evidence€supports€a€finding€ofÏcausation,€such€an€inference€may€nevertheless€be€drawn€by€the€trial€court€underÍthe€case€law.€€òòLivingston€v.€Shelby€Williams€Indus.,€Inc.,€óó811€S.W.€2d€511€(Tenn.Ï1991).Ìà àAn€accidental€injury€arises€out€of€oneððs€employment€when€there€is€apparentÏto€the€rational€mind,€upon€a€consideration€of€all€the€circumstances,€a€causalÏconnection€between€the€conditions€under€which€the€work€is€required€to€beÏperformed€and€the€resulting€injury.€€òòFink€v.€Caudle,óó€856€S.W.2d€952€(Tenn.€1993).Ìà à€€The€trial€court€held€that€the€plaintiff€met€her€burden€of€proving€causation€byÏœthe€equivocal›€medical€testimony€of€two€treating€physicians€combined€with€plaintiffððsÏown€credible€testimony€and€the€testimony€of€her€œsupervisor.›Ìà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed€and€the€case€is€remanded.€€CostsÏare€assessed€to€the€appellant.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àœJohÔ% € Ôn›€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌòòÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌPenny€J.€White,€JusticeÌÌÌòòÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌJoseph€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌà à€Ìà àÌà àÌà àÌ€€€œÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€)¼ÔÑ€1ÑÇà àÔ€)ŠÔà àà àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEE€€Ô€)XÔÌÌßJ€/2;+'b|` ) `€@ÿJßà àà àà àà àà àAT€KNOXVILLEÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àÌÌJOYCE€JONES,à àà àà àà à)à àSULLIVAN€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€€€€€€€No.€25062€(L)Ìà àPlaintiff„Appellee,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€à àNo.€€à à03S01„9505„CH„00050Ìà àv.à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌÓ)` Ü` ¸ Å h…XÃÐ ’")Óà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àÌÓ)` Ü` ¸ Å h…XÃÐ X)ÓNEW€YORK€UNDERWRITERSà àà à)ÌINSURANCE€COMPANY,à àà àà à)à àHon.€Richard€E.€LaddÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellorÌà àDefendant/Appellant.€à àà à)Ìà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€€€€€€à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€à à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€AFFIRMEDÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€à àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àòòJUDGMENT€€ORDERóó€ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓÔ€3Ôà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entireÏrecord,€including€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€ofÏfacts€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€theÏdecision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€Judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àà àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellant,€New€YorkÏUnderwriters€Insurance€Company,€and€surety,€Robert€D.€Van€deÏVuurst,€for€which€execution€may€issue.ÌÌ07/30/96Ô€)ÔÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ›ÌÌ