ÿWPCœ 2UBÌ %U .rB 0´An®Q 0rÿq w@q 4± 0JÅ 0T 0^c 0hÁ 0r) 0|› 0† 0 1u- U,¢ 0dÎ AQ2ƃ 0DI 0@ 0DÍU, D/= Bl B‰ D3¦.ÙB)DC09s AM¬Rùv~KvÓÉô\  `*Times New RomanTTô"ÝÆÿA€ArialTT'    0 .   (e2’F$©©Ý ƒ ‡…!ÝÔ€X_ÄXôôÔÔ€X˜&XXX_ÄÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý3|x2«ô\  `*Times New RomanTTôôCô\  PŽ6QôP"ÝÆÿA€ArialTTomanTTXXaÝÆÿptQXpô\  `*Times New RomanTT¼¼^ô\  PŽ6Q¼Pô\  `*Times New RomanTT,,)ô\  PŽ6Q,P(J‡…$¡¡Ô€X_ÄXôôÔÔ€X˜&XXX_ÄÔÓ  Ó DDP E!"#E$%Ó€/µQ+!Ô@\Ôô2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ !ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Monaco(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd $Ý ƒ !ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ@  ÔÚ  ÚÚ  ÚÔA  ÔÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓ% Line 7 d++++7Border 1dd /Ý ƒ !ÝÑ  ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ@  ÔÚ  ÚÚ  ÚÔA  ÔÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓ!#,Cþÿ << Gÿÿ HÝ ƒ !ÝÑ  ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌSeptember€5,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$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 ÒÝ ƒ !ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€%%X„d&ÓÑ#€%%Xd#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€*ÖÑ  ÑÔ&  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÙ€!ÙÖ€-ÖÙ€!ÙÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔßL€./,;+'h|` ç `€€LßIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATIONÏAPPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€NASHVILLEÌ(June€25,€1996€Session)ÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓFRANCES€REYNOLDS€KELLERMAN,à à)€€€€€FRANKLIN€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,à àà à)€€€€€Hon.€Jeffrey€F.€Stewart,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€Chancellor.Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€No.€01S01„9512„CH„00226ÌFOOD€LION,€INC.,€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà àà à)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee:ÌóóÌJonathan€Cole€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€James€F.€ConleyÌBaker,€Donelson,€Bearman€&€Caldwell€€€€€€€€€Copeland,€Conley€&€HazardÌNashville,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Tullahoma,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌFrank€F.€Drowota,€III,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€Court€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌHamilton€Gayden,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÔ'  ÔÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIEDÌÓ  ÓREMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÓ ¹ 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.€€In€this€appeal,€theÏemployer€contends€(1)€the€chancellor€erred€in€not€accepting€the€opinionÏtestimony€of€the€claimant's€treating€physician,€(2)€€the€claimant's€back€injuryÏis€not€compensable€because€the€evidence€failed€to€establish€that€"the€accidentÏeither€otherwise€injured€her€or€advanced€the€severity€of€her€preexistingÏcondition,€(3)€that€the€chancellor€erred€in€considering€expert€medicalÏtestimony€not€based€on€reasonable€medical€certainty,€and€(4)€the€award€ofÏpermanent€partial€disability€benefits€is€excessive.€€The€panel€concludes€thatÏthe€evidence€fails€to€preponderate€against€the€findings€of€the€trial€court.€€TheÏjudgment€is€modified€as€provided€herein.Ó rAÓÌà àà àOn€November€29,€1993,€the€claimant,€Kellerman,€slipped€andÏfell€in€a€puddle€of€water€at€work,€twisting€her€right€knee€and€injuring€herÏback.€€She€was€eventually€referred€to€Dr.€Richard€Bagby,€who€saw€her€onÏJanuary€13,€1994€and€January€20,€1994.Ìà àà àDr.€Bagby€ordered€a€CT€scan€and€studied€the€results.€€HeÏopined€that€the€claimant€reached€maximum€medical€improvement€on€JanuaryÏ24,€1994,€when€she€was€released€to€return€to€work€with€some€minorÏrestrictions.€€The€doctor€further€opined€that€she€would€not€retain€anyÏpermanent€impairment.€€We€do€not€find€in€the€record€the€degree€of€certaintyÏupon€which€the€doctor's€opinion€was€based.€€The€claimant€returned€to€Dr.ÏBagby€on€March€1,€1994,€when€he€noted€her€continuing€pain€but€did€notÏchange€her€restrictions€from€lifting€more€than€twenty€pounds€or€anyÍrepetitive€bending,€or€assess€any€permanent€impairment.Ìà àà àThe€claimant€was€referred€to€Dr.€Keith€Brown€for€examinationÏand€evaluation.€€Dr.€Brown€performed€additional€testing€which€put€stress€onÏher€knee€and€back.€€From€his€examination,€particularly€a€positiveÏMcMurray's€test,€this€doctor€diagnosed€a€torn€medial€meniscus€in€the€rightÏknee€joint,€which,€if€not€treated,€will€worsen,€he€said.€€He€assigned€aÏpermanent€impairment€rating€of€five€percent€to€the€right€leg,€using€AMAÏGuidelines,€and€added€restriction€from€any€kneeling€or€stooping€activities.Ìà àà àDr.€Brown€further€opined€that€the€claimant's€disabling€backÏpain€was€permanent€and€causally€related€to€the€injury€at€work.€€He€diagnosedÏcircumferential€disc€disorder€which,€he€said,€may€or€may€not€haveÏpreexisted€that€injury€but€was€aggravated€by€the€injury,€and€assigned€anÏadditional€permanent€impairment€of€ten€percent€to€the€whole€person,€fromÏAMA€Guidelines.€€His€testimony€included€the€following€question€andÏanswer:Ìà0 àà àà àQ.€€In€the€opinions€you€have€expressed,€have€they€beenÏbased€on€a€reasonable€degree€of€medical€certainty?Ìà0 àà àà àA.€€Yes,€sir,€they€have.Ìà àà àThe€claimant€testified€that€she€did€not€have€back€and€knee€painÏbefore€her€injury€at€work.€€The€chancellor€found€her€to€be€a€credibleÏwitness€and€we€find€in€the€record€no€reason€to€disagree.€€Both€doctors€areÏwell€qualified€orthopedic€surgeons.Ìà àà àThe€chancellor€found€from€the€evidence€that€the€claimant€wouldÏretain€permanent€partial€industrial€disabilities€of€twenty€percent€to€the€rightÏleg€and€twenty„five€percent€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€Appellate€review€is€deÏnovo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€ofÍcorrectness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidenceÏis€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(2).€€Where€the€trialÏjudge€has€seen€and€heard€the€witnesses,€especially€where€issues€of€credibilityÏand€weight€of€oral€testimony€are€involved,€on€review€considerable€deferenceÏmust€be€accorded€those€circumstances.€€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,ÏInc.óó,€734€€S.W.2d€€315€(Tenn.€1987).Ìà àà àWhen€medical€testimony€differs,€it€is€within€the€discretion€ofÏthe€trial€judge€to€determine€which€expert€testimony€to€accept.€€òòHinson€v.ÏWal„Mart€Stores,€Inc.óó,€€654€€S.W.2d€€675€(Tenn.€1983).€€From€a€carefulÏreview€of€the€record€and€consideration€of€the€circumstances€of€this€case,€weÏfind€no€error€by€the€trial€judge€in€accepting€the€opinions€of€Dr.€Brown.Ìà àà àAs€the€employer€contends,€where€work€aggravates€a€pre„existing€condition€merely€by€increasing€pain,€there€is€no€injury€by€accident.€ÏòòTownsend€v.€Stateóó,€826€€S.W.2d€€434€(Tenn.€1992).€€In€this€case,€however,Ïthe€claimant€clearly€did€suffer€an€injury€by€accident€when€she€slipped€andÏfell€on€a€wet€floor.Ìà àà àAn€employer€takes€the€employee€with€all€pre„existing€conditionsÏand€cannot€escape€liability€when€the€employee,€upon€suffering€a€work„related€injury,€incurs€disability€far€greater€than€if€she€had€not€had€the€pre„existing€conditions.€€òòRogers€v.€Shawóó,€813€€S.W.2d€€397€(Tenn.€1991).€€TheÏevidence€fails€to€preponderate€against€the€chancellor's€finding€that€theÏdisability€resulting€from€the€claimant's€back€injury€is€compensable.Ìà àà àAbsolute€certainty€on€the€part€of€a€medical€expert€is€notÏnecessary€to€support€a€workers'€compensation€award,€for€expert€opinionÏmust€always€be€more€or€less€uncertain€and€speculative,€òòStratton„WarrenÏHardware€v.€Parkeróó,€557€€S.W.2d€€494€(Tenn.€1977);€and,€where€equivocalÏmedical€evidence€combined€with€other€evidence€supports€a€finding€ofÏcausation,€such€an€inference€may€nevertheless€be€drawn€under€the€case€law.€ÏòòJackson€v.€Greyhound€Lines,€Inc.óó,€734€€S.W.2d€€617€(Tenn.€1987).€€ExceptÏwhere€permanent€disability€is€obvious€to€a€layman,€a€finding€of€permanencyÏmust€be€based€on€competent€medical€evidence€that€there€is€a€medicalÍprobability€of€permanency€or€that€permanency€is€reasonably€certain€to€beÏpermanent.€€òòSingleton€v.€Procon€Productsóó,€788€€S.W.2d€€809€(Tenn.€1990).€ÏThe€findings€of€the€chancellor€with€respect€to€causation€and€permanency€areÏsupported€by€competent€medical€proof€and€the€evidence€fails€toÏpreponderate€against€those€findings.Ìà àà àOnce€the€causation€and€permanency€of€an€injury€have€beenÏestablished€by€expert€testimony,€a€trial€judge€may€consider€many€pertinentÏfactors,€including€age,€job€skills,€education,€training,€duration€of€disability,Ïand€job€opportunities€for€the€disabled,€in€addition€to€anatomical€impairment,Ïfor€the€purpose€of€evaluating€the€extent€of€a€claimant's€permanent€disability.€ÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„241(a)(2).€€Ms.€Kellerman€is€49€years€oldÏwith€a€high€school€education€and€some€college€level€training€in€ceramics.€ÏShe€has€worked€as€a€bank€teller€and€as€a€cashier€in€grocery€stores.€€She€noÏlonger€works€for€Food€Lion€but€is€gainfully€employed€elsewhere.€€From€ourÏreview€of€the€record,€we€conclude€that€the€evidence€fails€to€preponderateÏagainst€the€findings€of€the€chancellor€concerning€the€extent€of€her€permanentÏindustrial€disability.Ó ³ÓÌà àà àIt€is€the€rule€in€Tennessee€that€where€an€injury€is€to€more€thanÏone€member,€one€of€which€is€scheduled€and€the€other€of€which€is€notÏscheduled,€benefits€are€allowable€on€the€basis€of€percentage€of€the€body€as€aÏwhole.€€òòContinental€Ins.€Co.€v.€Pruittóó,€541€€S.W.2d€€594,€596€(Tenn.€1976).€ÏSince€the€back€is€not€a€scheduled€member,€this€is€such€a€case.€€The€judgmentÏof€the€trial€court€is€therefore€modified€to€provide€for€an€award€based€onÏthirty„five€percent€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.Ó ôÍÓÌà àà àAs€modified,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€TheÏcause€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€such€further€proceedings,€if€any,€asÏmay€be€appropriate.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendant„appellant.Ó l(ÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________Ó ÓÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌFrank€F.€Drowota,€III,€Associate€JusticeÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌHamilton€Gayden,€Jr.,€JudgeÌ