ÿWPC, …U:V %–n­¦S 0(Sw({4£Æ·n­} * 0J* 0Tt 0^È 0h& 0rŽ 0| 0†| 0 1u’ U, 0d3U,—B)ÃDCì AM/ B|U*™Ãv~ÃvÓA D3 0@G AO‡ÆÖ 0Dœ D/à B4AÁ A`"Antique OliveX#|l«4AÁ A`"Antique OliveXX~AÁ P’…-7ûXP($¡¡PPÓ€DîÊl#!½¬Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5«4AÁ A`"Antique OliveXX~AÁ P’…-7ûXP2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d< Œ 9p`(Arial öÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌò òAugust€30,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€&ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$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€-‚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  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÙ€€ÙÙ€€ÙßL€$'#;+'h|ž` Å `€€LßÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ à(March€4,€1996€Session)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌREBA€JOYCE€MOODY,€à àà àà à)ÌSTATUORY€REPRESENTATIVE€OFà à)€€€SHELBY€COUNTY€CIRCUITÏCOURTà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌJAMES€JUNIOR€MOODYà àà àà à)€€€NO.€54756€&€56062€T.D.Ìà àà àPlaintiff„Appellant,à àà à)€€€Hon.€Robert€A.€Lanier,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àv.à àà àà àà àà à)€€€NO.€02501„9509„CV„00080Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌPHELPS€SECURITY,€INC.€€andà àà à)ÌFIDELITY€and€CASUALTY€CO.€à àà à)ÌOF€NEW€YORKà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àDefendants„Appellees,à à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANT:à àà àà àà àà àà àFOR€APPELLEE:óóò òÌÌó óRonald€W.€Kimà àà àà àà àà àà àJames€F.€EgglestonÌSteve€Taylorà àà àà àà àà àà àSuite€3016,€100€N.ÏMainÌKim,€Wilcox€&€McArthurà àà àà àà àMemphis,€TennesseeÌ6363€Poplar€Avenue,€Suite€60là àà àà àà àà àà àÌMemphis,€TennesseeÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌà@ àà ààHàà&pàòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà@ àÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMembers€of€PanelóóÌÌÌà@ àLyle€Reid,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌà@ àF.€Lloyd€Tatum,€Special€JudgeÌà@ àJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àTatum,€JudgeÌÌÑ  ÑÑ7€Œ XXdðXXdð7ÑÓÓà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€CourtÏin€accordance€with€òòTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)óó€for€hearing€andÏreporting€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà àSuit€was€filed€in€the€Circuit€Court€at€Memphis€by€Reba€JoyceÏMoody€as€representative€of€the€estate€of€her€deceased€husband,ÍJames€Junior€Moody,€against€Phelps€Security,€Inc.,€the€employer,€andÏFidelity€and€Casualty€Co.€of€New€York,€the€employer's€workers'Ïcompensation€insurance€carrier.€€The€plaintiff€sued€for€workers'Ïcompensation€benefits€as€a€result€of€an€accidental€injury€thatÏallegedly€caused€the€death€of€James€Junior€Moody,€including€aÏportion€of€the€medical€expenses€incurred.€€The€defendants€filed€anÏanswer€admitting€that€James€Junior€Moody€sustained€accidentalÏinjuries€growing€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€his€employment,€butÏthey€denied€that€these€injuries€resulted€in€the€death€of€James€JuniorÏMoody.€€The€answer€also€stated€that€the€insurance€carrier€had€paidÏthat€portion€of€the€medical€expenses€which€were€related€to€theÏinjuries€sustained€by€James€Junior€Moody€on€or€about€November€7,Ï1992,€the€date€of€the€accident.ÌÌà àThe€defendants€filed€a€suggestion€of€death€showing€that€RebaÏJoyce€Moody,€Administratrix,€died€on€September€19,€1994.€€JamesÏMoody€and€Deborah€Ann€Wolfe€were€appointed€as€successor€Co„Administrators€of€the€estate.ÌÌà àThe€trial€judge€found€in€favor€of€the€plaintiff€and€awardedÏweekly€benefits€from€the€date€of€the€death€of€the€deceased€onÏJanuary€13,€1993€to€the€widow's€death€on€September€19,€1994.€€TheÏtotal€medical€expenses€owing€was€Two€Hundred€and€Fifty„SevenÏThousand,€Three€Hundred€and€Thirty„Six€Dollars€and€One€CentÏ($257,336.01).€€The€trial€judge€ordered€that€the€defendant€pay€to€theÏvarious€medical€providers€the€unpaid€medical€expenses€less€FiftyÏOne€Thousand,€Four€Hundred€Sixty„Seven€Dollars€and€Twenty€centsÏ($51,467.20)€which€amount€was€ordered€to€be€paid€to€the€plaintiff'sÏattorneys€for€their€fee€in€collecting€the€medical€expenses.€€TheÏattorneys'€fee€is€twenty€percent€(20%)€of€the€total€medicalÏexpenses.€€Ìà àThe€only€issue€presented€by€the€plaintiff€on€this€appeal€is:ÌÌà8 àÓÓThe€trial€court€was€in€error€when€it€ordered€that€portionÏof€the€judgment€representing€medical€expenses€(afterÏproper€deduction€for€attorney€fees€and€litigationÏexpenses)€be€paid€directly€to€the€health€care€providersÏrather€than€to€the€estate€of€deceased€employee€despiteÏthe€fact€that€said€health€care€providers€failed€to€file€aÏclaim€in€probate€court€against€said€estate.ÌÌÌà àThe€defendants€present€an€additional€issue:ÌÌÌÌà8 àIf,€as€the€plaintiff€asserts,€the€respective€health€careÏproviders€are€barred€from€receiving€the€hospitalÏexpenses€for€failure€to€file€a€claim€in€the€estate€of€theÏdeceased€employee,€should€the€defendants€hold€plaintiffÏharmless€for€such€claims,€rather€than€pay€the€reasonableÏvalue€of€the€medical€and€hospital€services€to€theÏplaintiff.ÌÌÓÓÌà àThe€plaintiff's€issue€is€without€merit€and€the€judgment€of€theÏtrial€court€is€affirmed.€€The€plaintiff€and€the€defendants€filed€theÏfollowing€"Stipulation€In€Lieu€of€Transcript":ÌÌÓÓà8 à€à àCOME€NOW€the€parties€hereto,€and€in€lieu€of€theÏtranscript€of€proceedings€at€trial,€would€stipulate€thatÏthe€proof€at€trial€was,€in€pertinent€parts,€as€follows:ÌÑ ` ÑÑ  Ñà8 àà à1.à àThat€the€defendant,€the€Fidelity€and€CasualtyÏCompany€of€New€York,€acknowledged€that€certain€medicalÏand€hospital€expenses€incurred€by€James€Junior€Moody€inÏthe€amount€of€$61,447.27€were€made€reasonablyÏnecessary€by€his€on€the€job€accident€of€November€7,Ï1992,€and€paid€said€expenses€prior€to€suit.ÌÌÌà8 àà à2.à àThat€in€addition€thereto,€the€followingÏmedical€and€hospital€expenses€were€incurred€by€JamesÏJunior€Moody€subsequent€to€November€7,€1992€but€priorÍto€his€death€on€January€13,€1993:ÌÌà8 àà8 àEastwood€Hospital€.........................€€$252,708.45€ÌÌà8 àà8 àMemphis€Radiological€Corporation€€..........€Ï94.00ÌÌà8 àà8 àDuckworth€Pathology€.............................€1,525.00ÌÌà8 àà8 àDr.€T.€K.€Creson,€Jr.€................................€€€940.00ÌÌà8 àà8 àDr.€James€H.€Shull€.....................................€446.56€ÌÌà8 àà8 àDr.€James€E.€McAfee€.................................òò1,622.00ÌÌóóà8 àà8 àTOTAL€...........................................€òò$257,336.01óóÌÌà8 àà à3.à àThat€defendants€at€the€trial€of€this€caseÏdenied€that€the€medical€expenses€set€out€above€in€theÏtotal€amount€of€$257,336.0l€were€made€reasonablyÏnecessary€by€the€on€the€job€accident€of€November€7,€1992Ïand€these€expenses€were€not€paid€by€Defendants.Ìà8 àà à4.à àThat€James€Junior€Moody€died€at€theÏEastwood€Hospital€on€January€13,€1993.Ìà8 àà à5.à àThat€the€Estate€of€James€Junior€Moody€wasÏopened€in€the€Probate€Court€of€Shelby€County,€TennesseeÏon€August€25,€1993€and€that€Reba€Joyce€Moody€was€dulyÏappointed€administratrix€of€this€Estate.Ìà8 àà à6.à àThat€Notice€to€Creditors€was€properlyÏpublished€on€August€31,€1993€and€September€7,€1993,€byÏthe€Clerk€of€the€Probate€Court€of€Shelby€County.Ìà8 àà à7.à àThat€no€claims€against€the€Estate€of€JamesÏJunior€Moody€have€been€filed€by€any€creditor,€includingÏthose€health€care€providers€rendering€medical€or€hospitalÏservices€to€James€Junior€Moody.Ìà8 àà àThe€parties€further€stipulate€that€the€defendantsÍhave€paid€to€plaintiff's€attorneys€the€court€approvedÏattorney's€fee€in€the€sum€of€$51,467.20,€and€pursuant€toÏthe€Order€of€May€30,€1995,€defendants€are€entitled€toÏcredit€of€$51,467.20€against€any€amount€to€be€paid€byÏdefendants€for€medical€or€hospital€expenses€incurred€byÏJames€Junior€Moody.ÌÓÓÌà àThe€plaintiffs€argue€that€since€the€health€care€providers€failedÏto€file€a€claim€in€probate€court€within€the€time€allowed€after€noticeÏto€creditors€was€properly€published€pursuant€to€òòT.C.A.€ðð€30„2„310óó,Ïthe€claim€of€the€health€care€providers€would€be€defeated€in€probateÏcourt€and€the€estate€would€be€permitted€to€retain€the€amount€paid€toÏthe€estate€by€the€defendants€for€medical€expenses.ÌÌà àWe€find€no€merit€in€this€appeal.€€Under€òòT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„204€(a)(1)óóÏit€is€provided€that€the€employer€"shall€furnish€free€of€charge€to€theÏemployee"€various€items€of€medical€expenses.€€It€is€not€disputed€thatÏunder€the€trial€judge's€judgment€the€medical€care€was€furnished€toÏthe€deceased€employee€"free€of€charge."ÌÌà àThe€workers'€compensation€act€contemplates€that€health€careÏproviders€look€to€the€employer€or€the€employer's€insurance€carrierÍfor€compensation.€€When€the€employer€is€liable€under€the€workers'Ïcompensation€act,€medical€providers€are€prohibited€from€pursuing€aÏclaim€against€a€workers'€compensation€claimant.€€òòT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„122óóÏprovides:Ìà8 àÓÓ...€(b)€A€health€care€provider€shall€not€pursue€a€privateÏclaim€against€a€workers'€compensation€claimant€for€allÏor€part€of€the€costs€of€health€care€services€provided€toÏthe€claimant€by€the€provider€unless:Ìà8 àà à(1)à àThe€injury€is€finally€adjudicated€not€to€beÏcompensable€under€this€chapter;Ìà8 àà à(2)à àThe€physician€or€surgeon,€as€provided€in€ðð€50„6„204,€who€was€not€authorized€by€the€employer€at€theÏtime€the€services€were€rendered€knew€that€suchÏphysician€or€surgeon€was€not€an€authorized€physician€orÏsurgeon;€orÌà8 àà à(3)à àThe€employee€knew€that€the€physician€orÏsurgeon€was€not€an€authorized€physician€or€surgeon;Ïprovided,€that€subdivisions€(b)(2)€and€(3)€do€not€apply€toÏemergency€care.€[Acts€1992,€ch.900,€ðð€6.]ÌÌà àÌà àÓÓThe€workers'€compensation€act€as€a€whole€made€provision€forÏbenefits€to€be€received€by€injured€employees.€€There€was€no€intentÏon€the€part€of€the€legislature€that€injured€employees€or€the€estate€ofÏan€injured€employee€be€enriched€by€the€value€of€services€rendered€byÏmedical€providers€if€the€claims€of€medical€providers€are€defeated.€ÏAs€stated,€òòT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„122óó€prohibited€the€medical€providers€inÍthis€case€from€proceeding€or€pursuing€a€claim€against€the€injuredÏemployee€or€his€estate.€€The€issue€presented€by€the€plaintiff€isÏwithout€merit€and€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.ÌÌà àCosts€are€adjudged€against€the€plaintiffs/appellants.ÌÓÓÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àF.€Lloyd€Tatum,€SpecialÏJudgeÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌLyle€Reid,€Associate€JusticeÌÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌJoe€C.€Loser€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ