ÿWPC- …# VULa %­ 0(³4ÛïU:þ8 0l@ 0D¬ ð Æø w@¾ Æþ ÆÄ ÆŠ 0JP 0Tš 0^î 0hL 0r´ 0|& 0†¢ 0( 1u¸ 0d- B‘ D3® 0@áU *!B)KDCt AM·íU6ñ'v~7vÓµ AOˆÆ× 0D D/á B˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 .@FÐ Z‹4GeoSlab703 Lt BT LightX($¡¡obF"3|xß"Arial Regular((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 ÀÁEÂÃÄÓ€ÐÑVÒîÓӀ߂Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 52 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô !"# ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ d))))'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d00007Border 1dd€-1Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ãÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€/ÔÔ€/ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€/XÔÌÌò òFebruary€21,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€/ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier New Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€/ÔÔ€/ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€/XÔÌÌò òFebruary€21,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€/ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHøHÿöÿòV,(ühhØ hd'0ÿÎÿºF ® 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 ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  Ý›Ò  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€/ÔÑ7€b·XXdædÈ7Ñœ›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌó óÌÌÌò òTHOMAS€R.€MURRAH,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)à àSHELBY€COUNTYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€GEORGE€H.€BROWN,ÏJR.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJUDGE€€€€€ÌAETNA€LIFE€AND€CASUALTY,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€02S01„9607„CV„00065̜ـ€ÙßR€231A1-j|W&` Å `€€@ÿRß›à àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTóó:òòà àà àà àà àFOR€APPELLEEóó:€€ÌKaren€R.€Cicalaà àà àà àà àA.€Wilson€WagesÌ80€Monroe€Avenueà à€à àà àAlice€L.€GallaherÌSuite€410à àà àà àà àà à8120€Highway€51€NorthÌMemphis,€TN€38103à àà àà à#7Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àMillington,€TN€38053ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àLYLE€REID,€JUSTICEÌà@ àJOE€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€œSPECIAL€JUDGE›Ìà@ àCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àCLARK,€SPECIALÏJUDGEÌÓÓó óÌÌÌÑ7€b·XXdæXXdæ7Ñà àThis€workerððs€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€specialÏworkerððs€compensation€appeals€panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€SupremeÏCourt€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€ÌÌà àIn€this€appeal,€the€employer€contends€that€the€award€of€permanent€partialÏdisability€benefits€based€on€twenty€(20%)€percent€to€each€upper€extremity€isÏexcessive.€€The€employer€also€questions€the€trial€courtððs€decision€to€commute€toÏa€lump€sum€the€payment€of€forty€(40%)€percent€of€the€total€award€in€addition€toÏattorney€fees.€€This€panel€finds€that€the€judgment€should€be€affirmed.ÌÌà àNo€transcript€of€the€hearing€is€included€in€the€record.€€Instead,€aÏstatement€of€evidence€was€submitted€by€defendant.€€Plaintiff€filed€an€objection€toÍthat€statement€and€a€proposed€supplement.€€The€record€does€not€reflect€that€theÏtrial€court€ever€specifically€resolved€this€dispute€as€required€by€our€rules.€ÏT.R.A.P.€24(e).€€Instead,€the€trial€court€entered€an€ð ðOrder€Approving€RecordððÏwherein€the€parties€agreed€that€ð ðthe€record€in€this€matter€is€complete€and€shouldÏbe€sent€to€the€Court€of€Appealsðð.€€This€issue€has€not€been€pursued€by€eitherÏparty€on€appeal.€€It€is€with€this€procedural€background€that€we€address€theÏissues€before€the€court.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€Thomas€R.€Murrah€was€forty„one€(41)€years€old€at€the€time€of€trial.€ÏHe€was€the€single€father€of€a€seventeen„year„old€son.€€He€began€working€atÏDelta€International€in€1981,€changing€jobs€several€times€over€the€years.€€In€1993Ïhe€began€using€a€computer€for€the€office€work€he€performed€in€the€technicalÏservice€department.€€He€typed€for€up€to€five€hours€per€day.ÌÌà àSometime€between€February€and€May€1993€plaintiff€began€experiencingÏproblems€with€his€right€hand.€€In€June€1993€he€was€transferred€back€into€theÏplant.€€On€June€30,€1993,€he€had€trouble€while€writing€with€a€pen.€€Plaintiff€sawÏhis€personal€physician,€Dr.€Brody,€who€gave€him€a€splint€to€wear€at€night€andÏtold€him€to€stay€off€his€wrist.ÌÌà àWhen€plaintiff€returned€to€work€the€next€day€he€advised€his€supervisor,ÏBill€Walker,€of€the€visit€to€the€doctor.€€Walker€then€sent€plaintiff€to€the€BaptistÏMinor€Medical€Center.€€Ten€days€later€plaintiff€began€having€problems€with€hisÍleft€hand.€€His€job€at€that€time€included€using€screwdrivers€and€working€with€wireÏnuts.€€The€professionals€at€Baptist€Minor€Medical€Center€referred€plaintiff€to€Dr.ÏWilliam€Harold€Knight.€€At€the€request€of€his€attorney€plaintiff€also€consulted€Dr.ÏWilliam€L.€€Bourland,€who€provided€plaintiff€with€cortisone€injections€whichÏseemed€to€help€his€condition.ÌÌà àDuring€the€course€of€this€medical€treatment€plaintiff€saw€Drs.€Brody€andÏBourland€once€each.€€He€saw€Dr.€Knight€three€times,€had€a€nerve€conductionÏstudy,€and€visited€the€Baptist€Minor€Medical€Center€approximately€three€times.ÌÌà àAt€the€request€of€his€attorney€plaintiff€visited€Dr.€Regina€Lindsey€once€forÏevaluation€in€September€1995.€€ÌÌà àPlaintiff€continues€to€perform€the€same€job€at€Delta€International.€€He€hasÏhad€no€surgery€on€either€wrist.€€He€has€a€master€of€science€degree€in€businessÏwith€a€concentration€in€management,€and€hopes€to€go€into€the€managementÏfield.€€He€also€continues€to€be€able€to€perform€auto€mechanic€work€on€his€ownÏcar.ÌÌà àNo€medical€depositions€were€taken.€€The€Standard€Form€Medical€ReportÏfor€Industrial€Injuries€completed€by€William€L.€Bourland€on€April€27,€1995,Ïdiagnosed€defendant€as€having€bilateral€carpal€tunnel€syndrome.€€Dr.€€BourlandÏassigned€no€permanent€impairment€rating.€€He€did€identify€restrictions€as€toÍstanding€and€sitting.ÌÌÌà àThe€Standard€Form€Medical€Report€for€Industrial€Injuries€completed€byÏDr.€Regina€Lindsey€September€21,€1995,€assigned€an€impairment€rating€of€tenÏ(10%)€percent€for€each€upper€extremity,€or€twelve€(12%)€percent€to€the€body€asÏa€whole.€€Dr.€Lindsey€noted€that€plaintiff€had€limited€functional€capacity€inÏhandling,€fingering€and€feeling.€€She€advised€him€to€avoid€such€occupations€asÏhammering,€holding€a€vibrating€piece€of€machinery€in€the€hands,€or€strikingÏsomething€with€the€fingertips.ÌÌà àAppellate€review€is€de€novo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Ïaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unlessÏthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(2).€€This€tribunal€is€required€to€conduct€an€independent€examination€ofÏthe€record€to€determine€where€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòWingertÏv.€Government€of€Sumner€Countyóó,€908€S.W.2d€921€(Tenn.€1995).ÌÌà àOnce€the€causation€and€permanency€of€an€injury€have€been€establishedÏby€expert€testimony,€the€trial€judge€may€consider€many€pertinent€factors,Ïincluding€age,€job€skills,€education,€training,€duration€of€disability€and€jobÏopportunities€for€the€disabled,€in€addition€to€anatomical€impairment,€for€theÏpurpose€of€evaluating€the€extent€of€a€claimantððs€permanent€disability.€€Tenn.ÍCode€Ann.€ðð50„6„241(a)(2);€òòMcCaleb€v.€Saturn€Corporationóó,€910€S.W.2d€412Ï(Tenn.€1995).€€We€have€carefully€examined€the€record€with€respect€to€thoseÏfactors€and€are€not€persuaded€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€theÏfindings€of€the€trial€court€with€respect€to€the€extent€of€the€claimantððs€permanentÏdisability.ÌÌà àDefendant€next€contends€the€trial€judge€erred€in€commuting€forty€(40%)Ïpercent€of€the€award,€after€attorney€fees,€to€a€lump€sum.€€Plaintiff€testified€at€trialÏthat€during€the€course€of€the€lawsuit€he€had€incurred€credit€card€debts€and€legalÏpayments€for€work€involved€in€getting€custody€of€his€children.€€He€thereforeÏsought€a€lump€sum€commutation€of€the€award€granted€to€him.ÌÌà àPermanent€partial€disability€benefits€may,€in€the€discretion€of€the€trialÏjudge,€be€awarded€in€a€lump€sum.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„229(a).€€The€statuteÏrequires€the€court€to€consider€whether€the€commutation€would€be€in€the€bestÏinterest€of€the€employee,€and€the€ability€of€the€employee€wisely€to€manage€andÏcontrol€any€commuted€award.€€We€find€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderateÏagainst€the€trial€courtððs€determination€to€commute€forty€(40%)€percent€of€theÏaward,€after€calculation€of€the€attorneyððs€fee.€€We€also€note€that€a€considerableÏamount€of€the€award€will€have€accrued€in€any€event€by€the€time€this€judgmentÏbecomes€final.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€The€case€is€remanded€to€theÍtrial€court€for€such€further€proceedings,€if€any,€as€may€be€appropriate.€€Costs€onÏappeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendant„appellant.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIALÏJUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌLYLE€REID,€JUSTICEÌÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌJOE€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€œSPECIAL€JUDGE›ÌÌœÇ›Ñ  ÑÑ  ÑÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ҜԀ4ÔÔ€4&ÔßJ€25;+'b|‰=` Å `€@ÿJß›à@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌÌÌTHOMAS€R.€MURRAH,à àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ì€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,à àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ h Òv.à àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Shelby€CountyÌà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€No.€64302„6€T.D.€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Hon.€George€H.€Brown,€Jr.,ÌÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒAETNA€LIFE€AND€CASUALTY,à àà à(€€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€ÌÒ € ÒÒ X Òà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€S.€Ct.€No.€02S01„9607„CV„00065Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ 8 Ò€€€€€Defendant„Appellant.à àà à(€€AFFIRMED.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€€€€€€€òòà8 ààH.ààH.ààHŽŽ'àò òJUDGMENT€ORDERóóó óÌÌÓÓà àÌà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€reviewÏpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€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 àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€forÏreview€is€not€well€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€theÏdecision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€defendant„appellant,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€___€day€of€February,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌReid,€J.€„€Not€participating.ÌÔ€/ÔÔ€/XÔ