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HTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'TXxXXX7XXdd7  L_L_L_L_X     р   #  @@  INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @@B B SPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANELM_l*6&"h 8 `Extt06lߛ $$M_@@ATKNOXVILLE   d $$DENNISE.PARSONS, h     )    `     h     ) p     ` Plaintiff/Appellant h     ) p KNOXCHANCERY x   (#     `     h     ) p  l  v. `     h     ) p NO.03S019807CH00080 R   `     h     ) p  8x W.T.WARRENDISTRIBUTINGand  ) p HON.FREDERICKD.McDONALD, ^ THEST.PAUL,   h     ) p CHANCELLOR D  `     h     ) ` Defendants/Appellees    )   FortheAppellant:   h     FortheAppellees: F  JamesL.Milligan,Jr. h     RickyL.Apperson  LawOfficesofJamesL.Milligan,Jr.  Spicer,Flynn&Rudstrom,PLLC  ЀandAssociates   h     800S.GaySt.,Suite1209    607MarketStreet,10thFl.    Knoxville,TN37929 !! Knoxville,TN37902   MEMORANDUMOPINION  )&*  MembersofPanel: +',  JusticeFrankF.Drowota,III  z-).  SeniorJudgeJohnK.Byers `.*/ SeniorJudgeWilliamH.Inman% %  REVERSEDandREMANDED     p     BYERS,SeniorJudge =9@ Ї   OPINION      ` Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw. ` Reviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovouponthe    recordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefindings,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2);Stonev.CityofMcMinnville,896S.W.2d548,550(Tenn.1995). 0p TheapplicationofthisstandardrequiresthisCourttoweighinmoredepththefactualfindingsandconclusionsofthetrialcourtinaworkerscompensationcase.See   Corcoranv.FosterAutoGMC,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,456(Tenn.1988).   ` Thetrialjudgefoundtheplaintiffcouldnotrecoverinthiscasebecausethemedicalevidenceshowedtheplaintiffhadsufferedonlyanincreaseinpainfromapreexistingdegenerativediscdisease. ` Thetrialjudgefoundtheplaintiffhadsuffereda30percentvocationaldisabilityifhewereentitledtorecover. ` Wefindtheevidencepreponderatesinfavoroftheplaintiff.Wereversethejudgmentwhichdismissesthecaseandfindtheplaintiffisentitledtoanawardof30percentvocationaldisabilityasfoundbythetrialjudge. ` Theplaintiffwasage35atthetimeofthetrialandhasahighschooleducation.Hewasprimarilyemployedasatruckdriver,ajobhedidforthedefendant. ` OnJanuary15,1997,theplaintiffwasdoingrepairworkonanofficeceiling.L_L_WhenaL_L_smallpieceofdrywallfelltowardtheplaintiffshead,hejerkedhisheadbackwardandheardhisneck pop.Soonaftertheplaintiffbegantosufferpaininhisneckandhesoughtmedicalattention. ` Dr.RobertScottDavis,aneurosurgeon,becametheplaintiffstreatingphysician.Dr.DavistestifiedtheplaintiffhaddegenerativechangesattheC6andC7levelsinhisspine,withL_stinosisL_L_stenosisL_.L_L_Dr.Davisultimatelydidsurgeryontheplaintiffinanefforttorelievethepaintheplaintiffwasexperiencing. ` Itisnotnecessarytogointominutedetailconcerningthemedicalfindings. ;7>  ` Dr.Davistestifiedtheaccidentatworkdidnotcausethedegenerativechangeswhichtheplaintiffhas.Hedid,however,testifythattheaccidentcausedthepreexistingdegenerativecondition,whichhadbeenasymptomaticpriortotheaccidentL_L_andthenbecF_aF_G_oG_meL_L_L_L_symptomaticH_???H_.L_L_Further,Dr.Davistestifiedtheplaintiffmayhaveneverhadaproblem[pain]asaresultofthepreexistingconditionbutfortheaccident.Dr.Davisfoundtheplaintifftohaveafivepercentpermanentpartialdisabilitytothebodyasawhole.Heplacednoworkrestrictionsontheplaintiff. ` Dr.GilbertL.Hyde,anorthopedicsurgeonwhoexaminedtheplaintiff,testifiedtheaccidentcausedtheplaintiffspreexistingconditiontobecomesymptomatic.Dr.Hydetestifiedtheplaintiffhadan18percentmedicalimpairmentandsuggestedlimitationsonlifting,turning,etc. ` Theplaintifftestifiedhewasunabletodriveatruckashehaddonebeforetheaccidentbecauseofthepaincausedbydrivingatruck. ` WefindthatthefactsinthiscasewarrantajudgmentinfavoroftheplaintiffbecausetheyappeartomeettherequirementsoftherulesetoutbytheSupremeCourtinTalleyv.VirginiaIns.Reciprocal,775S.W.2d587(Tenn.1989),wherethe  Courtsaid: Thereisnotdoubtthatpaininconsideredadisablinginjury,compensablewhenoccurringastheresultofaworkrelatedinjury. ` Inthiscase,theplaintiffwaspainfreefromhispreexistingcondition.Bothdoctorstestifiedtheaccidentcausedtheconditiontobecomesymptomatic.Onedoctortestifiedthatbutfortheinjurytheplaintiffmaywellnothaveeverhadpain. ` WebelievethiscasefitsalsointotheholdingsinHillv.EagleBendL_L_Mfg.K_,K_L_L_Inc., )%* 942S.W.2d483(Tenn.1997)andTownsendv.State,826S.W.2d434(Tenn. P+', 1992),whichheldincreasedpainasaresultofaninjuryofapreexistingconditionisnotcompensableunlesstheseverityofthepreexistingconditionhadbeenL_L_I_???I_J_advancedJ_L_L_orresultsinadisablingcondition.InTownsend,therewaspreexistingpain.InHill, 0,2 therewererestrictionsplacedaftertheinjury.Inthiscase,therewasnopreexistingpainpriortotheaccident,buttherewassubsequentthereto.InHill,therewere T406 restrictionsimposedaftertheinjury.Inthiscase,Dr.Hydewasoftheopinionrestrictionsindicatedshouldbeimposed.Forthesereasons,wefindtheplaintiffhas sustainedaninjuryarisingoutofandinthecourseofhisemploymentwiththe 95< defendantandthatheshouldrecoverajudgmentof30percentimpairmenttothebodyasawholeasfoundbythetrialjudgeinhiscontingencyruling.  ` Wethereforereversethejudgmentofthetrialjudgeindismissingthiscase. ` Weremandthecasetothetrialjudgeforentryofsuchorderasisnecessarytocarryoutthisopinion. ` Thecostofthisappealistaxedtothedefendant.       `     h     _____________________________ `     h     JohnK.Byers,SeniorJudgeCONCUR:________________________________FrankF.Drowota,III,Justice________________________________WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudgeX_   X_Y_Y_Y_QeXXx ` #XxXQe$#XXx   INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE#XxX%#  @. `     h   ATKNOXVILLEl*6&"h 8 `Extt06l $$   @     H      P      @     H      P      @     @     H     \  8   8   8      @     H     (H ""   @ DENNISE.PARSONS,   H )  KNOXCHANCERY     ""   @     H )  No.1352391   (  PlaintiffAppellant,   H )     P         @     H )     P      X       @  H )No.03S019807CH00080 f    v. @     H ) L     @     H )W.T.WARRENDISTRIBUTINGand)  Hon.FrederickD.McDonald X   THEST.PAUL.)  Chancellor >    @     H )   $   Defendants/Appellees. H )        @      P          @    JUDGMENTORDER̀X XXXx  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord, H ЀincludingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'πCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumπOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsπoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference;  Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthememorandumπOpinionofthePanelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and  Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsofπfactsandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andπthedecisionofthePanelismadetheJudgmentoftheπCourt.  Costsonappealaretaxedtotheappellee,W.T.WarrenDistributing,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary.  >-~)8 Ѐ03/23/99#XxX XX .#Y_ .*: