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ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€&ÖÑ  ÑÔ&  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÖ€'ÖÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌÙ€€ÙßR€+,)A1-j| ` Å `€€@ÿRßSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€JACKSONÌ(November€27,€1996€Session)ÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓRICHARD€D.€ROBERTS,à àà à)€€€€€OBION€CIRCUITÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,à à)€€€€€Hon.€W.€Michael€Maloan,Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€)€€€€€Judge.Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€)€€€€€No.€02S01„9607„CV„00066ÌGOODYEAR€TIRE€AND€RUBBER€à à€)ÌCOMPANY,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€Ô€XÔ€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant.€€€€€€€)ÌÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee:óóÌÌRandy€N.€Chism€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Lance€E.€WebbÌElam€&€Glasgow€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Union€City,€TennesseeÌUnion€City,€TennesseeòòÌóóÌÌÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌLyle€Reid,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌCornelia€A.€Clark,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÔ'  ÔÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÓ ¹ ÓÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÓ rAÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà 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.€€The€employer,ÏGoodyear,€contends€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€court'sÏfindings€that€(1)€the€employee€or€claimant,€Roberts,€did€not€knowingly€andÏwillfully€misrepresent€his€physical€condition€in€an€employment€application,Ï(2)€the€claimant€suffered€a€compensable€injury€by€accident€and€(3)€theÏclaimant€retains€a€twenty€percent€permanent€partial€disability€of€twentyÏpercent€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€As€discussed€below,€the€panel€has€concludedÏthe€judgment€should€be€affirmed.Ìà àà àFrom€1970€until€April,€1988,€the€claimant€was€employed€byÏanother€employer,€Carborundum,€as€an€electrician.€€In€April,€1988,ÏCarborundum€ceased€its€operations.€€The€out„of„work€claimant€applied€toÏGoodyear€for€a€job€and,€in€March€of€1989,€was€called€to€GoodyearÏregarding€available€jobs€in€its€production€department.Ìà àà àAfter€an€interview,€he€was€hired€subject€to€a€medicalÏevaluation.€€He€completed€a€medical€evaluation€form,€including€the€medicalÏhistory€portion,€then€was€examined€by€a€physician,€in€accordance€with€theÏemployer's€standard€practice.€€The€claimant€was€approved€for€hiring€onÏMarch€13,€1989.Ìà àà àIn€completing€the€personal€medical€history€portion€of€theÏmedical€evaluation€form,€the€claimant€checked€"no"€in€response€to€theÏquestion€which€asked€whether€he€had€any€"Disorder€of€the€musculo„skeletalÏsystem€„„€back€trouble,€knee€trouble,€painful€or€swollen€joints,€boneÏfracture,€gout,€arthritis,€amputations,€etc.?"€€In€response€to€another€question,Ïhowever,€he€noted€a€previous€broken€hip€and€repair€to€his€urethra€during€aÏprevious€injury€at€Carborundum,€for€which€he€asserted€a€claim€for€workers'Ïcompensation€benefits€in€1976.€€After€that€injury€and€surgery,€the€claimantÏcomplained€from€time€to€time€about€low€back€pain.Ìà àà àIn€the€pre„employment€physical€examination,€the€physicianÏreviewed€the€claimant's€personal€medical€history€and€questioned€himÏregarding€the€broken€hip€and€urethra€repair,€but€did€not€ask€about€any€backÏpain€associated€with€the€injury.€€None€was€related.€€The€physician€thenÏconducted€a€physical€examination€of€the€claimant€and€approved€him€forÏwork€with€no€restrictions.€€The€claimant€was€assigned€to€the€productionÏdepartment.Ìà àà àOn€April€7,€1989,€while€at€work€and€changing€a€roll€weighingÏapproximately€120€pounds,€the€claimant€injured€his€back.€€The€injury€wasÏdiagnosed€as€a€ruptured€disc€and€treated€with€open€surgery.€€The€operatingÏsurgeon€assigned€an€eleven€percent€permanent€whole€person€impairment,Ïfrom€appropriate€guidelines.Ìà àà àAfter€successful€surgery€and€a€period€of€rehabilitation,€theÏclaimant€has€returned€to€work€for€Goodyear€in€its€maintenance€departmentÏand€plans€to€bid€for€an€electrician's€job€when€a€vacancy€occurs.€€He€is€a€highÏschool€graduate€with€two€years€of€college€and€has€completed€a€course€inÏaviation€electronics.€€He€was€fifty€years€old€at€the€time€of€the€trial€and€is€aÏlicensed€electrician.Ìà àà àThe€trial€judge€found,€among€other€things,€that€the€evidenceÏfailed€to€establish€that€the€plaintiff€had€knowingly€and€willfully€made€a€falseÏrepresentation€concerning€his€medical€condition,€that€the€injury€in€questionÏwas€compensable€and€that€the€claimant€would€retain€a€permanent€partialÍdisability€of€twenty€percent€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€Appellate€review€is€deÏnovo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€ofÏcorrectness€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€if€issues€of€credibility€andÏweight€to€be€given€oral€testimony€are€involved,€considerable€deference€mustÏbe€accorded€those€circumstances€on€review.€€òòHumphrey€v.€DavidÏWitherspoon,€Inc.óó,€734€€S.W.2d€€315€(Tenn.€1987).ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(1)€False€Application€for€Employment.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àA€false€statement€in€an€employee's€application€for€employmentÏwill€bar€recovery€of€workers'€compensation€benefits€if€all€three€of€theÏfollowing€elements€exist:€first,€the€employee€must€have€knowingly€andÏwillfully€made€a€false€representation€as€to€his€physical€condition;€second,€theÏemployer€must€have€relied€upon€the€false€representation€and€such€relianceÏmust€have€been€a€substantial€factor€in€the€hiring;€and€third,€there€must€haveÏbeen€a€causal€connection€between€the€false€representation€and€the€injury.€ÏòòFederal€Copper€and€Aluminum€Co.€v.€Dickeyóó,€493€€S.W.2d€€463€(Tenn.Ï1973).€€The€record€contains€fifty„four€pages€of€testimony€from€the€claimant,Ïincluding€a€comprehensive€cross„examination.Ìà àà àThe€claimant's€explanation€was€that€he€either€overlooked€or€didÏnot€carefully€read€the€question€concerning€prior€back€trouble.€€The€trialÏjudge€found€him€to€be€a€credible€witness.€€The€evidence€fails€toÏpreponderate€against€the€trial€judge's€finding€that€there€was€no€knowing€andÏwillful€misrepresentation.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(2)€€Compensability.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àUnless€admitted€by€the€employer,€the€employee€has€the€burdenÏof€proving,€among€other€things,€that€he€suffered€an€injury€by€accidentÏarising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€employment.€€òòOster€v.€Yatesóó,€845€ÏS.W.2d€€215€(Tenn.€1992).€€In€the€present€case,€the€employer€contends€theÍemployee's€injury€was€nothing€more€than€a€"continuation"€of€the€claimant'sÏprevious€injury.€€We€are€not€so€persuaded.Ìà àà àAn€accidental€injury€includes€whatever€lesion€or€change€to€anyÏpart€of€the€system€that€produces€harm€or€pain€or€lessened€facility€of€theÏnatural€use€of€any€bodily€activity€or€capability.€€òòBrown€Shoe€Co.€v.€Reedóó,Ï209€€Tenn.€€106,€€350€€S.W.2d€€65€(1961).€€An€injury€is€compensable,€evenÏthough€the€claimant€may€have€been€suffering€from€a€serious€pre„existingÏcondition€or€disability,€if€a€work„connected€accident€can€be€fairly€said€to€beÏa€contributing€cause€of€such€injury.€€òòFink€v.€Caudleóó,€856€€S.W.2d€€952Ï(Tenn.€1993).Ìà àà àThe€operating€surgeon€testified€it€was€within€reasonable€medicalÏprobability€that€the€accident€at€Goodyear€was€at€least€a€contributing€cause.€ÏThe€evidence€fails€to€preponderate€against€the€trial€judge's€finding€that€theÏclaimant€suffered€a€compensable€injury€by€accident€arising€out€of€and€in€theÏcourse€of€employment.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(3)€€Extent€of€Disability.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àIn€determining€the€extent€of€an€injured€employee's€permanentÏdisability,€the€courts€are€obliged€to€consider€all€pertinent€factors,€includingÏlay€and€expert€testimony,€the€employee's€age,€education,€skills€and€training,Ïlocal€job€opportunities€and€capacity€to€work€at€types€of€employmentÏavailable€in€the€employee's€disabled€condition.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„241(a)(1).€€From€a€consideration€of€those€factors,€as€well€as€the€expertÏmedical€testimony€concerning€permanent€impairment,€we€are€not€persuadedÏthe€evidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€judge's€award€of€benefits€basedÏon€twenty€percent€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.Ìà àà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€accordingly€affirmed.€€CostsÏon€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendant„appellant.Ó {ÀÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________Ó ÓÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCONCUR:ÌÌ_________________________________ÌLyle€Reid,€Associate€JusticeÌÌ_________________________________ÌCornelia€A.€Clark,€JudgeÌÑ€.ÑÇÑ ` ÑÔ€Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÔ€XÔÌÌÌÓ#` p…X^ŠÐ X#ÓRICHARD€D.€ROBERTS,à àà à)à àOBION€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€7543Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€W.€Michael€Maloan,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà à)à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà à)ÌGOODYEAR€TIRE€AND€RUBBER€COMPANY,à à)à àNO.€02S01„9607„CV„00066ÌßJ€+/;+'b| H` Å `€@ÿJßà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€¼ÔJUDGMENT€ORDERÔ€XÔÌÌÓÓÓ  ÓÌÓ` p`  ’XÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€theÏorder€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€theÏPanel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€OpinionÏof€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Appellant,€and€surety,€for€which€execution€mayÏissue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€23rd€day€of€January,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌ(Reid,€J.,€not€participating)ÌÌÌÌÔ€ÔÔ€¼Ô