ÿWPCB 6# UN %] 0Nc 0±±bbw@j4ª¾Í†Õ[ck 0Jk 0Tµ 0^ 0hg 0rÏ 0|A 0†½ 0C 1uÓ 0dH AQ¬ Æý 0jà 0@- 0Dm D/± Bà Bý D3U>MB)‹DC´ AM÷U*DGn<µv~ñvÓo˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLHÎ'í€"  Z 6Times New Roman Regular¼(&öy$¡¡Ó  ÓÙñÓ Ù(a(2@t$¤¤Ý ƒöy!ÝÓ  ÓÙñÓ ÙÝ  ÝÔ€X¾¤ X¼¼Ôà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó- ù- 4D56D78Ó€BCUDîEDFÓ€„e"(3|xOcarole simpson v. saturn corp. - brandt opinion Ì ' ' IB011C20IB011C2 .   2 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!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(B3wÕ$¢¢Ý ƒöy!ÝÓ  ÓÙñÓ ÙÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d....7Border 1dd!#/Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial =Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€-ÔÔ€-¼ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€1ÔÔ€1ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€1XÔÌÌJune€24,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó 2Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€-ÔÔ€-¼ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€1ÔÔ€1ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€1XÔÌÌJune€24,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{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 ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€-ÔÔ€-¼ÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý›Ñ Ü ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€–é¼¼ddÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñò òà@ àÞ ÞÌÔ€- ÔIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANEL̜ـ!ÙßR€02/A1-j|P)` ç `€€@ÿRß›Ìà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÔ€-„ÔÌà@ àó óÔ€-îÔ(January€23,€1997€Session)Ô€-„Ôò òÌÌÔ€-¼ÔÌó óCAROLE€SIMPSON,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àMAURY€CIRCUITÌà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Jim€T.€Hamilton,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJudgeÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€01S01„9607„CV„00146Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à€€€€€€ÌSATURN€CORPORATION,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌòòFor€the€Appellantóó:à àà àà àà àà àòòFor€the€Appelleeóó:ÌÌThomas€H.€Peebles,€IVà àà àà àà àN.€Houston€ParksÌDana€C.€McLendonà àà àà àà àTRABUE,€STURDIVANTÌWALLER,€LANSDEN,€DORTCH€à àà àà à&€DeWITTÌà à&€DAVISà àà àà àà àà àColumbia,€TennesseeÌColumbia,€TennesseeÌÌœÌÌÌ›Ìà@ àÔ€- Ôò òòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóó ớ̜ÌÌÔ€-¼Ôà@ àòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌà0 àà0 àAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌà àà àà àà àRobert€S.€Brandt,€Senior€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€Judge̛̜ÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àœBrandt,›€œSenior€Judge›ÇÓ€ÓÔ€-„ÔÌà@ àò òòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóó óÌÔ€-¼ÔÌà àThis€workersðð€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkersðð€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordanceÏwith€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€of€findingsÏof€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà àSaturn€Corporation€appeals€from€the€trail€courtððs€award€of€permanentÏpartial€benefits€based€upon€a€65%€disability€to€the€whole€body.€€TheÏfundamental€issue€is€whether€the€plaintiffððs€disability€from€depression€isÏcaused€by€her€work€injury€at€Saturn.€€€The€Court€concludes€that€it€is€andÏaffirms€the€trial€court.€à àÌÌà àCarole€Simpson,€the€plaintiff,€on€August€19,€1991€fell€down€some€stairsÏand€hurt€her€left€shoulder,€arm,€and€hand.€€She€eventually€came€under€the€careÏof€Dr.€Robert€F.€Clendenin,€III,€a€Nashville€physical€medicine€andÏrehabilitation€specialist.€€He€concluded€that€she€œsuffers›€from€a€spinal€nerveÏroot€irritation€and€assessed€her€impairment€at€5%€to€the€whole€body.€€TheÏdoctor€restricted€the€plaintiffððs€lifting€to€twenty€pounds€frequently€and€fortyÏpounds€occasionally€and€instructed€her€not€to€do€repetitive€overhead€work.€ÌÌà àWith€those€restrictions,€the€plaintiff€has€not€been€able€to€do€her€normalÏwork€at€Saturn.€€Instead,€she€has€been€assigned€the€less€strenuous€job€ofÏputting€together€foam€clips.€€At€the€time€of€the€trial,€the€plaintiff€testified€herÍwork€consisted€mostly€of€waiting€in€the€cafeteria€to€be€called€to€perform€someÏduty€œher›€injuries€would€allow.€ÌÌà àThe€problem€in€this€case€is€caused€by€the€plaintiffððs€depression.€€€SheÏbelieved€her€co„workers€were€constantly€harassing€her.€€She€was€depressed,Ïshe€testified,€because€of€ð ðall€the€harassmentðð€she€was€receiving€and€because€ofÏher€pain.€€She€felt€constantly€harassed€by€her€fellow€workers.€€When€askedÏpoint€blank€what€she€attributed€the€depression€to,€the€plaintiff€said€ð ðthe€lack€ofÏa€job,€the€harassment€that€I€have€had€to€endure,€the€doors€that€keep€closing€inÏmy€face€every€time€I€request€help€or€look€for€a€job€or€anything€along€thoseÏlines.€€ò òItððs€mainly€the€constant€harassment€and€the€lack€of€a€jobó óððÏ(emphasis€added).ò ò€€€ÌÌà àó óDr.€John€Cain,€a€Franklin€psychiatrist,€started€treating€the€plaintiff€forÏdepression€for€the€first€time€three€years€after€the€injury.€€€According€to€Dr.ÏCain,€her€work€injury€at€Saturn€is€the€ð ðcontributing€causeðð€of€the€depression.€ÏSome€of€her€depression„causing€stress,€according€to€Cain,€results€from€theÏplaintiffððs€feeling€that€Saturn€has€not€supported€her€or€accommodated€herÏwork€restrictions.€ÌÌà àDr.€Nicholas€Sieveking,€a€clinical€psychologist€who€examined€and€testedÏthe€plaintiff€at€the€request€of€her€attorney,€testified€that€the€abuse€the€plaintiffÏsuffered€as€a€child€at€the€hands€of€her€mother€and€step„father€make€theÏplaintiff€vulnerable€to€depression.€€He€stressed€the€impact€of€accusations€of€co„workers€that€after€the€accident€the€plaintiff€was€not€giving€it€her€best.€€€ÌÌà àSaturn€did€not€present€any€medical€evidence.€€Instead,€it€merelyÏchallenges€the€sufficiency€of€the€plaintiffððs€medical€evidence.€à àÌÌà àSaturn€emphasizes€other€stressors€in€the€plaintiffððs€life.€€Her€husbandÏhad€a€cocaine€habit€before€they€moved€to€Tennessee€less€than€a€year€before€theÏinjury.€€The€plaintiff€had€filed€bankruptcy€back€in€Michigan.€€She€had€beenÏcalled€to€school€several€times€to€deal€with€her€adolescent€childrenððs€behaviorÏproblems.€€She€had€a€hysterectomy€just€a€few€weeks€before€she€saw€Dr.€CainÏfor€the€first€time.ÌÌà àBut€neither€Dr.€Cain€nor€Dr.€Sieveking€seem€to€think€that€these€eventsÏwould€have€caused€the€plaintiffððs€depression.€€It€was,€instead,€the€situation€atÏSaturn.€€But€it€was€not€just€the€disability€and€pain,€and€therein€lies€the€problemÏin€this€case.€€Both€Cain€and€Sieveking€seem€to€place€more€emphasis€on€theÏplaintiffððs€treatment€by€her€co„workers€and€Saturnððs€response€to€the€plaintiffððsÏdisability.€€Their€emphasis,€of€course,€is€consistent€with€the€plaintiffððs€ownÏexplanation€of€why€she€is€depressed.€€ÌÌà àThe€question€on€this€appeal,€then,€is€whether€depression€partiallyÏcaused,€or€even€mostly€caused€by€co„worker€treatment€and€the€perception€thatÏthe€employer€was€not€accommodating€her€disability€justifies€an€award€ofÏworkersðð€compensation€for€the€depression.€€It€is€a€close€question.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiffððs€injury€is€the€underlying€cause€of€her€trouble€at€work.€ÏWithout€the€injury,€there€would€have€been€no€co„worker€harassment€chargingÏthat€she€was€not€doing€her€best.€€Without€the€injury,€there€would€have€been€noÍdisability€for€Saturn€to€accommodate,€and€thus€no€cause€for€the€plaintiff€toÏbelieve€Saturn€was€not€doing€all€it€could€to€accommodate€her.€€It€would€seem,Ïthen,€that€just€as€a€matter€of€fact,€the€cause€of€the€depression€is€traced€back€toÏthe€injury.ÌÌà àThat€was€the€holding€of€this€court€in€òòBatson€v.€Cigna€Property€andÏCasualty€Companiesóó,€874€S.W.2d€566€(Tenn.€1994).€€Batson,€a€concrete€truckÏdriver,€€hurt€his€knee€resulting€in€a€5%€impairment€to€the€leg€„€a€relativelyÏminor€injury.€€After€returning€to€a€light€duty€job€the€employer€created€forÏhim,€Batson€started€experiencing€psychiatric€problems,€including€depression.€ÏHe€claimed€he€was€being€mistreated€by€supervisors.€€ÌÌà àShortly€after€he€started€seeing€œa›€psychiatrist,€Batson€voluntarily€left€hisÏjob,€but€was€not€rehired€due€to€lack€of€work.€€This€aggravated€BatsonððsÏhostility€toward€his€former€supervisors€and€the€company.€€€Just€like€theÏplaintiff€in€this€case,€he€testified€that€his€emotional€problems€resulted€from€theÏway€the€employer€treated€him€after€his€injury.€€€The€trial€court€concluded€thatÏBatson€was€100%€disabled.€€It€found€that€his€mental€condition€was€caused€byÏthe€knee€injury€and€the€care€and€treatment€for€it.€€€ÌÌà àœThis›€Court€in€òòBatsonóó€did€not€focus€on€the€distinction€between€a€mentalÏcondition€resulting€from€disability€and€pain€as€opposed€to€a€mental€conditionÏresulting€from€the€employeeððs€perception€of€mistreatment€by€the€employer.€ÏInstead,€the€Court€focused€on€the€distinction€between€a€mental€conditionÏresulting€from€a€sudden€event€as€opposed€to€day„to„day€stress.€ÌÌà àThe€holding€in€òòBatsonóó€is€applicable€here,€nevertheless.€€It€set€theÏprecedent€by€holding€that€disability€from€a€mental€condition€resulting€fromÏthe€employeeððs€perception€of€mistreatment€by€his€employer€is€traced€back€toÏthe€original€physical€injury.€€The€mental€condition€is€considered€to€be€causedÏby€the€injury.€€ÌÌà àIn€this€case,€of€course,€œthere›€is€a€slightly€different€twist.€€The€plaintiffððsÏdepression€is€caused€by€perceived€mistreatment€by€her€co„workers€as€well€asÏperceived€mistreatment€by€her€employer.€€But€the€result€is€the€same.€€It€wasÏher€injury€that€caused€the€reaction€of€her€co„workers.ÌÌà àIn€its€appeal,€Saturn€also€complains€about€the€trial€courtððs€finding€ofÏpermanency€and€complains€about€the€amount€of€the€award.€€ÌÌà àDr.€Cain€believes€that€the€plaintiffððs€condition€is,€as€he€put€it,€ð ðeitherÏlong„term€or€permanent.ðð€€It€will€not€end€in€the€foreseeable€future,€heÏtestified.€€ð ðIndefinitely,ðð€he€said.€€This€is€sufficient€for€the€trial€court€toÏconclude€that€the€plaintiffððs€depression€is€permanent.€€Dr.€Cain,€as€he€said,Ïcannot€predict€the€future.€€The€plaintiffððs€condition€might€improve.€But€it€isÏlikely€the€depression€will€be€with€her€for€the€rest€of€her€life€even€if€she€doesÏsee€some€improvement.ÌÌà àDr.€Clendeninððs€restrictions€have€already€been€discussed.€€Dr.€Jeffery€T.ÏAdams,€a€Columbia€orthopedic€surgeon,€treated€the€plaintiff€before€Dr.ÏClendenin.€€He€instructed€the€plaintiff€not€to€do€any€work€ð ðabove€70€degreesððÏwhich€means€not€to€raise€her€arms€higher€than€a€little€below€the€shoulderÍlevel.€€Dr.€Adams,€by€the€way,€found€the€plaintiff€to€be€depressed€two€yearsÏbefore€she€first€saw€Dr.€Cain.€ÌÌà àDr.€Sieveking,€the€clinical€psychologist€who€was€asked€by€the€plaintiffððsÏattorney€to€assess€her,€considered€the€medical€reports,€his€own€independentÏtesting,€and€his€visit€with€the€plaintiff.€€He€found€that€the€plaintiff€has€a€92%Ïdisability.€€Just€relying€on€the€medical€evidence€alone€and€disregarding€theÏplaintiffððs€own€self„described€limitations,€Dr.€Sieveking€found€the€plaintiff€toÏbe€51%€disabled.€€ÌÌà àConsidering€all€the€evidence,€the€trial€courtððs€award€of€65%€is€notÏexcessive.ÌÌà àFor€the€above€reasons,€we€conclude€that€the€trial€courtððs€judgmentÏshould€be€affirmed.€€Costs€are€taxed€to€the€defendant„appellant.€€€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àœRobert›€S.€Brandt,€œSenior€Judge›ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ________________________________ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌ________________________________ÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€œSpecial€JudgeÌÇÒ  ÒÒ £ Òòòà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌßJ€03;+'b|` ç `€@ÿJßÌÌÌCAROLE€SIMPSON,à àà àà à}à àMAURY€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€5566€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Jim€T.€Hamilton,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌSATURN€CORPORATION,à àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9607„CV„00146Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à}à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà 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€conclusionsÏof€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€OpinionÏof€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà 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.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Defendant/Appellant€and€Surety,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€June€24,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌ›