ÿWPC 2U:Ì % n­ 04Éýw4ý41EE 0JE 0T 0^ã 0hA 0r© 0| 0†— 0 1u­ 0d"U6† AQ¼Æ 0PÓ 0@# 0Dc B)§ D/Ð Bÿ B D39 DCl AM¯ U*ü & f* ' v~·vÓ5<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ€V îÀD Ó€„e"(2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó% Line 7 d(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd%%%%7Border 1dd!#*Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial úÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌJune€24,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌJune€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€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€+-*A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌBILLIE€DOVETA€SMITHERS,€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€€)€€PUTNAM€CIRCUIT€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€NO.€0S01„9609„CV„00182€€€Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€(No.€NJ„5584€below)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€ÌRUSSELL€STOVER€CANDIES,€INC.,€€€€)€€HON.€JOHN€J.€MADDUX,€JR.,€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Defendants/Appellants€€€€)€€JUDGE€€€€€€€€€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEESóó:ÌÌOWEN€R.€LIPSCOMB€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€KELLY€R.€WILLIAMS€€€€€ÌWATKINS,€McGUGIN,€McNEILLY€&€ROWAN€€€€P.O.€Box€608€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌSuite€300,€214€Second€Avenue€North€€€€Livington,€TN€38570€€€€€€€ÌNashville,€TN€370201€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,III,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€’aXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€of€a€workers'€compensation€case€had€beenÏreferred€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€ofÏthe€Supreme€Court€pursuant€to€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€SectionÏ50„6„225€(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€ofÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€ÌÌ€€€€€Billie€D.€Smithers,€a€33€year€old€married€woman,€injured€herÏback€at€work€on€April€22,€1993,€by€lifting€tubs€of€candy.€€TheÏinjury€was€promptly€reported,€initially€manifesting€itself€byÏpelvic€pain€and€vaginal€bleeding.€€Several€days€later€she€beganÏexperiencing€low€back€pain€and€leg€numbness.€€She€in€time€wasÏseen€by€a€multiplicity€of€physicians.€€At€the€conclusion€of€theÏtrial€of€this€case€it€was€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€thatÏMrs.€Smithers€suffered€a€back€injury€in€the€course€and€scope€ofÏher€employment€by€the€defendant,€and€she€retained€a€12%Ïvocational€impairment€to€the€body€as€a€whole.ÌÌà àThe€appellants€contend€that€the€evidence€preponderatesÏagainst€the€trial€judge's€findings€of€causation,€permanency€ofÏinjury€and€extent€of€vocational€impairment.€€€ÌÌ€€€€€Our€duty€is€to€review€the€findings€of€fact€by€the€trialÏcourt€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€upon€the€record,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€ofÏthe€correctness€of€the€finding.€€We€are€required€to€overrule€theÏfindings€of€the€trial€court€if€and€when€we€find€the€preponderanceÏof€the€evidence€to€be€otherwise.€€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏSection€50„6„225€(e)(2).€€We€have€carefully€reviewed€each€of€theÏissues€raised€and€find€that€all€of€them€are€adequately€supportedÏby€the€evidence.ÌÌà àDr.€Harry€Stuber€diagnosed€her€as€having€musculoskeletal€lowÏback€pain,€consistent€with€her€work€injury€history.€€She€saw€Dr.ÏJames€B.€Talmage,€and€he€diagnosed€her€as€having€a€pelvicÏinfection.ÌÌÌà àShe€next€saw€Dr.€Randy€Gaw,€M.D.,€a€neurologist,€and€onÏAugust€27,€1993,€he€placed€her€under€lifting€and€standingÏrestrictions€and€allowed€her€to€return€to€work€on€August€30,Ï1993.ÌÌà àDr.€Gaw€referred€the€employee€to€Dr.€Harold€Smith,€M.D.€aÍneurosurgeon,€who€saw€Mrs.€Smithers€on€October€13,€1993.€€HeÏreported€that€he€found€nothing€to€explain€her€symptoms.€€€HeÏtestified€in€his€deposition€that€it€was€possible€that€sheÏincurred€a€muscle€strain€to€her€back€on€April€22,€1993.ÌÌà àThe€defendant€insurance€carrier€sent€her€to€Dr.€RobertÏWeiss,€M.D.,€Nashville€neurosurgeon,€on€November€16,€1994.€€HisÏwas€a€normal€study;€but€he€admitted€in€his€deposition€testimonyÏthat€he€would€not€want€to€deny€that€Mrs.€Smithers€wasÏexperiencing€the€pain€that€she€claimed.ÌÌà àShe€saw€Dr.€Max€Atnip,€D.C.,€a€chiropractor,€duringÏSeptember€of€1994.€€He€diagnosed€chronic€lumbo„sacro€and€sacro„iliac€strain/sprain,€and€set€her€anatomical€impairment€at€2%„3%.ÌÌà àThe€employee€returned€to€work€on€September€30,€1993,€onÏlight€duty€at€a€reduced€rate€of€pay.€€She€subsequently€quit€thatÏjob.€€She€has€attempted€since€that€time€to€work€for€fiveÏdifferent€employers,€and€she€testified€that€her€back€injuryÏcaused€her€to€discontinue€working.€€The€trial€judge€found€that€asÏa€result€of€the€subject€injury€that€the€employee€has€not€beenÏable€to€do€any€type€of€work€because€of€her€problem€with€pain.€ÏThe€trial€judge€expressly€found€her€to€be€"a€very€credibleÏwitness".€€He€also€discussed€in€detail€the€testimonies€of€theÏvarious€doctors€who€saw€Mrs.€Smithers,€and€announced€that€he€wasÏbasing€the€court's€decision€upon€all€of€the€evidence,€includingÍlay€and€expert€testimony,€the€employee's€age,€her€education,€herÏskills€and€training,€local€job€opportunities€and€the€capacity€toÏwork€and€types€of€employment€available€to€her€in€her€condition.€ÏHis€judgment€was€that€she€sustained€a€12%€permanent€partialÏdisability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.ÌÌà àWe€recognize€that€the€evidence€of€causation€and€permanentÏimpairment€is€contradictory,€and€that€there€is€evidence€that€Mrs.ÏSmithers€suffers€no€permanent€anatomical€impairment.€€Conversely,Ïthere€is€clear€evidence€supporting€the€judgment€of€the€trialÏjudge.€€When€a€trial€judge€has€two€equally€well€qualified€expertsÏbefore€the€court,€the€trial€judge€has€the€discretion€to€acceptÏthe€opinion€of€one€medical€expert€over€another€in€a€workers'Ïcompensation€case.€€òòJohnson€v.€Midwesco,€Inc.óó,€801€S.W.€2d€804Ï(Tenn.€1990).ÌÌà àWe€cannot€say€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€theÏverdict.€€Consequently,€the€judgment€of€trial€court€is€affirmed.€ÏCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellants.Ìà àÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€ÌASSOCIATE€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ìà àÌÑ€.ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòßJ€+/;+'b|ñÿ` ç `€@ÿJßà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌBILLIE€DOVETA€SMITHERS,à àà à}à àPUTNAM€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€NJ„5584€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€John€J.€Maddux,€Jr.,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌRUSSELL€STOVER€CANDIES,€INC.,à à}à àNo.€01S01„9609„CV„00182Ìà 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,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€Memorandum€OpinionÏsetting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€MemorandumÏOpinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà 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.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Defendants/Appellants,€RussellÏStover€Candies,€Inc.,€and€TIG€Premier€Insurance€Company€asÏPrincipals€and€their€Surety,€for€which€execution€may€issue€ifÏnecessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€June€24,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ