ÿWPC} 0# °U:» %õ 0(ûb #w@/4oƒ’ 0Jš 0Tä 0^8 0h– 0rþ 0|p 0†ì 0r 1uU,w 0d£U, U*3 B)] DC† AMÉ  0@ D3X B‹ D+¨ v~Ó vÓQ AO$Æs 0D9˜HP LaserJet 4 Plus/4M PlusHPPCL5E,,,,0 ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX($¡¡- ù - nDoUpDqUrUsUtUuÓ€€ƒdO˜ 3|xƒ2 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)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d!!!!7Border 1dd-%"Cþÿ << Gÿÿ øÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ ÔÔ YYY ÔÓ  ÓFILEDÔ€ XÔÌÌò òJune€20,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò'''''ÿÿdxd d'ÈÈÈÈdxdPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò-%/(Cþÿ` << CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€X„d&ÓÑ#€Xd#ÑÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€1XXdðdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñ›à@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÙ€-ÙœßL€#$";+'h|’¸` ç `€€Lß›à@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSððÏCOMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEó óÌÌÌÌÌœFARHAD›€œYASIN›€SORANI,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àSUMNER€CHANCERYÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Jane€Wheatcraft,€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌROYAL€INSURANCE€COMPANY€OFà à)à àNo.€01S01„9510„CH„00179ÌAMERICA€and€KENCO€PLASTICS,à à)ÌINC.,à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellants.à àà à)ÌÌÌà@ àÌÌÌòòFor€Appellants:à àà àà àà àà àFor€Appellee:ÌóóÌÌDavid€T.€Hooperà àà àà àà àà àFrank€D.€FarrarÌHooper€&€Hooperà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€Joseph€ButlerÌBrentwood,€Tennesseeà àà àà àà àFarrar€&€HollimanÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àLafayette,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMembers€of€Panel:óóÌÌà@ àAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Associate€JusticeÌà@ àBen€H.€Cantrell,€Special€JudgeÌà@ àJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIEDà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Cantrell,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓÓÌà@ àò òòòÔ€ „ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€Nó óóóÔ€ XÔÌÌà àà àThis€workersðð€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workersðð€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€toÏthe€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà àà àThe€trial€judge€awarded€compensation€to€the€worker€based€on€50%Ïpermanent€partial€disability€to€both€arms.€€Because€we€find€that€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€award,€we€modify€it€to€25%€œdisability€to€both€arms.›ÌœÌ›à@ àò òI.ó óÌÌà àà àMr.€Sorani,€an€œIraqi›€Kurdish€refugee,€went€to€work€for€KencoÏPlastics,€Inc.€œon›€or€about€February€1,€1994.€€His€duties€included€œgripping€andÏcutting€plastic,€and€involved€repetitive›€hand€œmovements.›€€On€May€16,€1994€heÏwent€to€the€Sumner€County€Regional€Medical€Center€complaining€of€soreness€inÏhis€left€arm.€€He€was€œdiagnosed€with€tendonitis€and€put›€on€light€duty€for€sevenÏœdays.›ÌœÌ›à àà àOn€June€24,€1994€Mr.€Sorani€consulted€an€orthopaedic€specialist€forÏpain€and€numbness€in€both€hands.€€An€examination€resulted€in€a€diagnosis€ofÏœbilateral€carpal›€tunnel€œsyndrome.›€€On€July€20,€1994€he€was€referred€to€anotherÏœspecialist,›€œfor€complaints›€of€numbness€and€tingling€in€the€fingers€of€both€hands.€€ÏThis€specialist€confirmed€the€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€diagnosis€and€concludedÏthat€it€was€caused€or€aggravated€by€the€work€at€Kenco€Plastics.€€The€doctorÏtreated€Mr.€Sorani€conservatively€until€October€28,€1994€when€he€performedÏcarpal€tunnel€release€surgery€on€the€right€hand.€ÌÌà àà àFollowing€the€œsurgery,›€Mr.€Sorani€suffered€from€an€involuntaryÏð ðtriggeringðð€movement€in€the€ring€finger€on€his€right€hand.€€His€doctor€thought€thatÏthe€condition€would€improve€on€its€own€if€œhe€was€given›€three€weeks€rest.€€œThe›Ïdoctor€scheduled€a€return€visit€for€December€1,€1994.€€On€that€date,€Mr.€SoraniÏseemed€to€be€doing€well€but€continued€to€show€some€triggering€of€the€right€ringÍfinger.€€The€doctor€injected€the€finger€with€œcortisone,›€and€scheduled€a€follow„upÏvisit€for€December€12,€1994.ÌÌà àà àAt€the€final€visit€on€December€12,€the€doctor€released€Mr.€Sorani€toÏreturn€to€work€the€next€day.€€The€doctor€noted€ð ðPatient€is€doing€well.€€He€has€hadÏno€further€triggering€of€the€right€ring€finger€following€the€injection.ðð€€He€noted€alsoÏthat€Mr.€Sorani€had€reached€maximum€medical€improvement€as€far€as€his€rightÏhand€was€concerned€and€that€he€retained€a€10%€permanent€partial€injury€to€theÏright€arm.€€With€respect€to€the€left€hand,€the€doctor€noted,€ð ðCurrently€Mr.€Sorani€isÏnot€complaining€of€any€problems€in€his€left€hand,€hence€I€would€not€recommendÏsurgery€at€this€time€on€his€left€wrist.ðð€€At€his€deposition€the€doctor€œsaid€withÏreference€to€the€left€hand,›€ð ðit€really€was€my€feelings€that€he€might€get€into€furtherÏproblems€if€he€went€back€doing€repetitive€gripping€with€it.ððÌÌà àà àMr.€Sorani€went€back€to€work€and€the€company€placed€him€inÏanother€job.€€He€worked€without€any€complaints€for€a€short€period€of€time€until€heÏwas€asked€to€operate€a€different€machine.€€He€refused€to€take€the€new€job€and€leftÏthe€plant.€€As€a€consequence,€the€company€œfired€him.›ÌÌà àà àWithin€a€month€Mr.€Sorani€took€a€job€at€a€restaurant€in€NashvilleÏwashing€dishes€and€mopping€the€floors.€€Handling€the€big€pots€and€pans€causedÏthe€pain€in€his€hands€to€return€and€become€even€more€pronounced.€€The€painÍbecame€so€severe€that€he€left€that€job€and€started€working€at€a€cleaningÏestablishment€in€Nashville.ÌÌà àà àWhile€Mr.€Sorani€was€employed€at€the€Nashville€restaurant,€he€wasÏevaluated€œby›€another€orthopaedic€specialist€on€January€19,€1995.€€The€doctorÏnoted€some€further€triggering€of€the€right€ring€finger€and,€based€on€anÏexamination€and€Mr.€Soraniððs€history,€gave€an€opinion€that€he€retained€a€10%Ïpermanent€disability€to€the€left€upper€extremity€and€12%€to€the€right.€€He€relatedÏboth€injuries€to€Mr.€Soraniððs€employment€at€Kenco.ÌÌà0 àà àà@ àò òII.ó óÌÌà àà àThe€employer€in€this€case€asserts€that€all€of€the€employeeððsÏdisability,€or€at€least€any€permanent€disability€to€the€left€arm,€is€attributable€to€theÏwork€at€the€Nashville€restaurant€under€the€ð ðlast€injurious€injury€rule.ðð€€In€the€caseÏof€òòMcCormick€v.€Snappy€Car€Rentals,€Inc.óó,€806€S.W.2d€527€(Tenn.€1991),€theÏcourt€restated€the€rule:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà8 àà àð ðThe€rule€then€in€Tennessee€is€that€an€employerÏtakes€an€employee€as€he€finds€him.€€He€is€liable€forÏdisability€resulting€from€injuries€sustained€by€anÏemployee€arising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€hisÏemployment€even€though€it€aggravates€a€previousÍcondition€with€resulting€disability€far€greater€thanÏotherwise€would€have€been€the€case.ÌÌà8 àà8 àà àThis€rule€seems€to€be€almost€identical€with€theÏMassachusetts„Michigan€rule€.€.€.€.€(footnote€omitted)€ItÏis€the€rule€in€Tennessee€that€there€must€be€a€causalÏconnection€between€the€employment€and€the€resultingÏinjury€or€that€the€most€recent€injury€causally€related€toÏthe€employment€renders€the€employer€at€that€timeÏliable€for€full€compensation€for€all€of€the€resultingÏdisability€even€though€increased€by€aggravation€of€aÏprevious€condition€of€disease€or€injury€of€suchÏemployee.ððÌÌÌÌÓÓ806€S.W.2d€at€œ529.›€€See€also€òòBennett€v.€Howard€Johnson€Motor€Lodgeóó,€714ÏS.W.2d€273€(Tenn.€1986);€òòBaxter€v.€Smithóó,€211€Tenn.€347,€364€S.W.2d€936Ï(1962).ÌÌà àà àThe€rule,€however,€has€some€limitations.€€In€òòMcCormickóó€theÏSupreme€Court€said,€ð ðTo€avoid€the€result€reached€in€this€and€other€similar€cases,Ïseparate€workerððs€compensation€suits€must€be€filed€for€each€injury€in€order€toÏavoid€the€ððlast€injurious€injury€rule.ðððð€806€S.W.2d€at€531.€€Thus,€the€rule€appliesÏonly€where€an€employee€has€been€injured€in€two€separate€employments€andÏsues€to€recover€his€or€her€benefits€in€a€single€action.€€The€second€limitation€on€theÏapplicability€of€the€rule€is€a€requirement€that€the€employee€must€have€beenÏinjured€by€an€accident€while€in€the€service€of€the€second€œemployer.›€€œð ðFor›€the€lastÏinjurious€injury€rule€to€have€any€application€there€must€be€qualitative€evidence€ofÍa€second€injury.ðð€€òòJohnson€v.€Levi€Straussóó,€slip€op.€At€4,€No.€œ03S01›„9104„CV„00031€(Tenn.€Knoxville,€February€21,€1992).€€Where€the€employment€simplyÏaggravates€a€prior€disabling€injury€by€making€the€pain€worse,€the€employee€hasÏnot€sustained€an€ð ðinjury€by€accidentðð€as€defined€in€the€workersðð€compensationÏlaws.€€òòSmith€v.€Smithððs€Transfer€Corp.óó,€735€S.W.2d€221€(Tenn.€1987);€òòœBoling›€v.ÏœRaytheon›€Co.óó,€223€Tenn.€528,€448€S.W.2d€405€(1969).ÌÌà àà àThere€is€no€evidence€in€this€record€that€Mr.€Sorani€suffered€an€injuryÏat€the€Nashville€restaurant.€€All€we€can€say€is€that€the€proof€showed€the€work€heÏperformed€there€œmade›€his€pain€worse.€€Therefore,€we€hold€that€Kenco€cannotÏescape€liability€for€the€injury€Mr.€Sorani€suffered€while€he€worked€there.ÌÌà0 àà àà0 àà àà@ àò òIII.ó óÌÌà àà àWe€are€convinced€that€Mr.€Sorani€did€œsuffer›€a€permanent€injury€toÏboth€hands/arms€while€he€worked€at€Kenco.€€His€treating€physician€gave€him€aÏ10%€disability€rating€to€the€right€arm,€but€because€Mr.€Sorani€was€not€complainingÏabout€œhis›€left€hand€after€several€weeks€of€œrest,›€the€doctor€did€not€give€him€a€ratingÏon€it.€€The€doctor€did€say,€however,€that€if€Mr.€Sorani€went€back€to€doing€work€thatÏrequired€repetitive€gripping,€he€would€ð ðget€into€further€problemsðð€with€his€leftÏhand.ÌÌà àà àThe€doctor€who€evaluated€Mr.€Sorani€in€order€to€testify€at€the€trialÏestimated€that€he€would€retain€a€10%€disability€in€the€left€arm€and€a€12%€disabilityÏin€the€right.€€He€related€the€injuries€to€both€arms€to€Mr.€Soraniððs€work€at€Kenco.ÌÌà àà àThe€trial€judgeððs€findings€with€respect€to€Mr.€Soraniððs€permanentÏdisability€œare›€presumed€to€be€correct€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€See€Rule€13(d),€Tenn.€R.€App.€Proc.;€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€Considering€all€the€factors€set€out€in€òòœOrman›€v.€Williams€œSonoma›,€Inc.óó,Ï803€S.W.2d€672€(Tenn.€1991),€we€think€the€evidence€does€preponderate€againstÏthe€finding€that€Mr.€Soraniððs€œoccupational€disability›€amounts€to€50%€to€each€upperÏextremity.€€Instead,€we€think€a€finding€of€25%€to€each€arm€is€more€in€line€with€theÏproof.€€Specifically,€we€note€that€Mr.€Sorani€has€the€equivalent€of€a€high€schoolÏeducation,€he€has€worked€at€several€jobs€since€he€reached€maximumÏimprovement,€and€Kenco€provided€him€a€job€which€he€could€successfully€doÏwhen€he€went€back€to€work.ÌÌà àà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€should€be€modified€in€accordanceÏwith€this€opinion.€€Tax€the€costs€on€appeal€one„half€to€the€appellant€and€one„halfÏto€the€appellee.̛̜ÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌœÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:›Ìœ›ÌÌœÌÌ_______________________________›ÌœADOLPHO›€A.€BIRCH,€JR.ÌASSOCIATE€JUSTICEÌÌÌœÌÌ_______________________________›ÌJOE€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€SPECIAL€œJUDGE›