ÿWPC† …# VUNa %¯ 0(µw@Ý4 1 @ 0JH 0T’ 0^æ 0hD 0r¬ 0| 0†š 0 1u° U,% 0dQ U,µ U>á U*B)IDCr AMµ Bþv~vÓ› D3n 0@¡ AOáÆ0 0Dö D/: Bi˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ nDopEqrsEtuÓ€‚BÊ 3|x‚2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d ôÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€!ÔÔ€!ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€!XÔÌÌò òJuly€15,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€!ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€X„d&ÓÑ#€Xd#ÑÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\Ñ€€›à@ àÔ€!Ôò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OFÏTENNESSEEó óÌÙ€€ÙœßL€$&#;+'h|` Å `€€Lß›Ìà@ àò òSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATIONÏAPPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àJACKSON,€JANUARY€1996€SESSIONÌÌÌCECELIA€TEAGUEà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àEmployee/Appellee,à àà àà à)à àHENRY€CIRCUIT€NO.Ï42Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌV.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Julian€P.€œGuinn›,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJudgeÌTECUMSEH€PRODUCTS€COMPANYà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àœ02S01›„9509„CV„00081Ìà àœAppellant.›à àà àà àà àà à)ÌÌœÌÌÌ›Ìó óFOR€THE€APPELLANT:à àà àà àà àFOR€THE€APPELLEE:ÌÌDavid€F.€œHessing›à àà àà àà àà àœGayden›€Drew,€IVÌ117€East€Wood€Streetà àà àà àà à1269€North€Highland€Ave.ÌParis,€TN€38242à àà àà àà àà àP.€O.€Box€3539Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àJackson,€TN€38303ÌÌœÌÌ›ÌÌà@ àò òòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóó óÌÌà@ àOpinion€mailed:€June€3,€1996ÌÌÌà@ àò òòòMEMBERS€OF€PANELÌÌóóó óà@ àLyle€œReid›,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌà@ àJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Retired€JudgeÌà@ àJoe€H.€Walker,€III,€Circuit€JudgeÌÌœÌÌ›Ìò òAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIEDÌ̛̜ÌJOE€H.€WALKER,€IIIÌó óJudgeÌÌœÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  Ó›Teague€v.€Tecumseh€Products€Co.ÌÌÌà@ àò òòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€workersðð€œcompensation›€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€to€theÏSupreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà àEmployer€appeals€from€an€award€by€the€trial€court€of€thirty€percent€(30%)Ïpermanent€partial€disability€to€both€upper€extremities€of€employee.ÌÌà@ àò òòòFindings€of€Factóóó óÌÌà àAppellate€review€is€de€novo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Ïaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unlessÏthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€œis€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225Ï(e)(2).›Ìà àThere€were€no€written€findings€of€fact€by€the€trial€court.€€The€statement€ofÏevidence€contained€no€findings€stated€by€the€trial€court€at€trial,€and€the€transcriptÏcontains€no€written€findings€of€fact,€other€than€a€finding€of€permanent€partialÏdisability€of€thirty€percent€to€both€upper€extremities.Ìà àThis€tribunal€is€required€to€conduct€an€independent€examination€of€theÏrecord€to€determine€where€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòœGalloway›€v.ÏMemphis€Drum€Serviceóó,€822€S.W.2d€584,€586€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àEmployee€is€forty€years€of€age€with€a€high€school€education€and€hasÏworked€at€Tecumseh€Products€Company€for€approximately€sixteen€years.€€HerÏwork€at€employer/company€required€repetitive€use€of€her€hands,€wrists,€andÏarms€eight€hours€a€day.Ìà àIn€May,€1993,€she€reported€pain€in€her€wrists€to€her€supervisor,€and€wasÏeventually€seen€by€doctors€while€she€continued€to€work.€€Dr.€John€Everett€tookÏher€off€regular€duty€and€placed€her€on€light€duty.€€Her€employer€had€no€light€dutyÏwork,€so€she€began€receiving€workerððs€compensation€benefits€from€December,Ï1993,€until€August,€1994,€while€she€was€off€work.€€During€that€time€she€was€alsoÏexpecting,€and€delivered€a€child€in€June,€1994.Ìà àShe€returned€to€full€duty€with€employer€in€August,€1994,€at€a€different€job.€ÏThis€work€was€lighter€than€her€previous€work.€€She€earns€approximately€theÏsame€amount€as€before€her€leave€of€absence.€€No€evidence€was€presented€withÍregard€to€decreased€earning€capacity.Ìà àEmployee€is€right€handed,€and€has€sharp€pains€in€her€wrists.€€Her€rightÏhand€goes€to€sleep,€and€she€wears€splints€on€her€hands.€€Pain€in€her€wristÏdecreased€after€the€delivery€of€her€child,€and€she€has€not€seen€a€doctor€for€thisÏcondition€of€her€wrist€since€November,€1994.Ìà àShe€is€not€taking€any€prescription€medication,€but€does€take€œAdvil€onÏoccasions.€€The€pain€in€her€wrist€is€not€bad€enough€for€her€to€have€surgery.Ìà àSince€she€returned€to€work€in€August,€1994,€employee€has€worked€fullÏtime€without€any€absenteeism,€has€been€able€to€make€production,€and€isÏconsidered€a€good€employee.Ìà àDr.€Joseph€C.€Boals,€III,€testified€by€deposition.€€The€medical€reports€of€Dr.ÏVince€Tusa,€Dr.€H.€Glenn€Barnett,€and€Dr.€John€Everett€were€admitted€byÏstipulation.€€The€nerve€conduction€studies€of€Dr.€Ron€Bingham€were€admitted€byÏstipulation.Ìà àDr.€Vince€Tusa€of€Paris€initially€treated€employee€for€her€condition€in€herÏwrist.€€He€attempted€conservative€treatment,€and€then€she€was€referred€to€Dr.ÏGlenn€Barnett€with€Semmes›€Murphy€Clinic€of€Jackson.€€Dr.€Barnett€found€theÏneurological€examination€to€be€normal.€€He€thought€she€had€an€industrialÏoveruse€syndrome.€€He€did€not€think€she€would€make€dramatic€improvement€ifÏshe€had€surgical€intervention.€€He€recommended€she€wear€wrists€splints€atÏnight,€to€try€to€change€her€job€if€possible€to€one€where€she€did€not€have€to€doÏrapid€production€type€work.Ìà àShe€was€referred€to€Dr.€John€Everett,€of€the€West€Tennessee€Bone€andÏJoint€Clinic€in€Jackson,€who€diagnosed€her€condition€as€DeQuervainððs€tendinitisÍon€the€left€wrist.€€Due€to€employeeððs€pregnancy,€he€did€not€recommend€surgery.€ÏShe€was€placed€on€light€duty,€and€since€the€plant€had€none,€she€was€off€workÏuntil€after€the€delivery€of€her€child.€€After€she€returned€to€work,€she€continued€toÏbe€bothered€by€the€DeQuervainððs€on€the€left€wrist,€and€began€developing€moreÏcarpal€tunnel€symptoms.€€After€consulting€with€her,€Dr.€Everett€did€not€feel€thatÏsurgery€was€recommended€at€that€point€in€September,€1994.€€She€was€to€sleepÏin€a€wrist€splint.€€He€released€her€to€continue€work,€and€return€as€needed.€€HeÏdid€not€think€she€had€any€permanent€impairment.Ìà àShe€was€seen€by€Dr.€Joseph€Boals,€on€November€8,€1994,€for€anÏindependent€medical€evaluation.€€He€diagnosed€her€condition€as€carpal€tunnelÏsyndrome€in€both€wrists.€€He€felt€that€was€caused€by€the€repetitive€work€done€forÏemployer.€€He€testified€that€using€the€AMA€Guidelines,€she€would€have€a€twentyÏpercent€permanent€impairment€rating€in€each€upper€extremity.€€He€testified€thatÏthis€syndrome€comes€and€goes€in€most€patients,€and€that€pregnancy€isÏsometimes€a€causative€reason€for€carpal€tunnel€syndrome,€and€can€certainlyÏmake€an€existing€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€worse.€€Employee€did€not€tell€Dr.ÏBoals€about€her€pregnancy€in€December€of€1993,€and€delivering€a€child€in€JuneÏof€1994.€€Dr.€Boals€did€not€test€employee€for€DeQuervainððs€tenosynovitis.ÌÌà@ àò òòòDisability€Awardóóó óÌÌà àThe€opinions€of€qualified€experts€with€respect€to€a€claimantððs€clinical€orÏphysical€impairment€are€factors€which€the€courts€will€consider€along€with€allÏother€relevant€facts€and€circumstances,€but€it€is€for€the€courts€to€determine€theÍpercentage€of€the€claimantððs€industrial€disability.€€òòBailey€v.€Knox€Co.óó,€732ÏS.W.2d€597€(Tenn.€1987).Ìà àDr.€Boals€gave€his€opinion€with€regard€to€permanent€impairment€to€eachÏarm€of€employee€after€a€one„time€examination.€€He€diagnosed€her€condition€asÏbilateral€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€and€recommended€surgery.€€Employee€hadÏadvised€Dr.€Boals€that€she€had€a€positive€nerve€conduction€study,€when€in€factÏshe€had€two€studies€done€which€were€substantially€normal€on€both€occasions,Ïthe€last€study€being€equivocal€on€the€right.€€The€last€test€was€conducted€inÏSeptember,€1994,€and€Dr.€Boalsðð€examination€was€in€November,€1994.€ÏEmployee€had€failed€to€advise€Dr.€Boals€that€she€had€been€pregnant,€and€hadÏdelivered€a€child€in€June,€1994,€and€Dr.€Boals€testified€that€pregnancy€isÏsometimes€a€causative€reason€for€carpal€tunnel€syndrome,€and€can€certainlyÏmake€an€existing€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€worse.Ìà àDr.€John€Everett,€who€treated€employee€for€several€months,€was€of€theÏopinion€that€she€did€not€sustain€any€permanent€impairment€for€her€wrists€or€armÏconditions€up€to€the€point€of€his€last€seeing€her.€€That€her€condition€hadÏimproved€after€pregnancy,€and€was€such€that€surgery€was€not€indicated.Ìà àDr.€Barnett€also€treated€and€followed€the€employee€as€a€patient,€andÏconcurred€with€the€opinion€of€Dr.€Everett.Ìà àIt€appears€from€the€record€that€the€trial€court€gave€great€weight€to€theÏopinion€of€Dr.€Boals€and€very€little€weight€to€that€of€the€treating€physicians.€€TheÏPanel€is€persuaded€that€the€circumstances€of€this€case€require€that€greaterÏweight€be€given€to€the€opinion€of€the€treating€physicians,€particularlyÏconsidering€the€recovery€employee€has€enjoyed.€€We€find€that€the€evidenceÍpreponderates€against€an€award€based€on€thirty€percent€to€the€upperÏextremities,€and€in€favor€of€an€award€based€on€twenty€percent€to€both€arms.Ìà àThe€judgment€is€modified€accordingly.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€theÏdefendants„appellants.ÌÓÓœÌÌÌ›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àJOE€H.€WALKER,€JUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌLYLE€REID,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICEÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌJOE€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€JUDGEÌà àà àà àÌ