ÿWPC 3U:Ú %n­* 04× w( 43G 0JO 0T™ 0^í 0hK 0r³ 0|% 0†¡ 0' 1u· 0d, AQÆá 0P§ 0@÷ 0D7 U 6{ D/± Bà Bý D3 B)M DCv AM¹ U* 0 f6 )œ v~ÅvÓC<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ€  D DVîujý"<2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier New(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d****7Border 1dd!#+Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial üÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€-ÔÔ€-ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€-XÔÌÌAugust€25,€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€-XÔÌÌAugust€25,€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|ƒ` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌIRA€ANTONIO€TENPENNY,€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€€)€€DAVIDSON€CHANCERY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€NO.€0S01„9609„CH„00173€€€Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€(No.€95„979„III€below)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€ÌUSAIR,€INC.,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€HON.€ROBERT€S.€BRANDT,€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellant€€€€€€)€€CHANCELLOR€€€€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEESóó:ÌÌJOHN€THOMAS€FEENEY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€STEVE€C.€NORRIS€€€€€€€ÌLEE€ANNE€MURRAY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€28€Middleton€Street€€€€€€€ÌP.O.€Box€198685€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TN€37210€€€€€€€ÌNashville,€TN€37219„8685ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ 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€rXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€from€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€aÏworkers'€compensation€case€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(3)Ïfor€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà@ àÌà àThe€trial€court€found€that€on€January€25,€1995,€Ira€AntoniaÏTenpenny€sustained€a€disc€herniation€at€L4„5€with€nerveÏcompression€in€the€course€and€scope€of€his€employment€by€USAIR,ÏINC.€€The€court€further€found€that€Mr.€Tenpenny€was€temporarilyÏand€totally€disabled€from€January€25,€1995,€to€June€30,€1995;€andÏthat€he€returned€to€work€with€a€17%€permanent€partial€disabilityÏto€the€body€as€a€whole.€€Judgment€was€also€entered€for€past€andÏfuture€medical€expenses€and€certain€discretionary€costs.ÌÌà àThe€employer€has€prosecuted€this€appeal,€contending€(1)€thatÏthe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€showed€that€the€plaintiffÏemployee€was€injured€before€he€reached€the€defendant€employer'sÏpremises,€(2)€that€plaintiff's€back€injury€was€idiopathicÏunrelated€to€a€special€risk€involved€with€plaintiff's€employment,Ïand€(3)€the€trial€court€erred€in€shifting€the€burden€of€proof€toÏthe€defendant€to€refute€causation€rather€than€forcing€theÏplaintiff€to€carry€his€burden€of€proving€causation.€€€TheÏappellee€asks€that€the€impairment€judgment€be€increased€from€17%Ïto€25%.Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àAfter€a€careful€and€thorough€review€of€the€record€we€holdÏthat€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€supported€by€aÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence,€and€that€there€was€no€improperÏshifting€of€the€burden€of€proof.€€Our€review€has€been€òòdeóó€òònovoóóÏupon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumptionÏof€the€correctness€of€that€court's€findings€of€fact.€€TennesseeÏCode€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(2).€€€ÌÌÌà àCredible€evidence€establishes€that€on€January€25,€1995,€Mr.ÏTenpenny€arrived€in€the€employee€parking€area€at€the€employer'sÏpremises€to€commence€his€work€day.€€He€testified€that€as€he€gotÏout€of€his€car€he€felt€a€twitch€in€his€back.€€He€walked€to€aÏstairway€leading€into€his€workplace€and€his€back€commencedÏhurting€severely€as€he€climbed€the€stairs.€€Upon€entering€theÍdoor€he€fell€to€the€floor,€in€excruciating€pain,€and€asked€thatÏan€ambulance€be€called.€He€was€hospitalized€and€the€next€day€wasÏdiagnosed€by€Dr.€Vaughan€Allen,€M.D.,€a€neurosurgeon,€as€having€aÏlarge€disc€rupture€with€encroachment€upon€the€L5€nerve€root.€€AÏlaminectomy€was€done€the€following€day.€Dr.€Allen€testified€thatÏMr.€Tenpenny€retains€a€permanent€anatomical€impairment€of€10%€toÏthe€body€as€a€whole.ÌÌà àThere€was€evidence€that€Mr.€Tenpenny€first€injured€his€backÏon€the€job€in€July€1993€when€he€twisted€and€stumbled€over€someÏluggage.€€This€injury€appeared€to€resolve€after€three€physicianÏvisits.€€Then,€on€December€12,€1994,€he€again€injured€his€back€onÏthe€job€when€he€picked€up€a€heavy€suitcase.€€He€continued€to€haveÏa€degree€of€back€pain€right€up€to€the€time€of€the€injury€at€bar.€ÏGiven€this€background,€Dr.€Vaughan€Allen€testified€that€the€mostÏprobable€cause€of€his€disc€rupture€would€have€been€lifting€andÏdamaging€the€annulus€prior€to€that€time€(January€25,€1995)€andÏthen€having€a€trivial€thing€cause€the€rupture€on€January€25,Ï1995.ÌÌà àThis€testimony€constitutes€convincing€evidence€that€thisÏdisc€rupture€was€not€idiopathic.€€The€preponderance€of€all€of€theÏevidence€shows€that€the€plaintiff€was€initially€injured€byÏaccident€arising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€his€employment€byÏthe€defendant€on€December€12,€1994,€lifting€luggage,€andÏsubsequently€aggravated€that€injury€on€January€25,€1995,€eitherÍgetting€out€of€his€car€or,€more€likely,€climbing€steps€to€get€toÏhis€work€station.ÌÌÌà àThe€trial€court€did€not€shift€the€burden€of€proof€to€theÏdefendant€regarding€causation.€€The€trial€court€found,€from€ampleÏevidence,€that€the€plaintiff€was€hurt€climbing€the€steps€enteringÏthe€workplace.€€Only€then€did€the€trial€court€look€to€theÏdefendant€for€rebuttal€evidence€on€the€issue.ÌÌà àThe€appellee€contends€that€we€should€increase€the€disabilityÏaward€from€17%€to€25%.€€While€current€law€would€have€allowed€inÏan€appropriate€case€a€two„and„a„half€times€multiplier€to€the€10%Ïanatomical€impairment€set€by€Dr.€Allen,€the€law€sets€a€maximumÏand€does€not€establish€a€mandatory€multiplier.€€We€are€satisfiedÏwith€the€appropriateness€of€the€trial€court's€judgment€of€17%Ïwhole€body€industrial€disability.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€onÏappeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€ÌASSOCIATE€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€ÌÑ€/ÑÇÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÒ € ÒÒ Ð ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÔ€%&ÔßJ€,0;+'b|âÿ` ç `€@ÿJß›à@ àœÔ€%XÔà@ àÔ€%&ÔIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌIRA€ANTONIO€TENPENNY,à àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ì€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,à àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ h Òv.à àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Davidson€Chancery,€No.€95„979„IIIÌà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€S.€Ct.€No.€01S01„9609„CH„00173Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€ÌÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒUSAIR,€INC.,à àà àà àà à(€€Hon.€Robert€S.€Brandt,€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€ChancellorÌà àDefendant„Appellant.à àà à(€Ô€%XÔ€AFFIRMED.Ô€%&ÔÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€reviewÏpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entireÏrecord,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€byÏreference;Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€forÏreview€is€not€well€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€andÏthe€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€defendant„appellant,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€25th€day€of€August,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌDROWOTA,€J.€„€Not€participating.Ô€%XÔ