ÿWPC' …U:V %–n­¦S 0(Sw.{4©U:½ 0J÷ 0TA 0^• 0hó 0r[ 0|Í 0†I 0Ï 1u_ 0dÔ B)8 DCa AM¤ U *ñ f+‘v~¡vÓ Bò D3 0@B AO‚ÆÑ 0D— D/Û B 4AÁ A`"Antique OliveX#|l«4AÁ A`"Antique OliveXX~AÁ P’…-7ûXP($¡¡DPDÓ€Vîƒo!(Ô8t08Ô,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€-Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌò òDecember€19,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌò òDecember€19,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò d%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÑ7€p7XXdædÈ7ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÞ ÞÌÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÙ€€ÙßR€ A1-j|H9` Å `€€@ÿRßÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌTHERESA€WEBB,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€Ìà àà àPlaintiff„Appellee,à àà à)à àNo.€02„S„01„9603„CH„00029Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àv.à àà àà àà àà à)à àMADISON€CHANCERY€COURTÌ€à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€50025ÌTHE€QUAKER€OATS€COMPANY,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àDefendant„Appellantà à)à àà àÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANT:à àà àà àà àà àFOR€APPELLEE:óóò òÌÌó óP.€Allen€Phillipsà àà àà àà àà àLewis€L.€CobbÌ106€S.€Liberty€Streetà àà àà àà àElks€BuildingÌP.O.€Box€7261205à àà àà àà àà àP.€O.€Box€2004ÌJackson,€Tennessee€38301à àà àà àJackson,€Tennessee€38302ÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌà@ àÌÌÌà@ àòòMembers€of€PanelóóÌÌÌà@ àLyle€Reid,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌà@ àF.€Lloyd€Tatum,€Special€JudgeÌà@ àJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌMODIFIEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àTatum,€JudgeÌÌÌà@ àÌÌÌÌÌòòà@ àò òMEMORANDUM€OPINIONó óóóÌÓÓÌà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€CourtÏin€accordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€andÏreporting€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€ÌÌà àIn€the€first€issue,€the€defendant/appellant,€Quaker€OatsÏCompany,€states€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€awarding€permanentÏpartial€disability€benefits€to€the€body€as€a€whole€rather€than€theÏscheduled€members€allegedly€injured€„€the€arms.€€As€willÏhereinafter€be€shown,€the€injury€in€this€case€consisted€of€carpelÏtunnel€syndrome€to€each€of€plaintiff„employee's€arms.€€It€is€wellÏsettled€that€an€award€of€permanent€partial€disability€for€an€injuryÏto€a€scheduled€member€is€exclusively€controlled€by€the€rateÏestablished€by€the€legislature€for€that€member€and€is€not€permittedÏas€an€award€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€òòWade€vs.€Aetna€Casualty€andÏSurety€Companyóó,€735€S.W.2d€215€(1987);€òòJenesco€vs.€Creameróó,€584ÏS.W.2d€191€(1970).€€The€arms€are€scheduled€members€and€each€arm€isÏgiven€the€value€of€two€hundred€weeks€under€the€statute€and€bothÏarms€have€a€value€of€four€hundred€weeks.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€50„6„207(3)(A)(ii)(m)€and€(w).€€The€body€as€a€whole€also€has€a€value€ofÏfour€hundred€weeks.€€The€trial€court€found€that€the€plaintiffÏsustained€40%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€wholeÏand€did€not€make€a€rating€with€the€respect€to€the€arms.€€The€firstÏissue€is€sustained.ÌÌà àIn€the€next€issue,€the€appellant€states:€€"Assuming€that€theÏtrial€court€did€not€err€in€awarding€permanent€partial€disabilityÏbenefits€to€the€body€as€a€whole,€whether€an€award€of€40%€to€theÏbody€as€a€whole€is€supported€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence?"ÌÌà àThe€trial€court€awarded€benefits€for€one€hundred€and€sixtyÏweeks€which€represents€40%€permanent€partial€disability€to€bothÏarms€or€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff€was€forty„three€years€of€age€at€the€time€of€trial.€ÏShe€completed€high€school€and€also€had€taken€college€classes€inÏtyping,€computers,€algebra€and€psychology.€€She€had€a€work€historyÏof€department€store€work,€waitress,€production€work€in€a€factory,Ïand€working€at€an€H€&€R€Block€Income€Tax€Outlet€preparing€taxÏreturns.€€At€the€time€of€trial,€she€was€employed€at€a€supermarket€inÏBolivar,€Tennessee,€checking€groceries,€occasionally€stockingÏshelves€and€straightening€the€products€on€the€shelves.€€She€testifiedÏthat€she€was€unable€to€perform€the€above„mentioned€prior€work€andÏgave€specific€and€logical€reasons€as€to€why€she€could€not€performÏeach€job.€€ÌÌà àShe€began€working€for€Quaker€Oats€on€September€26,€1994,Ïstacking€waffles.€€This€job€required€her€to€grab€four€waffles€in€eachÏhand€and€put€them€into€slots.€€She€did€this€one€hundred€and€twentyÏtimes€a€minute€all€day.€€Her€regular€shift€was€eight€hours€a€day€butÏshe€was€often€required€to€work€twelve€hours€a€day.€€She€worked€sixÏor€seven€days€a€week.ÌÌà àAbout€the€second€week€she€worked€at€Quaker€Oats,€her€handsÏbegan€to€swell.€€She€reported€this€to€her€supervisor€on€two€occasionsÏbut€he€told€her€that€the€swelling€would€not€continue.€€She€was€takenÏoff€of€twelve€hour€shifts€and€placed€on€only€eight€hour€work€shifts.€ÌÌà àWhen€the€pain,€swelling€and€numbness€in€both€hands€andÏwrists,€became€worse€she€was€referred€to€Dr.€Paul€Schwartz,€aÏcompany€approved€physician.€€Dr.€Schwartz€treated€herÏconservatively€for€a€time€but€when€the€pain,€swelling€and€numbnessÏcontinued€Dr.€Schwartz€referred€the€plaintiff€to€Dr.€John€Sparrow,€aÏsurgeon€at€the€Jackson€Clinic.€€Dr.€Sparrow€also€treated€herÏconservatively,€but€when€her€difficulties€continued,€Dr.€SparrowÍsent€her€to€Dr.€Ron€Bingham€for€nerve€conduction€study€tests.€€ThoseÏstudies€showed€media€nerve€compression€and€carpel€tunnelÏsyndrome.€€At€this€point,€Quaker€Oats€discharged€the€plaintiffÏstating€that€she€was€not€able€to€perform€her€job€duties.ÌÌà àAfter€the€plaintiff€was€discharged,€Dr.€Sparrow€performed€leftÏcarpel€tunnel€release€on€February€6,€1995,€and€a€right€carpel€tunnelÏrelease€on€April€5,€1995.€€On€May€3,€1995,€Dr.€Sparrow€released€herÏwith€no€restrictions.€€When€he€released€her,€Dr.€Sparrow€did€notÏrepeat€EMG€studies€and€performed€no€grip€strength€testing.€ÏApparently€he€did€not€consider€grip€strength€loss€in€determiningÏpermanent€impairment.€€Dr.€Sparrow€testified€that€some€doctorsÏagreed€with€the€AMA€Guidelines€with€respect€to€rating€disability€dueÏto€the€loss€of€grip€strength€and€others€do€not.€€Dr.€Sparrow€did€notÏagree€with€AMA€Guidelines€in€this€regard.ÌÌà àDr.€Sparrow€said€that€the€last€time€he€saw€the€plaintiff€wasÏJune€2,€1995,€at€which€time€she€was€"still€improving."€€He€testifiedÏthat€there€is€no€way€of€determining€loss€of€grip€strength€and€that€heÏwould€not€be€surprised€if€she€was€still€suffering€pain.€€He€statedÍthat€pain€and€grip€strength€are€subjective;€therefore,€he€did€notÏconsider€these€symptoms€in€assessing€impairment.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff's€attorney€sent€her€to€Dr.€Joe€Boals,€an€orthopedicÏsurgeon€in€Memphis,€and€Dr.€Robert€J.€Barnett,€an€orthopedic€surgeonÏin€Jackson.ÌÌà àDr.€Boals,€testifying€by€deposition€at€the€instance€of€theÏdefendant,€stated€that€he€saw€the€plaintiff€on€August€8,€1995.€€HeÏconcluded€"that€she€did€have€some€residuals€from€carpel€tunnelÏrelease€bi„laterally€but€that€she€had€very€little€grip€strength€loss."€ÏHe€testified€that€the€plaintiff€had€normal€grip€strength€on€the€left,Ïaccording€to€national€averages,€and€she€had€five€pounds€decrease€onÏthe€right.€€He€testified€that€the€plaintiff€suffered€5%€permanentÏpartial€impairment€to€the€right€"upper€extremity"€and€0€impairmentÏon€the€left.ÌÌà àDr.€Boals€testified€that€the€AMA€tables€reflect€strength€of€anÏaverage€person.€€He€testified€that€the€plaintiff€appeared€to€be€veryÏstrong€and€that€"her€statement€that€grip€strength€is€less€than€it€wasÍis€consistent€with€anyone's€common€sense."€€He€also€stated€"herÏproblems€may€be€more€than€the€disability€rating€reflects."€€HeÏtestified€that€the€plaintiff€should€avoid€repetitive€work,€heavyÏgripping,€but€could€work€on€a€light€to€moderate€level.Ìà àÌà àDr.€Robert€J.€Barnett€stated€that€the€plaintiff€had€diminishedÏgrip€strength€in€both€hands.€€He€testified€that€her€loss€of€grip€in€theÏright€hand€was€forty€to€fifty„five€pounds.€€She€was€right€handed€butÏher€left€hand€grip€strength€was€more€than€her€right€hand€gripÏstrength.€€Dr.€Barnett€testified€that€she€had€10%€permanent€partialÏimpairment€to€the€right€arm€and€5%€to€the€left.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff€testified€that€she€was€5'€7"€tall€and€weightedÏ235€pounds.€€She€has€a€large€frame€and€is€a€very€strong€person.€ÏBefore€her€injury,€she€chopped€wood€with€an€axe€and€split€it€with€aÏmall.€€She€helped€move€heavy€items,€such€as€a€refrigerator,€sofa€andÏheavy€couch.€€She€was€as€strong€as€the€average€man€and€had€strongÏgrip€in€both€hands,€which€she€has€lost.€€She€is€disabled€more€in€herÏright€hand€than€the€left.ÌÌà àShe€testified€that€she€cannot€open€a€jar€of€pickles€and€hasÏmuch€pain€and€difficulty€with€her€right€hand€in€turning€things,€forÏexample,€door€knobs.€€She€cannot€do€repetitive€work€and€sheÏdescribed€much€restriction€in€lifting€and€doing€other€forms€of€work.€ÏAt€the€time€of€trial,€she€was€earning€$4.50€per€hour€at€theÏsupermarket€in€Bolivar,€Tennessee.€€She€earned€$7.50€per€hour€atÏQuaker€Oats.€€Her€testimony€was€corroborated€by€her€husband€and€herÏdaughter.ÌÌà àJoe€French,€health€and€safety€manager€for€Quaker€Oats,Ïtestified€that€he€manages€workers'€compensation€cases€for€QuakerÏOats.€€He€testified€that€the€plaintiff€cannot€be€reemployed€by€QuakerÏOats€because€of€her€wrist€difficulty.€€She€was€discharged€beforeÏsurgery€was€performed€because€she€could€not€do€her€job.ÌÌà àAppellate€review€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Ïaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact,Ïunless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€This€tribunal€is€required€to€conduct€anÏindependent€examination€of€the€evidence€to€determine€where€theÍpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòWingert€vs.€Government€ofÏSumner€Countyóó,€908€S.W.2d€921€(1995).ÌÌà àWhere€the€trial€judge€has€seen€and€heard€witnesses,€especiallyÏif€issues€of€credibility€and€weight€to€be€given€oral€testimony€areÏinvolved,€on€review€considerable€deference€must€still€be€accorded€toÏthose€circumstances.€€òòTownsend€vs.€Stateóó,€826€S.W.2d€434€(Tenn.Ï1992).€€However,€this€tribunal€is€as€well€situated€to€gauge€theÏweight,€worth€and€significance€of€deposition€testimony€as€the€trialÏjudge.€€òòSeiber€vs.€Greenbriar€Industries,€Inc.óó,€906€S.W.2d€444€(Tenn.Ï1995).€€All€of€the€medical€proof€in€this€case€was€by€deposition.€€TheÏother€evidence€was€by€oral€testimony.ÌÌà àAs€previously€stated,€the€trial€judge€assessed€the€40%Ïdisability€rating€to€the€body€as€whole€and€not€to€both€arms.€€InÏcalculating€the€vocational€disability€of€injuries€to€both€arms,€theÏtrial€judge€should€first€determine€the€disability€of€each€armÏseparately,€then€average€those€disabilities€to€arrive€at€a€singleÏdisability€for€the€"loss€of€two€arms€other€than€at€the€shoulder."€ÏòòDrennon€v.€General€Electric€Co.óó,€897€S.W.2d€243€(Tenn.1994).ÌÌà àOn€our€òòde€novoóó€review,€we€find€that€the€preponderance€of€theÏevidence€establishes€that€the€plaintiff€has€50%€permanent€partialÏvocational€disability€of€the€right€arm€and€25%€to€the€left€arm,Ïresulting€in€37.5%€vocational€disability€of€two€arms.€€The€judgmentÏis€modified€accordingly.ÌÌà àCosts€are€adjudged€against€Quaker€Oats€for€which€executionÏmay€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à_______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àF.€LLOYD€TATUM,€JUDGEÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ________________________________ÌLYLE€REID,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICEÌÌÌ________________________________ÌJOE€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌÑ€!ÑÇÑ ` ÑÔ€Ôà@ àÔ€¼ÔIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÔ€XÔÌÌÌÓ#` p…X LÐ X#ÓTHERESA€WEBB,à àà àà à)à àMADISONÏCHANCERYÌÓ#` p` LÐ X#Óà à)à àNO.€€50025ÌÓ` p` ¸ ’XÓà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à à)à àÌÓ#` p` ¸ LÐ X#Óà àà à)à àHon.€Joe€C.€Morris,Ìvs.à àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà à)ÌTHE€QUAKER€OATS€COMPANY,à à)à àNO.€02S01„9603„CH„00029ÌßJ€";+'b|h` Å `€@ÿJßà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)à àMODIFIED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€¼ÔJUDGMENT€ORDERÔ€XÔÌÌÓÓÌÓ` p`  ’XÓà 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 àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€OpinionÏof€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÍmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Appellant,€and€surety,€for€which€executionÏmay€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€19th€day€of€December,€1996.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌ(Reid,€J.,€not€participating)ÌÌÌ̜Ԁ ÔÔ€ Ô