ÿWPC  9U:. %hnn­~ 0(+U:S4¡w@© D/é 0l 0D„ 0JÈ 0T 0^f 0hÄ 0r,ÆžÆdÆ* Æð 0|¶ 0†2 0¸ AQH Æ™ 0D_ 0@£ 0Dã 1u' Bœ 0d¹ B D3:U6mU*£B)ÍDCö AM9*†°v~ÏvÓM<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX3|x€«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXôxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@($¡¡, øð AZ‹"Arial Regular5D""( lÓ€vyz{D|P}D~UD€D(('÷ÿ dxd((3þÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 52J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô!"#$ Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a) dP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓüÿP Pd&&&&'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(Courier New< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d22227Border 1dd!#3Cþÿ << Gÿÿ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€0ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€1ÔÔ€1ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€1XÔÌÌJanuary€17,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€0ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€1ÔÔ€1ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€1XÔÌÌJanuary€17,€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€0ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ  ÑÒ ° ÒÒ … ÒÒ  ÒÒ … ÒÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€1ÔÑ7€›ÄXXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ќـ!ÙßR€453A1-j|ñ` ç `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€PANELÌAT€NASHVILLEÌÓ  Óó óÌœ›ÌÌRANDY€WILSON,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àBEDFORD€CHANCERYÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Tyrus€H.€Cobb,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌEATON€CORPORATION,à àà àà à)à àNO.€€01S01„9605„CH„00107Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à(No.€19,453€Below)€€€€€€Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellantóó:à àòòà àà àà àà àFor€the€Appelleeóó:€ÌÌó óKatherine€M.€Wallà àà àà àà àà àAnthony€W.€HarrisÌ1111€Superior€Ave.à àà àà àà àà à203„B€N.€Cannon€Blvd.ÌCleveland,€OH€€44114à àà àà àà àShelbyville,€TN€€37160.à àà àÌÌRalph€McBride,€Jr.Ì112€E.€Side€Squ.ÌShelbyville,€TN€€37160ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÓ  ÓMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ó óóóÌÌChief€Justice€Adolpho€A.€BirchÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSpecial€Judge€William€S.€RussellÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€à àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,ÏSenior€Judge€ÌAND€REMANDEDÌÑ  ÑòòÓÓà àó óóóThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'ÌCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€òòTenn.ÏCode€Annóó.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€ofÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà àThe€trial€judge€awarded€the€plaintiff€50%€permanent€partial€disability€to€theÏright€hand.€€He€refused€to€award€temporary€total€disability€benefits€because€plaintiffÏhad€lost€no€wages€during€his€period€of€temporary€total€disability.Ìà àAppellant€challenges€the€trial€courtððs€findings€that€plaintiff€sustained€a€work„related€injury€by€accident€to€his€right€thumb€in€August€1992,€that€plaintiff€gaveÏnotice€of€such€an€injury€and€that€this€claim€is€not€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€ÏAppellee€challenges€the€trial€courtððs€refusal€to€award€temporary€total€disabilityÏbenefits.€€Appellee€also€argues€that€the€appellant€should€be€estopped€fromÍpleading€the€affirmative€defenses€relied€upon€for€failure€to€show€proper€and€timelyÏfiling€of€the€required€notice€of€controversy.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€trial€courtððs€judgment.Ìà àPlaintiff,€40€at€the€time€of€trial,€€has€his€high€school€diploma.€€He€has€workedÏprimarily€in€factories;€he€also€worked€as€a€patrolman€for€two„and„a„half€years.€€HeÏhas€worked€for€the€appellant€since€1984.€€He€now€works€as€a€gear€lab€technician,Ïwhich€requires€lifting€and€grasping€of€parts€ranging€from€30€to€40€pounds€apiece.€ÏIn€August€1992€he€developed€a€knot€on€the€outside€of€his€thumb€and€began€havingÏstiffness€and€pain€in€his€thumb€and€difficulty€grasping€objects.€€A€few€weeks€later,€aÏpart€overturned€in€his€hand€and€ð ðsnapped€[his]€thumb€out.ððÌà àPlaintiff€testified€that€he€reported€his€injury€the€next€day,€August€21,€1992,€€toÏthe€plant€nurse.€€She€asked€him€if€he€had€ever€hurt€his€thumb€before,€and€he€toldÏher€the€only€time€he€had€ever€hurt€it€before€would€have€been€in€1988€when€he€hadÏfallen.€€He€testified€that€the€nurse€told€him€that€she€thought€his€problem€with€hisÏthumb€had€something€to€do€with€his€1988€fall.€€In€the€1988€fall,€plaintiff€hit€his€leftÏhand€against€a€railing€and€strained€three€of€his€fingers€on€his€left€hand;€he€alsoÏjammed€the€thumb€on€his€right€hand,€but€there€is€no€record€of€a€complaint€about€theÏplaintiffððs€right€thumb.€€Plaintiff€testified€that€he€had€not€had€any€problems€with€hisÏright€thumb€between€the€1988€fall€and€August€1992.Ìà àThe€plant€nurse€testified€that€she€did€not€remember€the€conversationÏverbatim€but€that€she€copied€down€what€plaintiff€told€her€on€the€authorization€forÏtreatment€form,€that€he€was€having€problems€with€his€right€thumb€as€a€result€of€aÍ1988€fall.€€There€are€no€entrances€in€Mr.€Wilsonððs€medical€log€between€2/14/89€andÏ3/12/93;€the€nurse€testified€that€she€did€not€make€an€entrance€in€the€medical€log€onÏAugust€21,€1992€because€she€related€it€to€the€prior€1988€fall.Ìà àThe€nurse€sent€the€plaintiff€to€Dr.€Samuel€Selis,€a€family€practitioner€andÏoccupational€medicine€specialist.€€He€diagnosed€ð ðtorn€ligaments€and€a€dislocationÏof€the€right€thumb€due€to€the€old€injury€on€5„2„88.ðð€€Plaintiff€did€not€mention€a€newÏinjury€to€him.€€Dr.€Selis€was€uncertain€as€to€the€course€of€injury,€although€he€opinedÏthat€plaintiff€would€have€known€he€hurt€his€thumb€in€œ1988€if€he€had€torn€theÏligament€then.›€€Dr.€Selis€had€treated€plaintiff€for€the€employer€in€1991€as€well.€ÏHowever,€plaintiff€did€not€complain€of€a€thumb€injury.Ìà àDr.€Selis€referred€plaintiff€to€Dr.€Richard€A.€Rogers,€an€orthopedist.€€PlaintiffÏgave€Dr.€Rogers€a€history€of€having€dislocated€it€four€years€ago€and€having€troubleÏwith€œit€trying›€to€pop€out€of€place€and€numbing,€which€caused€Dr.€Rogers€toÏcharacterize€the€plaintiff's€condition€as€chronic.€€When€presented€with€aÏhypothetical€history€of€the€plaintiff€having€recently€had€progressive€problems€withÏhis€thumb€followed€by€a€subsequent€trauma,€he€opined€that€he€would€assume€anÏaggravation€of€a€pre„existing€injury€or€a€repetitive€injury€such€as€gamekeeper'sÏthumb.€€He€opined€that€there€was€a€single€injury€years€previous€repeatedlyÏaggravated€by€continued€activity€with€the€hand.€€However,€he€admitted€that€it€wasÏpossible€that€the€final€detachment€was€recent€and€opined€that€if€the€detachmentÏoccurred€in€1988,€plaintiff's€thumb€would€have€bothered€him€while€moving€metalÏobjects€from€ten€to€fifteen€pounds.Ìà àDr.€Jeffrey€P.€Lawrence,€also€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€performed€a€surgicalÏrepair€of€plaintiff's€torn€ligament.€€The€repair€was€not€successful.€€Dr.€Lawrence€thenÏperformed€a€surgical€reconstruction€that€was€also€unsuccessful.€€He€referredÏplaintiff€to€another€surgeon€for€further€possible€corrective€surgery.€€He€opined€thatÏplaintiff's€injury€was€probably€traumatic€rather€than€repetitive€and,€based€on€theÏhistory€of€a€1988€injury€with€progressive€pain€and€beginning€to€pop€in€the€pastÏyear,€he€opined€that€the€injury€existed€in€its€totality€since€1988.Ìà àDr.€James€Kenneth€Lanter,€another€orthopedic€surgeon,€fused€plaintiff'sÏthumb€so€it€would€not€keep€falling€out€of€joint.€€He€assessed€a€30%€permanentÏimpairment€to€the€right€thumb.€€Plaintiff€related€his€problems€with€his€thumb€to€theÏ1988€injury;€Dr.€Lanter€had€no€history€of€any€other€injury€or€aggravation.€€Dr.€LanterÏtestified€that€it€was€possible€that€plaintiff€could€have€partially€torn€his€ligament€inÏ1988€and€"a€partially€torn€ligament€would€give€you€an€increased€laxity€andÏincreased€laxity€would€predispose€you€to€another€injury."€Ìà àOur€review€is€òòde€novoóó€on€the€record,€accompanied€by€the€presumption€ofÏcorrectness€of€the€findings€of€fact€of€the€trial€court,€unless€the€preponderance€of€theÏevidence€is€otherwise.€€òòT.C.A.óó€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€œ€The€trial€judge€determines€theÏcredibility€of€witnesses€who€testify€before€the€trial€judge,€and€we€are€bound€by€theÏtrial€judgeððs€finding€on€the€credibility€of€the€witnesses.›Ìà àThe€trial€judge€saw€and€heard€the€witness€and€the€company€nurse€testify;€weÏdid€not.€€The€medical€testimony€as€to€whether€there€was€a€new€injury€or€anÏaggravation€of€the€1988€injury€is€inconclusive,€when€you€take€into€account€theÍhistory€with€which€the€physicians€were€provided.€€We€defer€to€the€trial€court'sÏjudgment€that€the€1988€injury€injured€plaintiff's€thumb€but€did€not€require€treatmentÏuntil€1992€and€therefore€was€not€compensable€until€1992.€€Therefore,€the€plaintiff'sÏclaim€is€not€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€€As€to€notice,€it€is€undisputed€thatÏplaintiff€reported€to€the€nurse€on€August€21,€1992,€and€she€authorized€him€to€see€aÏœphysician.€€The€trial€judge€accredited€plaintiffððs€version€of€what€he€told€her.›Ìà àWe€further€hold€that€plaintiff€is€not€entitled€to€temporary€total€disabilityÏbenefits.€€œTemporary€total€disability€benefits›€are€intended€as€a€substitute€for€œwagesÏlost€while€an€employee€is€totally€disabled€from€working€by€his€injury.›€€PlaintiffÏreceived€his€full€salary€while€he€was€temporarily€œtotally€disabled›€and€is€not€entitledÏto€temporary€total€disability€benefits.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€trial€court's€judgment€and€assess€costs€to€the€appellant,€EatonÏCorporation.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌWilliam€S.€Russell,€Special€œJudgeÔ€0ÔÌÌÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€0¼Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€46;+'b|7` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌRANDY€WILSON,à àà àà à}à àBEDFORD€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€19,453€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Tyrus€H.€Cobb,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌEATON€CORPORATION,à àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9605„CH„00107Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà à}à àAFFIRMED€&€REMANDED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€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 àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€theÏMemorandum€Opinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€andÏapproved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel'sÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€andÏaffirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€theÏjudgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Defendant/Appellant€andÏSurety€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€January€17,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMóóÔ€0XÔ›