ÿWPC …# VULa %­ 0(³4ÛïU:þ8 0l@ 0D¬ 0Jð 0T: 0^Ž 0hì w@T 0r” 0| 0†‚ 0 1u˜ U,  0d9U,U*ÉB)óDC AM_ B¬ D3Éü^ü 0@Zv~švÓ AOëÆ: 0D D/D Bs˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 .@FÐ Z‹4GeoSlab703 Lt BT LightX($¡¡yJÚ 3|x"Arial Regular((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô D e  DeÓ€2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d&&&&7Border 1dd€-'Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d))))'ÿÿdxd öÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌò òAugust€12,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€%ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó TÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÔ€%ÔÓ  Óà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóThe€report€of€Dr.€Frank€T.€Masur€is€contained€in€the€record€of€this€caseÏand€the€employer€in€its€brief€states€that€this€report€and€all€other€medical€recordsÏwere€stipulated.€€However,€the€transcript€does€not€specifically€reflect€the€methodÏby€which€the€report€was€admitted€into€evidence.€€It€was€not€specifically€markedÏas€an€exhibit€and€was€apparently€not€part€of€any€deposition€that€was€submitted.Ì("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒPtPtHHÚ(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€-‚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  Ý›Ò  ÒÒ ° ÒÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òœÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€%Ô›à@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌó óÌò òÌÌJEFFREY€WOLFE,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà à)à àSHELBY€COUNTYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€JAMES€M.€THARPEÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àCIRCUIT€JUDGEÌLIBERTY€MUTUAL€INSURANCEà à)ÌCOMPANY,€€€€€€€à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€€€€€€No.€02S01„9602„CV„00016̜ـ€ÙÙ€€ÙßL€(+';+'h|ñÅ` Å `€€Lß›à àDefendant/Appellee.à àà à)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTóó:òòà àà àà àà àFORÏAPPELLEEóó:ÌÌSaul€Kayà àà àà àà àà àRichard€D.€ClickÌ2612€Poplar€Avenueà àà àà à1010€Cotton€Exchange€BuildingÌMemphis,€TN€38112à àà àà à65€Union€AvenueÌà àà àà àà àà àà àMemphis,€TN€38103ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àLYLE€REID,€JUSTICEÌà@ àHEWITT€TOMLIN,€JR.,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌà@ àCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌ€€€€€€ÌÓÓÌÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àCLARK,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÇó óÑ7€‚ÌXXdæXXdð7Ñà àThis€workerððs€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkerððs€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.Ïðð50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€The€only€issue€in€this€appeal€is€whether€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€€the€trial€judgeððs€finding€that€plaintiff€sufferedÏno€permanent€anatomical€disability€as€a€result€of€his€work„related€injury.€€WeÏfind€that€it€does€not€and€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.ÌÌà àAppellant,€forty€years€old€at€the€time€of€trial,€was€employed€by€LacledeÏSteel€Company€for€some€time€prior€to€1992.€€He€obtained€his€G.E.D.€degree€inÏ1985€and€worked€in€many€different€occupations€for€numerous€employers€priorÏto€coming€to€Laclede.€€Included€in€his€prior€employment€history€were€a€numberÏof€terminations€based€on€his€own€conduct.ÌÌà àOn€May€5,€1992,€plaintiff€lost€his€footing€while€operating€an€accumulatorÏmachine€and€tore€some€muscles€in€his€shoulder€and€neck.€€He€saw€theÏcompany€doctor,€Dr.€Dobbs,€and€missed€two€days€of€work.€€On€June€10,€1992,Ïwhile€threading€a€deadlay€on€a€bull€block€machine,€plaintiff€was€thrown€acrossÏthe€floor€into€a€wall,€causing€further€injuries.€€He€saw€the€company€doctor,€tookÏmuscle€relaxers,€and€missed€several€days€of€work.€€Immediately€upon€his€returnÏin€early€July€1992,€plaintiff€experienced€significant€pain€while€holding€a€pipe,Ïagain€causing€him€to€be€unable€to€work.€€As€a€result€of€these€accidents,€plaintiffÏtestified€that€he€suffered€from€headaches€and€experienced€significant€pain€in€hisÍneck,€shoulders,€arm,€and€hands.€€Dr.€Dobbs€sent€plaintiff€to€see€Dr.€MarkÏHarriman,€an€orthopedic€surgeon.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€first€saw€Dr.€Harriman€on€July€17,€1992.€€Dr.€Harriman€testified€byÏdeposition€that€plaintiff€had€a€normal€physical€examination€with€full€range€ofÏmotion€in€the€neck,€back,€shoulders€and€upper€extremities.€€All€subsequentÏtesting€ordered€by€Dr.€Harriman,€including€the€MRI€and€EMG,€were€normal.€€Dr.ÏHarriman€testified€that€he€could€find€nothing€wrong€with€plaintiff€andÏrecommended€that€he€see€Dr.€David€Cunningham,€a€neurosurgeon.€€HeÏspecifically€testified€that€plaintiff€did€not€have€carpel€tunnel€syndrome€and€thatÏthe€type€of€injuries€plaintiff€was€reporting€could€not€cause€carpel€tunnelÏproblems.€€He€suggested€that€plaintiff€was€guilty€of€symptom€magnification.€€OnÏOctober€2,€1992,€he€recommended€that€plaintiff€return€to€work.€€Dr.€HarrimanÏassigned€no€permanent€impairment€rating.ÌÌà àDr.€David€L.€Cunningham€first€saw€plaintiff€on€August€6,€1992.€€ByÏdeposition€he€testified€that€all€physical€examinations€were€normal€and€noÏevidence€of€radiculopathy€was€found€on€the€EMGs€or€nerve€conduction€studies.€ÏDr.€Cunningham€also€testified€that€the€symptoms€plaintiff€expressed€were€notÏcompatible€with€carpel€tunnel€syndrome.€€Dr.€Cunningham€found€no€permanentÏanatomical€impairment.€€He€gave€a€six€(6%)€percent€impairment€rating€to€theÏbody€as€a€whole€based€on€subjective€complaints€for€more€than€a€year€of€pain,Ïshaking€hands,€and€discomfort€radiating€up€the€left€upper€extremity€to€the€neck.€ÍHe€disagreed€with€the€Bowld€Hospital€report.€€He€did€not€place€any€restrictionsÏor€limitations€on€plaintiffððs€activities.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€remained€off€work€three€to€four€months€before€returning.€€He€thenÏworked€less€than€one€week€before€being€terminated€on€October€20,€1992,€forÏinsubordination.€€He€attempted€to€find€work€through€temporary€agencies,€butÏwas€unable€to€perform€the€hard€physical€labor€involved.€€He€went€withoutÏregular€work€until€August€19,€1993,€when€he€began€working€at€a€casino€dealingÏcards.€€At€the€first€casino€he€had€an€automatic€shuffler€that€made€his€job€easier.€ÏAt€his€next€job€he€had€to€shuffle€the€cards€himself,€which€caused€problems.€€HeÏhad€worked€for€casinos€over€two€years€at€the€time€of€trial.€€He€continued€toÏexperience€pain€in€his€neck€and€shoulder,€weakness,€and€headaches.ÌÌà àAt€the€direction€of€his€attorney,€on€April€18,€1995€plaintiff€was€examinedÏby€Dr.€Rommel€Childress,€an€orthopedic€surgeon.€€Dr.€Childress€testified€byÏdeposition€that€he€diagnosed€plaintiff€with€acute€and€chronic€cervical€spineÏstrain€with€possible€compression€neuropathy€in€the€upper€extremities,€andÏassessed€a€six€(6%)€percent€permanent€partial€disability€rating€to€the€body€as€aÏwhole.€€He€opined€that€the€impairment€could€go€as€high€as€ten€(10%)€or€twelveÏ(12%)€percent€if€plaintiff€has€to€have€a€decompression€surgical€procedure.€€Dr.ÏChildress€based€his€rating€on€subjective€complaints€of€pain€because,€in€hisÏopinion,€all€objective€diagnostic€testing,€including€a€myelogram,€was€normal.€ÏHe€prohibited€lifting€over€twenty€pounds.€ÌÌà àPlaintiff€also€saw€Dr.€John€Lindermuth,€a€neurosurgeon,€who€referred€himÏto€Dr.€Robert€P.€N.€Shearin.€€Plaintiff€was€examined€by€Dr.€Shearin€on€April€26,Ï1995.€€Dr.€Shearin,€a€thoracic€and€cardiovascular€surgeon,€testified€byÏdeposition€that€plaintiff€had€a€ð ðpossibleðð€diagnosis€of€thoracic€outlet€syndromeÏand€post„traumatic€on€the€left€side.€€He€opined€that€tests€originally€supportedÏfindings€of€carpel€tunnel€syndrome,€then€did€not€do€so.€€He€admitted€there€wasÏlittle€objective€evidence€for€his€diagnosis€and€that€all€diagnostic€testing€wasÏnormal.€€This€included€specific€diagnostic€testing€for€thoracic€outlet€syndrome,Ïincluding€EMGs€and€arterial€studies.€€He€recommended€surgery,€but€indicatedÏthere€€were€significant€risks€associated€with€the€surgery.€€He€acknowledged€thatÏtests€performed€by€Dr.€Ali€and€Dr.€Akbik€were€normal.€€He€did€not€assign€anyÏdisability€rating.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€testified€about€continued€pain€in€his€neck,€shoulder,€arm,€andÏhands.€€Plaintiff€stated€that€he€cannot€hold€and€play€with€his€small€child,€cannotÏhold€trays,€has€difficulty€bathing€and€washing,€and€has€problems€with€hisÏsleeping€habits.€€He€has€not€experienced€physical€problems€in€doing€long€workÏor€recreational€activities.€€He€has€experienced€severe€pain€at€times€since€theÏaccident€and€has€visited€the€emergency€room€several€times€over€the€last€fewÏyears€about€physical€problems.€€His€mother€and€stepfather€confirmed€hisÏinability€to€lift€things€and€the€pain€he€experiences.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€filed€this€lawsuit€April€6,€1993.€€Trial€was€conducted€onÏNovember6,€1995.€€The€trial€court€found€that€plaintiff€suffered€no€permanentÏdisability€as€a€result€of€his€on„the„job€injuries€occurring€in€May,€June€and€JulyÏ1992.ÌÌà 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€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(2).€€This€tribunal€is€required€to€make€an€independent€examination€of€theÏrecord€to€determine€where€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòGalloway€v.ÏMemphis€Drum€Serviceóó,€822€S.W.2d€584,€586€(Tenn.€1991);€òòCorcoran€v.€FosterÏAuto€GMC,€Inc.óó,€746€S.W.2d€452,€456€(Tenn.€1988).€€We€also€make€anÏindependent€assessment€of€the€medical€proof€when€medical€testimony€is€in€theÏform€of€depositions.€€òòLanders€v.€Firemenððs€Fund€Insurance€Companyóó,€775ÏS.W.2d€355,€356€(Tenn.€1989).ÌÌà àAn€employee€has€the€burden€of€proving€every€element€of€the€workerððsÏcompensation€case€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence.€€òòTindall€v.€WaringÏPark€Associationóó,€725€S.W.2d€935,€937€(Tenn.€1987).€€Causation€andÏpermanency€must€be€shown€by€expert€medical€evidence€except€in€the€mostÏobvious€cases.€€òòId.óó€at€937.ÌÌà àWhen€faced€with€conflicting€testimony€on€medical€issues€it€is€within€theÍtrial€courtððs€discretion€to€accept€the€opinion€of€certain€experts€over€others.€ÏòòThomas€v.€Aetna€Life€and€Casualty€Companyóó,€812€S.W.2d€278,€283€(Tenn.Ï1991).€€Nine€diagnostic€tests€performed€on€plaintiff€have€been€reported€asÏnormal.€€Dr.€Harrimanððs€testimony€indicates€that€the€plaintiff€has€no€permanentÏimpairment€and€that€his€subjective€complaints€of€pain€may€be€overstated.€€Dr.ÏCunningham€is€also€of€the€opinion€that€plaintiff€has€no€anatomical€impairment,Ïand€only€assigned€an€impairment€rating€based€on€subjective€complaints€of€pain.€ÏDr.€Childress€also€found€no€abnormalities€in€the€objective€diagnostic€testing€andÏassigned€an€impairment€rating€based€strictly€on€subjective€complaints.€€Dr.ÏShearin€also€confirmed€that€all€diagnostic€testing€was€negative€and€made€aÏð ðpossibleðð€diagnosis€of€permanent€impairment€based€on€thoracic€outletÏsyndrome.€€He€was€not€asked€to,€and€did€not,€assign€any€impairment€rating.ÌÌà àThe€court€also€had€the€opportunity€to€hear€the€oral€testimony€of€theÏplaintiff€and€to€assess€his€credibility.€€It€is€apparent€that€his€recitation€of€theÏdetails€of€his€injuries,€and€the€dates€on€which€they€occurred,€has€varied€fromÏdoctor€to€doctor.€€Dr.€Frank€Masur,€a€clinical€psychologist,€also€opined€after€anÏinterview€with€plaintiff€on€September€16,€1992,€that€he€exhibited€ð ðsomeÏconscious€and€deliberate€exaggeration€of€his€complaints€for€secondary€gainðð.× ƒ, ××  ×ÌÌà àBased€on€our€review€of€the€medical€depositions€and€the€lay€testimony€inÏthis€case,€we€cannot€conclude€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€theÏfindings€of€the€trial€court.€€We€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.€€Costs€ofÏappeal€are€taxed€to€the€plaintiff/appellant,€Jeffrey€Wolfe.€€The€case€is€remandedÏto€the€trial€court€for€such€further€proceedings€as€may€be€necessary€to€carry€outÏthis€judgment.ÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àCORNELIA€A.€CLARK,€SPECIALÏJUDGEÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌLYLE€REID,€JUSTICEÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌHEWITT€TOMLIN,€JR.,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌ