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D+w' AO¢' 0Dñ' D/5( Bd( 0n( AYï( 0FH) 0üŽ) 0DŠ+ A©Î+' Ë $ "Steve Miller 0 .   3|x”«*ô\  `(Times NewRomanTTôdô\  PŽÂCôP, øð AZ‹"Arial RegularX(/@$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÑ` °ÑÓÓÑTR[¨ AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÚƒç"H €DP‚Uƒ„D…E†‡ˆD‰Ó€Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5ƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 52 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 d< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d''''7Border 1dd-.(Cþÿ << Gÿÿ$$$$'ÿÿdxd |Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€&ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌò òNovemberÏ25,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€&ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó ÌÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€&ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ¼$Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý€€Ô€&ôÔThis€case€was€submitted€to€this€panel€at€the€September€16,€1996€session.€€We€withheldÏaction€on€the€case€until€the€Supreme€Court€rendered€an€opinion€in€òòDavis€v.€Jim€Reagan,€et€al€óóand€theÏcompanion€case€of€òòRayfield€v.€Employers€Insurance€Company€of€Wausau,€et€al.€€óóThe€Supreme€CourtÏfiled€its€Opinion€in€those€cases€on€September€8,€1997.€€In€those€cases,€the€Supreme€Court€held€that€aÏworker€need€not€be€found€to€have€a€16.7€percent€medical€impairment€to€recover€for€total€disability.€ÏTherefore,€we€need€not€consider€the€defendantððs€argument€that€the€plaintiff€could€not€be€totallyÏdisabled€because€of€the€limitations€under€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„207(4)(a).Ì("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\ÑPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva Ò'ÈÈÈÈdxd-‚ƒCþÿ<< Cÿÿ($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdV ±Ú8Document[5]Document Styleà0..àÌðð-¸:Müÿ << deUU(n$––ò ò(Ú  Ú1Ú  Ú)ó ó(¬(3N†$¤¤Ý ƒ/@!ÝÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÑ` °ÑÓÓÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó -.:›&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€&ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ ` ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÝ  Ý›Ñ Ü ÑÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ` ‹Xs#€%ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ% € ÔÑ7€˜XXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÞ ÞÌÌÌò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌWORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANEL̜ـÙßR€)+(A1-j|` à. `€€@ÿRß›AT€KNOXVILLEó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌWAYNE€E.€ADAMS,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àKNOX€CIRCUITÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€€03S01„9603„CV„00031Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€WHEELER€ROSENBALM,ÌPETERBILT€OF€KNOXVILLE,€INC.,à à)à àJUDGEÌITT€HARTFORD€INSURANCE€GROUP,à à)Ìand€SUE€ANN€HEAD,€DIVISION€OFà à)ÌWORKERSðð€COMPENSATION,à àà à)ÌTENNESSEE€DEPARTMENT€OFà à)ÌLABOR,€SECOND€INJURY€FUND,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appelleesà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÒ  ÒÒ £ Òò òòòFor€the€Appellantóóà àà àòòFor€the€Appelleesóóà àà àà àòòFor€theÏAppelleeóóó óÌòòò òWayne€E.€Adams:óóà àà àòòPeterbilt€of€Knoxville,€Inc.óóà àòòSecond€InjuryÏFund:Ìóóà àà àà àà àòò&€ITT€Hartford€Ins.€Gp.:óóà àà àÌÌó óGary€S.€Dawsonà àà àR.€Franklin€Nortonà àà àà àCharles€W.€BursonÌCampbell€&€Dawsonà àR.€David€Bennerà àà àà àAtty€General€&€Reporter€Ì100€W.€Summit€Hill€Dr.à àP.€O.€Box€2467à àà àà àÌKnoxville,€TN€37902à àKnoxville,€TN€37901à àà àSandra€E.€KeithÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àAssistant€Atty€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àCivil€DivisionÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àOffice€of€the€Atty€GeneralÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à404€James€RobertsonÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à€€ParkwayÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,TN€37243„0499ÌÌÌÌÌòòò òÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóJustice€E.€Riley€AndersonÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSenior€Judge€William€H.€InmanÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌò òAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,€SeniorÏJudgeÌÌÓÓòòÓ  ÓOPINIONóóó óà àÌÓ  Óà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.€ò òÌà àó óThe€plaintiff€brought€this€suit€in€which€he€alleged€he€was€totally€andÏpermanently€disabled€and€that€he€was€entitled€to€medical€benefits€from€his€employerÏand€the€Second€Injury€Fund.Ìà àThe€trial€judge€found€the€plaintiff€had€sustained€a€60€percent€impairment€as€aÏresult€of€an€on„the„job€injury€on€May€27,€1994.€€The€trial€judge€dismissed€the€suit€as€toÏthe€Second€Injury€Fund€because€the€amount€of€the€disability€of€the€plaintiff€from€theÍcurrent€injury€when€combined€with€previous€workersðð€compensation€injuries€did€notÏexceed€100€percent€permanent€total€disability.Ìà àThe€plaintiff,€in€this€appeal,€says€the€trial€court€erred€in€not€finding€he€wasÏpermanently€and€totally€disabled€as€a€result€of€the€May€27,€1994€injury€and€in€notÏawarding€him€benefits€from€the€Second€Injury€Fund.Ìà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.Ìà àThe€treating€physician,€Dr.€Robert€E.€Finelli,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€testifiedÏthe€plaintiff€had€a€ruptured€disc€at€the€L4„L5€vertebrae.€€Dr.€Finelli€did€surgery€on€theÏplaintiff€and€treated€him€until€September€20,€1994.€€Dr.€Finelli€returned€the€patient€toÏwork€and€found€he€had€sustained€a€10€„€12€percent€permanent€medical€impairmentÏas€a€result€of€the€injury.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€had€undergone€two€previous€back€surgeries€and€Dr.€FinelliÏconsidered€these€in€determining€the€medical€impairment€from€the€last€injury.€€Dr.ÏFinelli€was€of€the€opinion€that€if€the€plaintiff€returned€to€heavy€work€he€would€be€at€riskÏfor€a€possible€ruptured€disc.€€It€was€his€further€opinion€that€if€he€did€medium€work€theÏrisk€of€further€back€injury€was€low.Ìà àDr.€Gilbert€Hyde,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€saw€the€plaintiff€on€July€28,€1995€forÏthe€purpose€of€evaluating€his€disability.€€Dr.€Hyde€found€the€plaintiff€to€be€suffering€aÏ22€percent€medical€impairment€as€a€result€of€the€injury€of€May€27,€1994.€€Dr.€HydeÏtestified€the€plaintiff€was€40€„€50€percent€medically€impaired€as€a€result€of€the€May€27,Ï1994€injury€and€two€previous€injuries.€€Dr.€Hyde€would€place€restrictions€of€limitedÏweight€lifting,€twisting,€stooping,€prolonged€riding,€standing€or€sitting.Ìà àThe€medical€evidence€was€taken€by€deposition.Ìà àVocational€experts€for€the€plaintiff€and€defendant€testified€in€person€at€theÏhearing€of€the€case.€€Their€testimony€varied€as€to€the€extent€of€the€plaintiffððs€vocationalÏdisability.€€The€plaintiffððs€expert€testified€that€the€plaintiff€was€100€percent€vocationallyÏimpaired€and€the€defendantððs€experts€testified€that€there€were€jobs€available€whichÏthe€plaintiff€could€perform.€€The€plaintiff€and€her€daughter€testified€also€concerning€theÏplaintiffððs€physical€abilities€and€limitations.Ìà àWe€review€the€findings€of€the€trial€judge€òòde€novoóó€on€the€record€with€aÏpresumption€of€correctness€and€will€not€overturn€the€findings€unless€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€findings.€€òòTenn.€Code€Ann.€ððóó€50„6„225(e)(2).Ìà àIn€reviewing€the€findings€of€the€trial€judge,€we€are€guided€by€the€rule€that€theÏtrial€judge€determines€the€credibility€of€the€witnesses€whom€the€judge€has€seen€andÏheard€testify€at€trial,€and€we€cannot€substitute€our€judgment€for€that€of€the€trial€judge€inÏthese€circumstances.€€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.,€óó734€S.W.2d€315€(Tenn.Ï1987).Ìà àWe€are€able€to€determine€the€credibility€of€witnesses€who€testify€by€depositionÏas€did€the€doctors€in€this€case.€€òòLanders€v.€Firemenððs€Fund,óó€775€S.W.2d€355€(Tenn.Ï1989).€€However,€we€do€not€lightly€disregard€the€weight€given€by€the€trial€judge€to€thisÏtype€of€testimony€and€are€not€disposed€to€hold€contrary€to€the€findings€of€the€trialÏjudge€in€this€regard€unless€there€are€obvious€reasons€contained€within€a€depositionÏwhich€call€into€question€the€credibility€of€the€deponent.Ìà àThe€findings€of€fact€by€the€trial€judge€in€this€case€raised€some€concern€aboutÏthe€accuracy€of€some€of€the€testimony€of€the€plaintiffððs€witnesses.€€This€along€with€ourÏoverall€review€of€the€record€leads€us€to€conclude€the€evidence€in€this€case€does€notÏpreponderate€against€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court,€and€we€affirm€the€judgment.× ƒ, ××  לÌà àThe€cost€of€this€appeal€is€taxed€to€the€plaintiff.Ìòòò ò›ÌÓÓóóó óà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€Judgeò òòòÌœó óóóÑ€/ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ Òà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€IN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà à€à à€€€€€€€€€€€€€AT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÒ Ê ÒÒ £ ÒÌÒ S ÒÒ £ ÒWAYNE€E.€ADAMS€à àà àà à)€€€€KNOX€CIRCUITÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€No.€€3„691„94Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€à àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà à)à à€à àÌvs.€€à àà àà àà àà àà à)€€€€€Hon.€Wheller€Rosenbalm€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€Ïà à)€€€€€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌPETERBILT€OF€KNOXVILLE,€INC.€€€€€€€)ÌITT€HARTFORD€INSURANCE€GROUP)Ìand€SUE€ANN€HEAD,€DIVISIONà à)à àÌOF€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION,€€€€€à à)à àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€à àÌTN€DEPARTMENT€OF€LABOR,à àà à)à àà àà àà àà àÌSECOND€INJURY€FUND.à àà à)à àà àà àà àà àà àÏà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à03S01„9603„CV„00031Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellee.à àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌà àà àà àà àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌà àà àà àÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€ÓfæÓÓ ø ÓÓ` Ü…X ì–XÓThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€the€orderÏof€referral€to€the€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€Panel,€and€the€PanelððsÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€of€theÏPanel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panelððs€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€Judgment€ofÏthe€Court.€€à àà àÌÒ  ÒÒ £ Òà à€€€€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€plantiff/appellant,€Wayne€E.€Adams€andÏsurety,€Gary€S.€Dawson,€€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌ11/25/97Ì€ÌÌ