ÿWPCÓ /# ¢UN­ %û 0(w@)4i}Œ 0JŒ 0TÖ 0^* 0hˆ 0rð 0|b 0†Þ 0d 1uô 0diU>ÍB) DC4 AQw ÆÈ 0DŽ 0@Ò 0D AMV D/£ BÒ Bï D3 U*? ûi d v~‚vÓ˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ Nr‚OPeQERDSÓ€]^U_î`Dujý"K3|x`2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó!#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(Arial ñÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€*ÔÔ€*ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€*XÔÌÌAugust€19,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€*ÔÔ€*ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€*XÔÌÌAugust€19,€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€ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ќԀ¼ÔÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌRONALD€WADE€ALLEN,à àà à)à àà àSUMNER€€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà à)à àà àNo.€01S01„9504„CH„00062Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àHonorable€Tom€E.€Gray,̜ـ!ÙßR€%+A1-j|ü` ç `€€@ÿRß›à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àChancellor.ÌBOSCH/GENERAL€€ELECTRIC,à à)Ìd/b/a€B.G.A.M.,€INC.,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellee.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:óóÌÌMichael€W.€Edwardsà àà àà àà àà àà àJudith€E.€BeasleyÌHendersonville,€TNà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TNÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÌÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àMADDUX,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÇÑ ° ÑÓÓÓ  ÓÑ7€ÅWXXdìXXdì7Ñà àà àThis€workersðð€compensation€appeal€from€the€Sumner€CountyÏChancery€Court€has€been€referred€to€the€Special€Workersðð€Compensation€AppealsÏPanel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)Ïfor€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law.€€The€dispositive€issue€before€us€is€whether€the€chancellorÏerred€in€dismissing€plaintiffððs€suit€for€benefits€due€to€plaintiffððs€failure€to€provideÏtimely€notice€of€his€injury€to€the€employer€as€required€by€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„201.€€For€the€reasons€set€forth€below,€we€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trialÏcourt.ÌÌà àà àThe€plaintiff,€Ronald€Wade€Allen,€began€working€for€the€defendant,ÏBosch/General€Electric,€d/b/a€B.G.A.M.,€Inc.,€on€November€8,€1990.€€PlaintiffÏclaims€that€on€December€20,€1990,€he€was€lifting€a€tray€of€motors€with€two€otherÏemployees,€Clara€Branham€and€Marilyn€Rogan,€when€he€felt€a€sharp€pain€andÏburning€sensation€in€his€back.€€According€to€plaintiff,€he€put€the€motors€downÏand€told€Branham€and€Rogan€that€he€had€hurt€his€back.€€He€then€left€theÏemployerððs€place€of€business€and€went€home€without€telling€the€employerððs€nurseÏor€the€plaintiffððs€supervisors€about€the€injury.ÌÌà àà àPlaintiff€testified€that€on€the€following€day,€December€21,€1990,€heÏtold€his€supervisors,€Donald€Felts€and€Cornise€Gillespie,€about€the€incident€liftingÍthe€motors€the€day€before.€€Gillespie€purportedly€told€plaintiff€that€he€needed€toÏsee€Jill€Richardson,€the€company€nurse.€€According€to€plaintiff,€he€sawÏœRichardson›€who€gave€him€ice€packs€for€his€back.ÌÌà àà àRogan,€one€of€the€employees€working€with€plaintiff€at€the€time€heÏclaims€to€have€injured€his€back,€testified€that€she€did€not€notify€plaintiffððsÏsupervisors€of€his€back€injury,€and€that€she€told€plaintiff€he€needed€to€report€theÏinjury€to€the€company€Ìnurse.€€Branham,€the€other€co„worker€who€was€with€plaintiff,€testified€somewhatÏinconsistently.€€She€first€testified€that€she€notified€Gillespie€about€plaintiffððs€injuryÏon€the€same€day€that€it€occurred.€€She€later€testified€that€the€conversation€withÏGillespie€took€place€in€May,€1991,€about€the€same€time€that€she€gave€a€statementÏto€the€company€nurse.€€This€would€have€been€approximately€five€months€after€theÏaccident.€€Branham€indicated€she€told€plaintiff€he€would€have€to€tell€the€nurseÏhimself€and€that€she€could€not€report€the€injury€to€a€supervisor€for€him.ÌÌà àà àPlaintiffððs€supervisors,€Felts€and€Gillespie,€testified€by€deposition.€ÏNeither€of€these€individuals€were€employed€by€the€defendant€when€they€wereÏdeposed.€€Both€Felts€and€Gillespie€testified€that€plaintiff€did€not€notify€them€thatÏhe€had€suffered€a€work„related€injury.€€They€said€they€did€not€learn€of€the€injuryÏuntil€several€months€after€it€occurred.€€Felts€testified€he€did€not€learn€ofÍplaintiffððs€injury€until€he€was€asked€about€it€by€the€company€nurse€in€May,€1991.€ÏIn€this€œregard›€he€testified€as€follows:ÌÌÒ ° ÒÒ ` ÒÒ ` ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓÓ&` °‚X" ¸ ÒÀ–X&ÓQ.à àDo€you€know€when€it€was€that€[nurse]€JillÏRichardson€à àasked€you€about€Mr.€Allenððs€claim€thatÏhis€injury€was€€à àwork„related?ÌÌA.à àSometime€in€the€first€quarter€or€right€after€the€firstÏà àquarter€of€1991€she€called€and€asked€me.€€And€thenÏI€à àtold€her€that€I€was€not€aware€of€a€work„relatedÏinjury.€€à àAnd€at€that€point€in€time€I€gave€Jill€aÏstatement€and€I€à àsigned€it.ÌÌQ.à àAnd€do€you€know€when€that€was€that€you€gave€herÏa€à àstatement?ÌÌA.à àWell,€I€know€now€because€I€looked€at€the€statement.€Ïà àAnd€that€statement€was€dated€on€like,€I€think,€5„21Ïof€à àðð91.ÌFelts€further€testified€that€had€he€known€about€plaintiffððsÏinjury,€he€would€have€documented€it:Ìà àÌQ.à àMr.€Felts,€if€Mr.€Allen€had€reported€to€you€that€heÏà àsuffered€an€injury€on€the€job,€would€you€have€filledÏà àout€a€report€to€that€effect?ÌÌA.à àI„„I„„I€think€I€would€have.€€I€sure€do.€€That€was€theÏà àstandard€operating€procedure€when€an€employeeÏcame€à àto€you€and€reported€an€injury.€€You€would€fill€outÏan€à àaccident€report,€and€you€would€encourage€him€orÏtell€à àhim€to€immediately€go€„„€or€go€to€the€medicalÏcenter€à àand€get€a€record€of€it€also€at€the€medicalÏcenter.ÌÌQ.à àIs€there€any€reason€why€you€would€not€have€filledÏout€à àan€incident€report€if€an€employee€reported€to€youÏthat€à àthey€had€suffered€an€injury€on€the€job?ÌÌA.à àNo,€there€is€no€reason€that€I€wouldnððt.€€Because€thatÏà àwas€part€of€our€job,€to€make€sure€that€we€kept€theÏà àwell„being€of€the€employees€first.ÓÓÓ` °„XÒÀ–XÓÒ ° ÒÒ ° ÒÌà àà àGillespie,€plaintiffððs€other€supervisor,€testified€similarly€to€Felts.€ÏGillespie€denied€that€plaintiff€had€ever€informed€him€that€he€had€injured€himselfÏon€the€job.€€Gillespie€also€did€not€become€aware€that€plaintiff€regarded€his€backÏinjury€as€work„related€until€May,€1991,€when€he€was€asked€about€it€by€theÏcompany€nurse.€€He€also€stated€that€Branham€and€Rogan€told€him€that€nothing€hadÏhappened€to€plaintiff.ÌÌà àà àLarry€Freeland,€a€union€official€where€plaintiff€worked,€testifiedÏthat€plaintiff€came€to€him€sometime€in€February,€1991,€complaining€that€he€had€aÏproblem€with€his€back.€€Plaintiff€told€Freeland€that€he€had€not€reported€the€injuryÏto€the€company€nurse€because€he€was€on€probation€and€was€afraid€of€not€beingÏhired€as€a€permanent€employee.ÌÌà àà àJill€Richardson,€the€company€nurse,€testified€that€plaintiff€came€toÏsee€her€in€January,€1991,€complaining€of€back€pain.€€She€gave€him€an€ice€packÏand€Ibuprofen.€€She€specifically€asked€plaintiff€how€he€had€injured€his€back.€ÏPlaintiff€said€€he€had€a€problem€with€his€back€prior€to€his€employment€with€theÏdefendant€and€was€seeing€a€physician€for€the€problem.€€Richardson€first€becameÏaware€that€plaintiff€was€claiming€that€his€injury€was€work„related€when€plaintiffððsÍchiropractor€called€her€in€March€or€April€and€wanted€to€know€why€his€medicalÏbills€had€not€been€paid.€€She€then€launched€an€investigation.€€œShe€›called€Felts€toÏask€whether€plaintiff€had€informed€him€of€the€purported€injury€on€December€20,Ï1990.€€Feltððs€response€was€ð ðno.ðð€€The€first€time€that€plaintiff€told€Richardson€thatÏhis€injury€was€work„related€was€in€May,€1991.ÌÌà àà àAfter€hearing€all€the€evidence€and€testimony,€the€chancellor€foundÏthat€plaintiff€failed€to€provide€timely€notice€of€his€injury€to€the€employer€asÏrequired€by€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„201.€€The€chancellor€dismissed€the€suit.€€OurÏreview€of€the€chancellorððs€decision€is€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€on€the€record,€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€that€the€chancellorððs€finding€is€correct€unless€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(2).ÌÌà àà àThe€controlling€statute,€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„201,€provides€inÏpertinent€part:ÌÌÒ ` ÒÒ ° ÒÒ ` ÒÒ ` ÒÓÓà àEvery€injured€employee€or€such€injuredÏemployeeððs€representative€shall,€immediately€upon€theÏoccurrence€of€an€injury,€or€as€soon€thereafter€as€isÏreasonable€and€practicable,€give€or€cause€to€be€given€toÏthe€employer€who€has€not€actual€notice,€written€noticeÏof€the€injury...and€no€compensation€shall€be€payableÏunder€the€provisions€of€this€chapter€unless€such€writtenÏnotice€is€given€to€the€employer€within€thirty€(30)€daysÏafter€the€occurrence€of€the€accident,€unless€reasonableÍexcuse€for€failure€to€give€such€notice€is€made€to€theÏsatisfaction€of€the€tribunal€to€which€the€claim€forÏcompensation€may€be€presented...ÌÌÓÓÌÒ ° ÒÒ ` ÒÒ ° ÒÒ ° Òà àà àIn€order€to€satisfy€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„201,€the€notice€mustÏreasonably€convey€to€the€employer€that€the€employee€has€suffered€an€injuryÏarising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€the€employment.€€òòMasters€v.€IndustrialÏGarments€Mfg.óó,€595€S.W.2d€811,€816€(Tenn.€1980).€€The€notice€requirementÏexists€so€that€the€employer€will€have€the€opportunity€to€make€a€timelyÏinvestigation€of€the€facts€while€still€readily€accessible,€and€to€enable€the€employerÏto€provide€timely€and€proper€treatment€for€the€injured€employee.€€òòPucket€v.ÏN.A.P.€Consumer€Electronic€Corp.óó,€725€S.W.2d€674,€675€(Tenn.€1987).€€In€theÏabsence€of€actual€knowledge€of€the€injury€by€the€employer,€waiver€of€the€noticeÏby€the€employer,€or€reasonable€excuse€by€the€employee€for€not€giving€notice,€theÏstatutory€notice€to€the€employer€is€an€absolute€prerequisite€to€the€right€of€theÏemployee€to€recover€benefits.€€òòAetna€Cas.€&€Sur.€Co.€v.€Longóó,€569€S.W.2d€444,Ï449€(Tenn.€1978).€€The€plaintiff€has€the€burden€of€proving€that€the€requiredÏnotice€was€given€or€excused.€€òòIdóó.€at€448.ÌÌà àà àIn€this€case,€the€trial€court€recognized€that€there€was€disputedÏtestimony€regarding€whether€a€supervisor€was€informed€of€plaintiffððs€injuryÏwithin€the€30€days€required€by€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„201.€€The€chancellorÍstated€from€the€bench€that€it€was€the€courtððs€duty€to€judge€the€credibility€of€all€theÏwitnesses.€€He€specifically€found€credible€the€testimony€of€Richardson,€Felts€andÏGillespie.€€ð ðWhere€the€trial€judge€has€seen€and€heard€witnesses,€especially€whereÏissues€of€credibility€and€weight€or€oral€testimony€are€involved,€on€reviewÏconsiderable€deference€must€be€accorded€to€those€circumstances.ðð€òòLanders€v.ÏFiremanððs€Fund€Ins.€Co.óó,€775€S.W.2d€355,€356€(Tenn.€1989).€€The€chancellorÏsaw,€heard€and€ultimately€rejected€plaintiffððs€testimony€that€he€told€hisÏsupervisors,€Felts€and€Gillespie,€about€the€injury€the€day€after€it€occurred.€€TheÏchancellor€chose€instead€to€believe€the€testimony€of€Richardson,€Felts€andÏGillespie.€€Both€Felts€and€Gillespie€testified€that€they€knew€nothing€of€the€injuryÏuntil€May,€1991.€€Richardson€testified€that€she€was€not€told€by€plaintiff€about€theÏinjury€until€May,€1991.€€She€also€testified€that€plaintiff€denied€having€hurt€hisÏback€at€work€prior€to€that€time.€€Richardson€had€asked€plaintiff€in€January,€1991,Ïif€his€injury€was€work„related,€and€he€told€her€that€it€was€not.1ÌÌà àà àHaving€carefully€reviewed€the€record,€mindful€of€the€fact€that€issuesÏof€credibility€in€weight€or€oral€testimony€are€involved,€we€are€satisfied€that€theÏevidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€trial€courtððs€dismissal€of€the€case€forÏfailure€to€satisfy€the€notice€requirement€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„201.€€PlaintiffÏhad€notice€that€he€had€injured€himself€at€work€on€December€20,€1990,€whileÏlifting€the€tray€of€motors.€€The€employer€did€not€have€actual€notice€of€the€injury,Íand€plaintiff€did€not€give€the€employer€notice€until€May,€1991,€some€five€monthsÏafter€the€fact.€€Even€then€he€gave€the€notice€after€having€denied€that€the€injuryÏoccurred€at€work.€€We€thus€conclude,€as€the€chancellor€did,€that€plaintiff€did€notÏgive€notice€of€his€injury€to€the€employer€within€the€30€days€required€by€Tenn.ÏCode€Ann.€ðð50„6„201.€€Also,€plaintiff€has€failed€to€show€any€reasonable€excuseÏfor€his€failure€to€give€notice€within€the€prescribed€time.ÌÓÓÌòòÔ€XÔ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌÌà à1It€is€also€noteworthy€that€plaintiff€indicated€on€his€application€of€employment€that€he€didÏnot€have€any€ð ðback€pain€or€trouble.ðð€€He€had,€however,€consistently€seen€a€chiropractor€for€backÏpain€for€several€years€prior€to€the€injury€for€which€he€now€seeks€benefits.ÌÌÌÓÓÔ€¼Ôà àà àWe€also€are€not€persuaded€by€plaintiffððs€claim€that€defendant€shouldÏbe€estopped€from€denying€the€plaintiff€suffered€a€work„related€injury€based€uponÏan€award€of€unemployment€benefits€by€the€Tennessee€Department€of€EmploymentÏSecurity.€€Those€proceedings€did€not€involve€the€issue€of€notice€or€whether€theÏemployee€sustained€a€compensable€work„related€injury€within€the€meaning€of€theÏworkersðð€compensation€law.€€This€issue€is€without€merit.ÌÌà àà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€are€taxed€toÏplaintiff„appellant.ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àóó€€€John€Maddux,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌConcur:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóFrank€F.€Drowota,€III,€JusticeÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€œJudgeÌÇÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ £ Òòòà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€%,;+'b|E` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌRONALD€WADE€ALLEN,à àà à}à àSUMNER€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€91CII„95€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Tom€E.€Gray,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌBOSCH/GENERAL€ELECTRICà à}à àNo.€01S01„9504„CH„00062Ìd/b/a€B.G.A.M.,€INC.,à àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à}à àAFFIRMED.€ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà 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 àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€OpinionÏof€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Ronald€Wade€Allen,€Principal,€and€his€Surety,Ïfor€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€August€19,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ›