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DCh AM« U*ø " f* + v~»vÓ9<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ€   Vî‘uŸ#(dddÈ ˜ô 2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier New(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d****7Border 1dd!#+Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial þÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€-ÔÔ€-ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€-XÔÌÌDecember€31,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ !Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€-ÔÔ€-ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€-XÔÌÌDecember€31,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(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 ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€,.+A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌPATRICIA€A.€ANDERSON,€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€€)€€No.€01S01„9703„CH„00070€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€TROUSDALE€COUNTY€CHANCERY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€ÌHARTSVILLE€CONVALESCENT€CENTER€€€)€€HON.€C.K.€SMITH,€CHANCELLORÌand€LIBERTY€MUTUAL€INSURANCE€€€€€)ÌCOMPANY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Defendants/Appellants€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTSóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEEóó:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌJERRY€R.€HUMPHREYS€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€GARY€R.€GOBLER€€€€€€€€ÌDAVIES,€CANTRELL€&€HUMPREYS€€€€€€€€€HARRY€L.€WEDDLE,€IIIÌP.€O.€Box€190609€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.€O.€Box€121497€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏNashville,€TN€37219„0609€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TN€37212€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANELÌÌà@ àLYLE€REID,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌà@ à€JOSEPH€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€€€€àH0 0 0 àà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌMODIFIED€AND€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.ÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€?XXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€in€a€workers'€compensation€case€has€beenÏreferred€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€ofÏthe€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏSection€50„6„225€(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€SupremeÏCourt€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà@ àÌà àThe€injured€employee,€Patricia€A.€Anderson,€was€employed€asÏa€nurse€technicianà àat€the€Hartsville€Convalescent€Center.€€OnÏJanuary€2,€1995,€in€the€course€and€scope€of€her€employment,€sheÏruptured€a€cervical€disc€when€moving€a€patient.€€SubsequentÏsurgery€left€her€with€an€anatomical€impairment€of€9%€to€the€bodyÏas€a€whole.€€The€trial€judge€decreed€that€she€sustained€a€90%Ïindustrial€or€vocational€disability€and€entered€judgmentÏaccordingly.€€The€employer€and€insurance€carrier€appeal,Ïquestioning€the€amount€of€the€award.ÓÓÌÌÓÓÌà àIt€is€first€contended€that€the€judgment€should€have€beenÏlimited€to€two€and€one„half€times€the€9%€anatomical€impairment,Ïbased€upon€the€limitations€set€out€in€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏSection€50„6„241€(a)(1).€€This€limitation€does€not€apply€unlessÏthere€has€been€a€meaningful€return€to€work,€as€defined€in€thatÏstatute€and€the€cases€decided€thereunder.€In€this€case€theÏemployee€returned€to€her€former€job€for€two€days,€could€notÏcontinue€because€of€pain€from€her€injury,€returned€again€a€monthÏlater,€but€after€an€additional€two€months€of€working€in€pain€sheÏgave€up€the€job.€€The€trial€judge€found€that€this€was€not€aÏmeaningful€return€to€work€and€declined€to€apply€the€two€and€aÏhalf€times€multiplier;€as€she€was€forced€to€resign€due€to€herÏpain.€€Our€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€review€confirms€that€the€evidence€does€notÏpreponderate€against€this€finding,€and€it€is€therefore€affirmed.€ÏTennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(2).€€òòSeeóó,Ïòògenerallyóó,€òòBrown€v.€Campbell€County€Board€of€Educationóó,€915€S.W.Ï2d€407€(Tenn.€1995).€ÌÌÌà àThe€next€issue€is€whether€or€not€the€cap€set€out€inÏTennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„241€(b)€of€six€times€theÏanatomical€impairment€rating€is€applicable,€or€is€that€capÏinapplicable€because€three€of€the€four€criteria€for€non„application€of€the€six€times€cap€set€out€in€Tennessee€CodeÏAnnotated€Section€50„6„242€are€found€to€be€present.€€The€trialÏcourt€correctly€found€that€the€employee€did€not€have€a€highÍschool€education€and€could€not€read€or€write€on€a€grade€eightÏlevel.€€The€question€became€whether€the€employee€has€noÏreasonably€transferrable€job€skills€and/or€no€reasonableÏemployment€opportunities€available€locally,€as€the€trial€judgeÏheld.ÌÌà àThe€plaintiff€at€the€time€of€trial€was€38€years€of€age.€€HerÏvocational€expert€testified€that€there€were€94€jobs€in€the€areaÏthat€she€is€physically€able€to€do.€€Her€surgeon,€Dr.€Weiss,Ïtestified€that€she€could€work€within€her€restrictions€of€notÏlifting€in€excess€of€25€or€30€pounds,€no€overhead€lifting€aboveÏshoulder€level,€and€no€hyperextension€and€hyperflexion€of€theÏneck.€€It€is€apparent€from€the€record€that€she€could€workÏeffectively€at€such€a€job€as€an€attendant€at€a€day€care€center.€ÏThe€evidence€preponderates€against€the€finding€of€no€reasonablyÏtransferrable€job€skills€and€that€there€existed€no€reasonableÏemployment€opportunities€locally.Ì€Ìà àWe€apply€the€six€times€cap€and€modify€the€judgment€to€awardÏcompensation€based€upon€54%€permanent€disability€to€the€body€as€aÏwhole.€€The€case€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€furtherÏproceedings€consistent€with€this€opinion.€€Costs€on€appeal€areÏassessed€to€the€appellants.Ì̀̀€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÍWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóLYLE€REID,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJOSEPH€C.€LOSER,€JR.,€SPECIAL€JUDGE€€Ì€ÌÑ€/ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€%¼Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€,0;+'b|Z&` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌPATRICIA€A.€ANDERSON,à àà à}à àTROUSDALE€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€6196€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€C.€K.€Smith,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌHARTSVILLE€CONVALESCENTà à}ÌCENTER€and€LIBERTY€MUTUALà à}ÌINSURANCE€COMPANY,à àà à}à àNo.€01S01„9703„CH„00070Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendants/Appellantsà àà à}à àMODIFIED€ANDÏREMANDED.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€theÍjudgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Defendants/Appellants,ÏHartsville€Convalescent€Center€and€Liberty€MutualÏInsurance€Company,€and€Surety,€for€which€execution€mayÏissue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€December€31,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€%Ôœ