WPC& 9VAuu EGZ;6ӝ7&x)I -]z|ZOz RK KL*vITy493Kc`a7,.9B=e"Yi 6qbmHc;crb-<.Y79ojm2>&8:% % qisv$L?hAG#/ht $% oo35-hϡ6,PQ]U03` ntkaj^uu#k7>:fX⸺-ӔYo{+`Lnv,ֺ =37L DJAb_r&'/_@m<+vcM{dL뾝PЈN<9<#+?V !3.Ӯp`[#kqtGg_J؜vufQUhC; CSC|b %\U @b 0U-N*^ xw4 z   m #   ] ##N E      b 0#### B  0+ D3 D- 0K// ASz 0 0D7 A{(9 Z(Times New Roman (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regular-s {r, k C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt3|xUHP LaserJet 40500Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5H45678- -(|G2M$ !.8 dd8         0  X[X d(|3{$ !.8 dd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3{$ !.8 dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8 dd8     _ 8[XXdd8   @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL & @@ATKNOXVILLE# # L May23,2002Session "r X[X  # XX[#JANET_BACA_v.LIBERTYMUTUALINSURANCECOMPANYAND_IH_  p SERVICES,INC.X[X   4  @@ DirectAppealfromtheChanceryCourtforBradleyCounty 4  @@No.01213_Jerri_ԀBryant,Chancellor  p  FiledAugust19,2002 H  @@*AV) ` dE<` A 4  No.E200200273WCR3CV  # XX[#X[X AV) ` dE<` A       X[XXX[This# XX[#X[X ԀworkerscompensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkersCompensation  AppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.# XX[#X[X Ԁ506225(e)(3)for v hearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.#X[XXX[}## XX[#X[X ԀTheplaintiff b appealsthetrialjudgesdecisionthat# XX[#X[X Ԁtheplaintiff'smedicalproofwasinsufficienttoestablish N causation.Weaffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourt. : q   Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(1999)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheChanceryCourt b isAffirmed  N     Byers,Sr.J.# X[0#X[X. ,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichAnderson,J.,andThayer,Sp.J.,joined. & JimmyW._Bilbo_,ofCleveland,Tennessee,forAppellant,Janet_Baca_.   DavidC.Nagle,ofChattanooga,Tennessee,forAppellees,LibertyMutualInsuranceCompanyand "! _IH_ԀServices,Inc. r#"    MEMORANDUMOPINION # XX[ #X[X  J% $   # XX[- #X[X X[XXX[  Reviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovoupontherecordofthetrial "'r"& court,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefinding,unlessthepreponderanceof (^#' theevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.# XX[ #X[X #X[XXX[ #X[XXX[506225(e)(2).Stonev.CityofMcMinnville,896 (J$( S.W.2d548,550(Tenn.1995).TheapplicationofthisstandardrequiresthisCourttoweighinmore )6%) depththefactualfindingsandconclusionsofthetrialcourtsinworkerscompensationcases.See *"&* Corcoranv.FosterAutoGMC,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,456(Tenn.1988).#X[XXX[a## XX[#X[X  +'+  -(-    Facts     Theplaintiffwas# XX[]#X[X Ԁthirtysixyearsofageatthetimeoftrial.Shehasaneleventhgrade  educationwithlimitedvocationaltrainingandisthemotherofsixdependentchildren.Shetestified t attrialthatshehashadvariousjobsinherworkinglifethathaveinvolvedliftingandmanuallabor. ` Shebeganworkingforthedefendantcompany_IH_ԀServices,Inc.,onJune16,2000. L    TheplaintifftestifiedthatonJune20,2000,fourdaysaftershebeganworkingforthe $ t defendantcompany,afireignitednearherandacoworker.Sheandthecoworkerrantoescape  ` injuryfromthefireandasshewasfleeing,theplaintiffsteppedinwhatshedescribedasa"pothole"  L  intheground,causingherto"twistandjar"herback.Shetestifiedthatafterthisaccidentshe  8  becameverysoreandwasin"intensepain,"withherleg,hip,andbackhurting. $    Theplaintiffreportedtheaccidentandinjuryandwassentbyhersupervisortoachiropractor.   ShesawthechiropractorforaperiodoffourtosixweeksandwasthenreferredtoDr.Gary_Voytik_   atTriStateOrthopedics.Dr._Voytik_Ԁsawtheplaintifftwiceandthenreleasedhertoreturntowork   withnorestrictions.Theplaintifftestifiedthatuponherreturntowork,hersupervisortoldherto p  takeiteasyandnotdoanyliftingforafewweeks.Shelaterattemptedtoresumehernormal \ duties(whichincludedlifting,)butshetestifiedthatshewasneverabletodothesameamountof H workagainbecauseofherpain. 4   TheplaintiffcontinuedtoworkforthedefendantcompanyuntilOctoberof2000,whenshe  \ voluntarilyresignedoveradisagreementwithhersupervisorthatshetestifiedwasabouttheamount H ofworkshewasdoingandthepainshewasexperiencing. 4   InMarchof2001,theplaintiffwenttothehospitalfortreatmentofincreasedbackpain.   Testimonyshowedthatshereportedshehadbeenhelpingherfathermoveboxes.Shewastreated  byDr._Darin_Ԁ_Wilbourn_ԀofTriStateOrthopedics.Theplaintiffhasnotworkedsincesheleftthe  defendantcompanyinOctoberof2000.     _Medical_ԀEvidence  X    Themedicalevidenceforthepurposeoftheissuesraisedinthistrialwasprovidedbythe 0"  depositiontestimonyofDr._Darin_Ԁ_Wilbourn_,M.D.Dr._Wilbourn_,aphysicianwithTriState #l! Orthopedics,wastheplaintiffstreatingphysicianinMarchof2001andisthepartnerofherother $X" treatingphysician,Dr._Voytik_. $D #   Dr._Wilbourn_ԀtestifiedthatDr._Voytik_sinitialdiagnosiswassignificantdegenerativedisc &"% diseaseofthethoracicspine,upperlumbarstrain,andobesity.Dr._Wilbourn_Ԁtestifiedthatthe '#& plaintiffhadbilaterallumbarfacetdisease,arthritisinfacetjoints,andminimaldegenerativedisc (#' change.Heratedtheplaintiffspermanentdisabilityateightpercenttothebodyasawhole. )$(   Dr._Wilbourn_Ԁtestifiedthattheworkaccidentoftheplaintiff possiblyand couldhave h+&* causedananatomicalchangeinherback,buthedidnotknowifthedegenerativediscdiseasewas  advancedbytheaccident.Healsotestifiedthatadvancementofherconditioncouldhavebeen  causedbyaging,obesity,aswellasherhelpingherfathermoveinMarchof2001.Hetestifiedthat  hecouldnotstatethelikelycauseoftheplaintiffsbackpaintoareasonabledegreeofmedical t certainty,norcouldhestatethattherewasanyanatomicalchangecausedbytheJune,2000,accident. `    Discussion  8  #  Althoughwearerequiredtoweightheevidenceinacaseindepthtodeterminewherethe  ` preponderanceoftheevidencelies,wearerequiredtomakesuchevaluationwithintheconfinesof  L  establishedrulesinevaluatingtheproprietyofthetrialcourt.  8    X[XXX[Inordertobeeligibleforworkerscompensationbenefits,anemployeemustsuffer an   injurybyaccidentarisingoutofandinthecourseofemploymentwhichcauseseitherdisablement   ordeath.Tenn.CodeAnn.506102(a)(5).Thephrase arisingoutofreferstocausation.The   causationrequirementissatisfiediftheinjuryhasarational,causalconnectiontothework.Reeser   v.YellowFreightSys.,Inc.,938S.W.2d690,692(Tenn.1997)(citationsomitted);Finkv.Caudle, p 856S.W.2d952(Tenn.1993).#X[XXX[Y%# \   X[XXX[Althoughcausationcannotbebaseduponmerelyspeculativeorconjecturalproof,absolute 4 certaintyisnotrequired.Anyreasonabledoubtinthisregardistobeconstruedinfavorofthe  p employee.Wehavethusconsistentlyheldthatanawardmayproperlybebaseduponmedical  \ testimonytotheeffectthatagivenincident couldbethecauseoftheemployeesinjury,when H thereisalsolaytestimonyfromwhichitreasonablymaybeinferredthattheincidentwasinfactthe 4 causeoftheinjury.Reeserv.YellowFreightSys.,Inc.,938S.W.2d690,692(Tenn.1997)(citations   omitted).#X[XXX[F(#ԀWhereequivocalmedicalevidencecombinedwithotherevidencesupportsafindingof   causation,suchaninferencemaybedrawnunderthecaselaw.Whitev._Werthan_ԀIndustries,824  S.W.2d158(Tenn.1992);Smithv.EmpirePencilCo.,781S.W.2d833(Tenn.1989);Jacksonv.  GreyhoundLines,Inc.,734S.W.2d617(Tenn.1987);_Tindall_Ԁv._Waring_ԀParkAssoc.,725S.W.2d  935(Tenn.1987). l   X[XXX[Inallbutthemostobviouscases,suchasthelossofamember,experttestimonyisrequired D! toestablishcausation.Thomasv.AetnaLife&CasualtyCo.,812S.W.2d278(Tenn.1991).#X[XXX[-#ԀX[XXX[When 0"  themedicaltestimonyispresentedbydeposition,asitwasinthiscase,thisCourtisabletomake #l! itsownindependentassessmentofthemedicalprooftodeterminewherethepreponderanceofthe $X" evidencelies.Cooperv.INA,884S.W.2d446,451(Tenn.1994);Landersv.FiremansFundIns. $D # Co.,775S.W.2d355,356(Tenn.1989).#X[XXX[.# %0!$   Inthiscase,thetrialjudgeheardthetestimonyoftheplaintiffandreviewedthedeposition '#& testimonyofonetreatingphysician.Theplaintifftestifiedthatherbackproblemsbeganwiththe (#' workaccidentofJune20,2000,butshealsoadmittedthatshewasreturnedtoworkwithno )$( restrictionsanddidnothaveanyproblemsagainuntilshehelpedherfatherliftandmoveboxes.Dr. |*%) _Wilbourn_Ԁtestifiedthathecouldnotstatewithareasonabledegreeofmedicalcertaintywhathad h+&* causedtheplaintiffsbacktohurt.    Thetrialcourtcouldhaveacceptedthemedicaltestimonythattheworkincident could  havecausedtheinjuryiftherewascrediblelaytestimonyfromwhichitmaybeinferredthatthe t incidentinfactcausedtheinjury.Herewehavenosuchcorroborativelaytestimony.Thatthe ` plaintiffwasreleasedtoreturntoworkwithnorestrictionsandthatshedidnothaveanyfurther L  problemsuntilshehelpedherfathermoveboxes,onlycasttheissueofcausationfurtherintodoubt. 8    Thetreatingphysiciansinthiscasewereunabletofindanyanatomicalchange,andthetrial  ` courtdidnotfindcausation.Intheabsenceofanymoreevidencethanwhatisintherecord,wewill  L  notdisturbthetrialcourtsfindingthattheplaintiffhasfailedtomeetherburdenofproof.We  8  thereforeaffirmthedecisionofthetrialcourt.Thecostofthisappealistaxedtotheappellant. $     `     h     ___________________________________      `     h     JOHNK.BYERS,SENIORJUDGE p   \  XX[@7 7 #X[X 9# XX[INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @ ATKNOXVILLE,TENNESSEE#X[X h9#Ԉ    XX[  JANET_BACA_ԀV.LIBERTYMUTUALINSURANCECOMPANYAND_IH_   SERVICES,INC.#X[X ':# XX[   BradleyCountyChanceryCourt#X[X ;#    F:@%%% %  %;%  % ;% ! %!;% " %"<No.01213  $ @RR FiledAugust19,2002   AV) ` dE<` A   @No.% # E200100273_WC_ԄR3CV%#=Ԉ   AV) ` dE<V` A W  @& JUDGMENT  R 󀀀ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferral *z totheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'smemorandumOpinionsetting f forthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; R    ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthememorandumOpinionofthePanel * shouldbeacceptedandapproved;and     ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactsandconclusionsoflaware  adoptedandaffirmedandthedecisionofthePanelismadetheJudgmentoftheCourt.     ` ThecostsonappealaretaxedtotheAppellant,Janet_Baca_Ԁanditssurety,forwhich b executionmayissueifnecessary. N  ̀%     `