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XQqX }   p @@ DirectAppealfromtheChanceryCourtfor_Roane_ԀCounty  p @@No.13,4000FrankV.Williams,III,Chancellor  \ @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No.E200001298_WC_ԄR3CVMailedJuly2,2001   _# }X XQq# XQqX }FILED:_ԀAUGUST6,_2001_   AV) ` dE<` A       Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppeals  PaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTennesseeCodeAnnotated506225(e)(3)for v hearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Thetrial b courtfoundtheplaintiffhadsustainedaninjurytoherleftshoulderinthecourseandscopeofher N employmentthatresultedin54percentpermanentpartialdisability.Weaffirmthejudgmentofthe : trialcourt. &v # }X XQq# XQqX }# }X XQqm# XQqX }   Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(1999)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheChanceryCourt & isAffirmed       JohnK.Byers,Sr.J.# } XQq# XQqX. },deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichE.RileyAnderson,C.J.,and  RogerE.Thayer,Sp.J.,joined.   Chad_Rickman_,Knoxville,Tennessee,fortheAppellant,MichaelDunnCenter. ^"! Roger_Ridenour_,Clinton,Tennessee,fortheAppellee,_Vadalene_ԀBrewer. 6$#    MEMORANDUMOPINION # }X XQq # XQqX } &^!%   # }X XQq # XQqX }  Reviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovoupontherecordofthetrial ("$( court,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefindings,unlessthepreponderance )%) oftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2).Stonev.Cityof_McMinnville_,896 *%* S.W.2d548,550(Tenn.1995).TheapplicationofthisstandardrequiresthisCourttoweighinmore +&+ depththefactualfindingsandconclusionsofthetrialcourtsinworkerscompensationcases.See ,', Corcoranv.FosterAuto_GMC_,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,456(Tenn.1988). n-(- @* @!PlaintiffsHistory     Theplaintiff,agefiftyatthetimeoftrial,leftschoolinsixthgradebutobtainedherGeneral t EducationDiploma(GED)in1992.Sheisthesinglemotherofthreechildren,twoofwhomare ` dependentminors.Herworkhistoryconsistsofunskilled,entrylevelpositions. L      Theplaintiffsufferedaninjurywithinthecourseandscopeofheremploymentwiththe $ t defendantonJanuary27,1998.Shewasworkingasavandriverforthedefendant,whoprovides  ` careandclassesforpeoplewhoarementallyand/orphysicallydisabled.Whileperformingher  L  dutiesofprovidingtransportationforthepeoplewhoattendedthecenter,  %  1      ׀theplaintiffwasinjured  8  whenamanbeingtransportedtothecenterunbuckledhisseatbelt,turned,grabbedtheplaintiffs $  armandbeganstrikingit.   Theplaintiffreceivedmedicaltreatment,bothauthorizedandunauthorized,withdifferingdiagnoses.   Shesubsequentlydevelopedcomplicationsthatresultedinadhesive_capsulitis_Ԁor frozenshoulder.   Thetrialcourtfoundtheplaintiff,asaresultofherconditionandinabilitytocarryoutherjobduties, p quitherpositionwiththedefendant.Thedefendantdidnotoffertheplaintiffanalternatejobthat \ shecouldperform. H @" MedicalEvidence   p   Onthedayfollowingtheaccident,theplaintiffsawDr.JohnWoods,aphysicianwho H specializesinoccupationalmedicine.Hediagnosedamildcontusionoftheleftdeltoidandreturned 4 theplaintifftoworkwithlimiteduseofherleftarm.Dr.Woodsreleasedtheplaintifftofullduty   withnorestrictionsandnopermanentimpairmenttendayslater.Hetestifiedthattheblunttrauma   injurysufferedwhileinthecourseandscopeoftheplaintiffsemploymentwouldnothave  developedintoafrozenshoulder.    Theplaintiff,unhappywithDr.Woodstreatment,soughttreatmentfromherfamily l physicianandeventuallyfromDr.GeorgeM.Stevens,anorthopedicsurgeon.Dr.Stevenssawthe X  plaintiffapproximatelysevenmonthsaftershesustainedthejobrelatedinjury.HeorderedanMRI D! andnerveconductionstudies,whichrevealed_tendonopathy_Ԁandarotatorcufftear.Heeventually 0"  diagnosedthefrozenshoulder.Hetestifiedtheplaintiffsconditionwasrelatedthetraumashe #l! receivedduringtheworkrelatedincidentandtestifiedshehadsustainedapermanentpartial $X" disabilityof9percenttothebodyasawhole. $D #   Dr.Craig_Colvin_,theplaintiffsvocationalexpert,testifiedtheplaintiffwaspermanentlyand &"% totallydisabled. '#&   (#' @))% Discussion   Causation    Inordertobeeligibleforworkerscompensationbenefits,anemployeemustsuffer an ` injurybyaccidentarisingoutofandinthecourseofemploymentwhichcauseseitherdisablement L  ordeath.Tenn.CodeAnn.506102(a)(5).Thephrase arisingoutofreferstocausation.The 8  causationrequirementissatisfiediftheinjuryhasarational,causalconnectiontothework._Reeser_ $ t v.YellowFreight_Sys_.,Inc.,938S.W.2d690,692(Tenn.1997)(citationsomitted);Finkv._Caudle_,  ` 856S.W.2d952(Tenn.1993).Inthepresentcase,themedicaltestimonyprovideasufficientbasis  L  forthetrialcourtsfindingsofcausation.Dr.Stevenstestifiedaffirmativelythattheplaintiffs  8  conditionwascausedbytheworkrelatedinjuryreceivedsevenmonthsearlier. }X XQq $  # XQqX }!#  Whenthemedicaltestimonyispresentedbydeposition,asitwasinthiscase,thisCourtis   abletomakeitsownindependentassessmentofthemedicalprooftodeterminewherethe   preponderanceoftheevidencelies.Cooperv._INA_,884S.W.2d446,451(Tenn.1994);Landersv.   FiremansFundIns.Co.,775S.W.2d355,356(Tenn.1989).Thetrialcourtsdecisiontogive p greaterweighttothetestimonyofDr.Stevenswasnotagainstthepreponderanceoftheevidence. \ ThemedicalproofshowsthatDr.Stevensperformedmoreextensivetestingontheplaintiffthandid H Dr.Woods,whodidnoneexceptforanxray. 4 ApplicationofTennesseeCodeAnnotated506241(a)(1)  \   TennesseeCodeAnnotated506241(a)(1)directsthecourttolimitaworkers 4 compensationawardattwoandonehalftimestheimpairmentratingifthepreinjuryemployer   returnstheinjuredemployeetoemploymentatawageequaltoorgreaterthanthewageearnedby   theemployeewasreceivingatthetimeofinjury.Thedefendantcontendstheplaintiffsaward  shouldhavebeenlimitedtotwoandonehalftimestheimpairmentratinggivenbyDr.Stevens(if  theawardisfoundtobejustifiedbythisCourt)becausetheplaintiffvoluntarilyterminatedher  employmentforreasonsotherthantheinjury. l   Thetrialcourtfound,andweagree,thattheplaintiffdidnotvoluntarilyresignfromher D! employment.Therefore,thetrialcourtcouldmakeanawardofsixtimesthemedicalimpairment 0"  rating.Theplaintifftestifiedshedidnotvoluntarilyresign;thedefendantsemployeecouldnot #l! remember.Theevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthetrialcourtsfindingwithrespecttothis $X" issue.Furthermore,thetrialcourtbaseditsfindingonlivetestimony.Wherethetrialcourthas $D # madeadeterminationbaseduponthetestimonyofwitnesseswhomithasseenandheard,great %0!$ deferencemustbegiventothatfindingindeterminingwhethertheevidencepreponderatesagainst &"% thetrialjudgesdetermination.SeeHumphreyv.David_Witherspoon_,Inc.,734S.W.2d315(Tenn. '#& 1987).Thetrialjudgesfindingoffactinthisregardisconclusiveifthereisanyevidencetosupport (#' it,andinthiscase,weholdtheevidencesupportsthefinding.Wallsv.MagnoliaTruckLines,Inc., )$( 622S.W.2d526(Tenn.1981). |*%)  h+&* ЇExtentofVocationalDisability    Theextentofvocationaldisabilityisaquestionoffacttobedeterminedfromallofthe  evidence,includinglayandexperttestimony.Tenn.CodeAnn.506241(c);_Worthington_Ԁv. t _Modine_ԀMfg.Co.,798S.W.2d232,234(Tenn.1990).XQqXX XQqԀ# XQqXXXQq/#Specifically,inmakingdeterminations,the ` courtshallconsiderallpertinentfactors,includinglayandexperttestimony,theemployeesage, L  education,skillsandtraining,localjobopportunities,andcapacitytoworkattypesofemployment 8  availableintheclaimantsdisabledcondition.Tenn.CodeAnn.506241(c);_Roberson_Ԁv._Loretto_ $ t CasketCo.,722S.W.2d380,384(Tenn.1986).Althoughthetrialcourtdidnotmakethespecific  ` findingslistedabove,therecordclearlyestablishesasufficientbasisforthetrialcourtsdecision.  L  Theplaintifftestifiedshedidnotknowofanyworkshecoulddoinhercurrentcondition;shehad  8  madeunsuccessfuleffortsobtainadditionalskills.Thevocationalexpert,Dr._Colvin_,testifiedthe $  plaintiffwaspermanentlyandtotallydisabled.Theplaintiff,fiftyyearsoldatthetimeoftrial,has   aGEDbutfewskillsorjobopportunitiesinhercurrentconditionaccordingtotheproof.     Thecostofthisappealistaxedtothedefendant.   XQqXX XQq# XQqXXXQqA5#̀   `     h     ___________________________________  \    `     h     JOHNK.BYERS,SENIORJUDGE  H _ }X XQq_@7 7 # XQqX }6# }X XQqINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @ ATKNOXVILLE,TENNESSEE# XQqX }7#Ԉ  _  }X XQq_  _VADALENE_ԀBREWERV.MICHAELDUNNCENTER   _Roane_ԀCountyChancery_Court# XQqX }7# _    8@% %  %39%  % Q9% ! %!o9% " %"9No.13,400AV) ` dE<p ` A߈   @ No.% # E2000001298_WC_ԄR3CVFiled:August6,2001%#$:Ԉ    AV) ` dE<o` A p   __@&_ JUDGMENT _Ԉ k  __ԀThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferral C  totheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'smemorandumOpinionsetting / forthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; k    ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthememorandumOpinionofthePanel W shouldbeacceptedandapproved;and C    ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactsandconclusionsoflaware / adoptedandaffirmedandthedecisionofthePanelismadetheJudgmentoftheCourt.     ` Costsonappealaretaxedtothedefendant,MichaelDunnCenter,EtAl,forwhich  executionmayissueifnecessary.  08/06/01 { _%  _