ÿWPC CaàÔ4æv½Xoø(p‚1­Rªþ}depĽ¶z}-¹;Z¨8! Fúùe';M1{;}%Áï0“>"Ëž­ 'p©.ß6\Nf>GeAÂ89¶¼-Í U= í€ôZO ­}¿é|œá:ÿ½€¸úgÙÿ+Îè@O¤66Í`méb´€¡5R Åaýä&üÛ> ÍAû ‘Ó–hZ,ýÆq>²[îÚ¶}lì»áå Ù-uq±X÷vÇÛçš:¯­¾ëõGÚi€ºôvŽ•¢ö55šsݬ<[zJ’Ìi‰¾ô©Ô,lš<¤ˆ…ÊðÿDãßëM“ûg&uá=—§"ê•U"ùóÒ]VHsO €ÙP]›LÞ'Ì®ŸÄiH¦´–àÂ=èé<…ñ´DÁ×írtÊŸ–”P,?¬w'0´þ&ÛÖÉ 7êKNpZal&S³/‚ܼ+ë‹°14z–è0!)(9 OZ÷åÄJ=o+Êøið¡¥µ\΢I=ð˜.è—€Á½Šï©xƒƒùDáFiHf ¼¼náÔÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÐ œ)ì$" ÐÔ#†¼ná¼  >fÕ #ÔÌMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóJustice€œAdolpho›€A.€Birch,€Jr.Ð .n)& ÐSenior€Judge€William€H.€InmanÌSpecial€Judge€Roger€E.€ThayerÌÓô ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌœñzñÌñzñ›ÌAFFIRMEDà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àINMAN,€Senior€JudgeÐ &;v62( ЇÓÓà ` àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordanceÏwith€œT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)›€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€ofÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà ` àThe€plaintiff€alleged€that€he€became€totally€disabled€on€account€ofÏanxiety€and€depression€caused€by€several€specific,€acute€and€sudden€stressfulÏjob„related€incidents,€all€of€which€were€denied€by€the€defendant.Ìà ` àThe€trial€judge€found€that€the€plaintiffððs€mental€problems€were€the€resultÏof€a€ð ðgradual€build„up€of€stress€caused€by€the€plaintiffððs€overreaction€to€hisÏwork,ðð€and€hence€not€compensable.Ìà ` àThe€plaintiff€appeals€the€dismissal€of€his€complaint.Ìà ` àÔ‡ ¼ná¼¼¼náÔReview€of€the€findings€of€fact€made€by€the€trial€court€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€theÐ ”ä Ðrecord€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€theÏfinding,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€œT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„¼225(e)(2);›€òòStone€v.€City€of€œMcMinnville›,€óó896€S.W.2d€548,€550€(Tenn.€1995).Ð #h ÐÔ#†¼ná¼¼ ¼ná¯#ÔÔ‡ ¼ná¼¼¼náÔThe€application€of€this€standard€requires€this€Court€to€weigh€in€more€depth€theÐ D%”  Ðfactual€findings€and€conclusions€of€the€trial€courts€in€workersðð€compensationÏcases.€€òòSee€œCorcoran›€v.€Foster€Auto€œGMC›,€Inc.,€óó746€S.W.2d€452,€456€(Tenn.Ð œ)ì$" Ð1988).Ìò òà@žž.ÌàIˆÐ ô-D)& Ðó óà ` àThe€plaintiff€is€58€years€old.€€In€June€1976€he€was€employed€by€theÐ  0p+( Ðdefendantððs€predecessor€as€a€fire€truck€driver.€€Promotions€came€his€way€and€inÏ1984€he€was€named€maintenance€officer€of€all€the€fire€and€guard€facilities€at€theÏâ âY„12€plant€in€Oak€Ridge.Ô#†¼ná¼¼ ¼nác#ÔÔ‡¼1¼¼¼náÔÔ‡XXäX¼¼1ÔÐ ¤6ô1. Ðà ` àÔ#†XÆ‹XXXXä##ÔÔ€XÆ‹XXXÆ‹ÔÔ#†¼ná¼XXÆ‹B#ÔBefore€going€with€Union€Carbide€the€plaintiff€quit€his€job€as€Fire€ChiefÏâ âof€the€Kingston€Fire€Department€because€he€believed€that€he€was€being€asked€toÏdo€things€that€were€illegal€or€improper.Ìà ` àDuring€his€ten„year€stint€as€maintenance€officer,€the€plaintiff€apparentlyÏperformed€his€job€satisfactorily.€€He€testified€that€two€events,€one€in€1993€andÏanother€in€1994,€precipitated€his€breakdown.Ìà ` àEight€weeks€before€he€left€œemployment,›€the€plaintiff€protested€to€MikeÏBradshaw,€a€superior,€that€he€was€being€required€to€work€ð ðoutside€his€chain€ofÏcommand.ðð€€Bradshaw€forcefully€told€him€ð ðread€my€lips,€you€donððt€work€for€noÏone€but€me.ðð€€This€conversation€upset€the€plaintiff€because€he€believed€that€heÏwas€being€taken€advantage€of.€€Before€this€incident€œoccurred,›€the€plaintiffÏengaged€in€an€argument€with€another€employee€„€outside€the€ð ðchain€ofÏcommandðð€„€when€he€refused€to€cover€a€window€with€œplastic,›€which€experienceÏhad€shown€could€not€safely€be€done.Ìà ` àThe€plaintiff€had€difficulty€sleeping,€and€consulted€his€family€physician,Ïwho€prescribed€medication.€€He€took€two€weeks€vacation€and€returned€to€workÏuntil€May€19,€1994,€when€he€quit€because€of€his€inability€to€concentrate,€hisÏreveries€of€Bradshaw€and€others€shouting€at€him,€inability€to€drive€hisÏautomobile,€and€general€weakness.Ìà ` àHis€prior€health€history€enters€into€the€compensation€equation.€€He€hadÏsuffered€from€tension€migraine€headaches€for€five€years,€and€his€blood€pressureÏwas€elevated,€which€occasionally€required€time€off€from€work.€€He€had€heartÏproblems€which€on€occasion€required€treatment.€€Symptoms€of€depressionÏâ âdeveloped€in€1992.€€Ð ¤6ô1. Ðà ` àA€chief€complaint€involved€the€plaintiffððs€belief€that€he€was€asked€to€doÏâ âtoo€many€jobs€by€too€many€people,€which€was€on„going€throughout€his€ten„yearÏwork€history.€€He€was€not€ordered€to€do€the€various€tasks€„€mostly€of€aÏrelatively€insignificant€nature€„€but€was€merely€asked,€as€œwere€other›€employees.Ìò òà@pp-ÌàIIˆÐ ` ° Ðó óà ` àDr.€Martin€Gebrow,€a€psychiatrist,€testified€that€he€initially€saw€theÐ ŒÜ  Ðplaintiff€in€May€1994,€and€diagnosed€his€condition€as€an€ð ðadjustment€disorderÏwith€mixed€features€of€depression€and€anxiety.ðð€€Dr.€Gebrow€testified€that€ð ðtheÏstressors€that€he€[the€plaintiff]€described€and€which€I€elicited€from€œhim›€areÏresponsible€for€his€diagnosis,ðð€and€that€one€of€these€stressors€was€the€ð ðread€myÏlipsðð€incident.€€He€attributed€the€plaintiffððs€depression€to€the€demands€of€his€job,Ïand€from€the€òòAMA€Guidelinesóó€opined€that€the€plaintiff€was€moderatelyÐ ”ä Ðimpaired,€and€thus€unable€to€perform€any€kind€of€work.Ìà ` àœCross„examination€revealed€that›€Dr.€Gebrow€was€not€œaware›€that€theÏplaintiffððs€family€physician€had€diagnosed€his€depression€two€years€before€heÏwas€seen€by€Dr.€Gebrow,€and€that€his€depression€and€œanxiety€were›€caused€byÏmany€differing€factors,€including€a€family€death,€health€problems,€divorce,€etc.ÏDr.€Gebrow€œalso€was›€not€aware€of€the€plaintiffððs€coronary€problems,€which€heÏconceded€could€cause€the€depression€and€anxiety.€€He€likewise€was€unaware€ofÏthe€various€instances€whereby€the€plaintiff€had€off„job€problems€with€storeÏmanagers€and€similar€episodes€involving€angry€confrontations.Ìò òà@BB-ÌàIIIˆÐ L2œ-* Ðó óà ` àCausation€of€permanent€injury€must€be€proved€by€expert€medicalÐ x4È/, Ðtestimony€in€all€but€the€most€obvious€œcases.›€œ€òòThomas›€v.€œAetna›€Life€&€œCas›.€œIns›.Ð ¤6ô1. ÐCo.,€óó812€S.W.2d€278€(Tenn.€1991.)€Ð Ð8 40 Ðà ` àIn€the€case€at€hand,€the€treating€psychiatrist,€Dr.€Gebrow,€œas€we€haveÏstated,€recognized›€that€a€number€of€factors€could€be€involved€in€contributing€toÏthe€plaintiffððs€condition.€€He€testified€that€the€plaintiff€never€related€to€him€anyÏevent€involving€fright€or€shock,€or€any€event€that€qualified€as€sudden€orÏunexpected€stress€as€opposed€to€ongoing€stress,€and€recognized€that€œongoing,›Ïcontinuous€stress€in€the€workplace€can€cause€persons€to€develop€depression€andÏanxiety,€which€likely€happened€to€the€plaintiff.€€He€stated€that€the€cause€of€theÏplaintiffððs€anxiety€disorder€with€depression,€and€anxiety€adjustment€disorder,Ïwas€his€feeling€that€he€was€overwhelmed€at€work,€and€that€when€he€asked€forÏhelp,€he€received€none.€€Dr.€Gebrow€attributed€little€significance€to€theÏinformation€concerning€the€dealings€with€Mr.€Ruth€in€his€diagnosis€orÏtreatment,€nor€was€the€event€with€Mr.€Bradshaw€an€element€in€diagnosis€orÏtreatment;€rather,€he€considered€these€as€contributing€factors,€at€most.€ÏLikewise,€he€recognized€that€the€plaintiffððs€condition€may€have€been€caused€byÏno€such€contributing€factors,€or€other€factors€may€have€contributed€to€hisÏcondition,€òòi.e.,óó€the€plaintiffððs€coronary€situation,€the€death€of€his€father€andÐ D%”  Ðsubsequent€reaction€thereto,€the€surgery€performed€on€the€plaintiffððs€mother,Ïand€the€suffering€of€a€stroke€by€the€plaintiffððs€friend.€€Moreover,€Dr.€GebrowÏconceded€that€the€ordinary€stresses€of€the€plaintiffððs€job€would€include€the€sameÏthings€that€he€feels€caused€Mr.€œBrummitt›ððs€mental€œcondition€„›€the€amount€ofÏwork€to€be€done,€the€time€to€do€the€work,€and€the€help€to€do€that€work.Ìà ` àThe€leading€case€on€determining€what€may€constitute€an€accidentÏsufficient€to€justify€an€award€in€a€mental€or€nervous€disorder€claim€is€òòJose€v.Ð x4È/, ÐEquifax,€Inc.,€œóó556›€S.W.2d€82€(Tenn.€1977).€€The€Supreme€Court€expressed€œits›Ð ¤6ô1. Ðdisinclination€to€limit€recovery€to€cases€involving€traumatic€injury€followed€byÐ Ð8 40 Ðmental€distress,€holding€œthat›€a€ð ðsudden€mental€stimulus,€such€as€fright,€shock,Ïor€œexcessive›€unexpected€anxiety,ðð€could€amount€to€an€accident€sufficient€toÏjustify€an€award€for€resulting€mental€or€nervous€disorder,€but€that€such€recoveryÏwould€not€embrace€every€stress€or€strain€of€daily€living,€or€every€undesirableÏexperience€encountered€in€carrying€out€the€duties€of€a€contract€of€employment.€ÏThe€Court,€significantly,€noted€that€workersðð€compensation€coverage€is€not€asÏbroad€as€general,€comprehensive€health€and€accident€insurance.Ìà ` àœThe›€Supreme€Court€œin›€òòœGatlin›€v.€City€of€Knoxville,€óó822€S.W.2d€587(Tenn.Ð ä4 Ð1991),€determined€that€the€stresses€of€a€police€officerððs€occupation,€confrontingÏarmed€felons,€operating€undercover,€and€other€dangerous€activities,€were€notÏsufficient€to€provide€workersðð€compensation€benefits€for€stress€resulting€fromÏthat€occupation:ÌÓÓÓ  Óà8 ` àð ð€.€.€.€for€a€mental€injury€by€accident€or€occupational€disease€to€ariseÏout€of€employment,€it€must€be€caused€by€an€identifiable,€stressful,Ïwork„related€event€producing€a€sudden€mental€stimulus,€such€asÏfright,€shock,€or€excessive€unexpected€anxiety,€and€therefore€may€notÏbe€gradual€employment€stress€building€up€over€a€period€of€time.€€InÏaddition,€the€stress€produced€may€not€be€usual€stress,€but€must€beÏextraordinary€and€unusual€in€comparison€to€the€stress€ordinarilyÏexperienced€by€an€employee€in€the€same€type€of€duty.ððÐ ` 8"` 8" ÐÓ4.Ӝ̛ÓÓ€€€€€€à ` àAfter€œòòJose,›€supra,óó€the€Court€reviewed€a€number€of€cases€involving€mentalÐ †(Ö#! Ðdisease€or€disability€resulting€from€occupational€events.€€In€òòMays€v.€U.€S.€F.€&Ð ²*&# ÐG.€Co.,€œóó672€S.W.2d€773€(Tenn.€1984),€the€Court€held€that€the€loss€of€keyÐ Þ,.(% Ðpersonnel€and€pressure€placed€on€the€plaintiff€by€his€bonding€company€causedÏthe€claimant€to€experience€stress€and€anxiety,€but€that€those€experiences€fallÏwithin€the€category€of€the€usual€stress€and€strain€encountered€in€the€operation€ofÏa€contracting€business.€€This€situation€was€held€not€to€qualify€as€the€kind€ofÏcompensable€mental›€stimulus,€fright,€or€shock€contemplated€in€òòJose,€supra,óó€andÐ º7 3/ ÐòòœClevenger›€v.€œPlexco›,€óó614€S.W.2d€356,€359,€360€(Tenn.€œ1981).€Ð æ9651 Ї›à ` àThe€plaintiff€argues€that€the€qualifying€events€for€recovery€were€notÏhaving€enough€time€to€do€normal€work,€not€receiving€enough€help€to€do€thatÏwork,€an€issue€concerning€layoffs,€an€argument€with€Mr.€Ruth,€and€an€argumentÏwith€Mr.€Bradshaw.€€The€defendant€correctly€points€out€that€the€discussionsÏconcerning€layoffs€were€apparently€derived€from€Dr.€Gebrowððs€surmise,€sinceÏthe€plaintiff€and€all€other€witnesses€agreed€that€no€layoffs€had€been€planned€orÏoccurred€which€affected,€in€any€way,€the€group€in€which€the€plaintiff€worked,Ïand€that€any€issues€concerning€pendency€of€layoffs€had€been€present€for€theÏeighteen€years€that€the€plaintiff€worked€for€the€defendant.€It€is€also€clear€œfromÏ›the€proof€that€not€having€enough€time€to€do€his€work€and€not€receiving€enoughÏhelp€had€been€ongoing€issues€for€the€ten€years€he€served€as€maintenance€officer;Ïmoreover,€the€plaintiffððs€supervisor€testified€that€this€type€of€complaint€was€aÏcommon€one.€€Ìà ` àThe€thrust€of€the€plaintiffððs€argument€is€directed€to€the€episodes€involvingÏRuth€and€Bradshaw,€alleged€to€have€been€stressful€events€which€caused€anxiety,Ïand€which€were€extraordinary.€€The€plaintiff€was€unsure€when€this€discussionÏwith€Ruth€occurred,€or€what€was€said,€but€was€sure€that€he€became€angry.€€TheÏevidence€is€in€dispute€as€to€whether€or€not€Mr.€Ruth€became€angry€at€that€time,Ïbut€it€is€clear€from€the€record€that€Ruthððs€conduct€was€standard€and€ordinary.€ÏThe€significance€of€this€event€may€be€marked€by€the€fact€that€it€was€neverÏmentioned€to€the€treating€psychiatrist€in€2„1/2€years€of€treatment,€and€that€itÏmade€no€difference€œin›€the€diagnosis€or€treatment€of€the€plaintiff€by€his€treatingÏphysician.Ìà ` àWith€respect€to€the€episode€with€Mr.€Bradshaw,€the€plaintiff€was€not€sureÏwhen€it€occurred,€but€conceded€that€he€initiated€the€meeting€when€he€was€angry.€Ð Ð8 40 ÐStrangely€enough,€this€episode€was€not€discussed€with€Dr.€Gebrow€until€afterÏdepositions€had€begun,€about€two€years€later,€and€was€not€alleged€in€theÏcomplaint€as€grounds€for€relief.Ìà ` àThe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€judgment,€which€isÏaffirmed€at€the€cost€of€the€appellant.ÌÔ‡¼ná¼¼¼náÔà ` àÌÓÓà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à________________________________Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌœAdolpho›€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌRoger€E.€œThayer,›€Special€œJudgeÐ  Ö& ÐÑ, °ÑÒ€ÒÒÀHÒÔ#†¼ná¼¼¼nás<#ÔÔ‡¼½ ¼¼¼náÔà@ ÌàIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ,  ÐñŠññŠññ‹ñà Ø àñ‹ññŠññŠññ‹ñà 0 àñ‹ññŠññŠññ‹ñà ˆ àñ‹ññŠññŠññŒñà à àñŒññŠñAT€KNOXVILLEñŠññ‡ññ{ñßr€*<,(j 8` `€€@E»W ` ttx$óV ð Õrßñ{ññ‡ññˆñà@44(ÌàAñˆññŠñT€KNñ‰ñAñ‰ññŠññ‰ñOñ‰ññŠñXVILLEñŠñÌññÌññÌÌHENRY€MITCHELL€BRUMMIT)à è àANDERSON€CIRCUITÐ Ô¨ Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àNo.€95LA0120€T.D..€BelowÐ þÒ Ðà Ø àPlaintiff/Appellant,à 8 àà  à)Ð (ü Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àHon.€James€B.€Scott,Ð R& Ðv.à Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 à€€€€€€€à  à)à è àJudgeÐ |P  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)Ìñ‡ñßt€*>.*jxw` `€€@E/é` ttx$g!ð œ tßñ‡ñà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)€à è àNo.€€03S01„9707„CV„089РФ  ÐLOCKHEED€MARTIN€ENERG€à  à)Ð úÎ  ÐSYSTEMS,€INC.,à à àà 8 àà  à)à è àÐ $ø  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)Ìà Ø àAppellees.à ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  à)à è àAffirmed.Ð xL ÐÌÌà@11'ÌàòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóˆÐ öÊ ÐÌÌÔ#†¼ná¼ ¼¼½p>#ÔÔ‡¼1¼¼¼náÔÓÓà Ø àà 0 àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€reviewÐ t!H Ðpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,Ïincluding€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€CompensationÏAppeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€itsÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€hereinÏby€reference;Ìà Ø àà 0 àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€forÏreview€is€not€well„taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà Ø àà 0 àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€theÏâ âPanel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.ññ€€ññò òññÐ d68,( Ðññó óññà @ àñññ‘ñÐ d68,( Ðñ‘ñà Ø àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€plaintiff„appellant.ñññŽñÐ |8P.* ÐñŽñÐ |8P.* Ðññà ð àà H! àIT€ISÐ ,  Ðâ âSO€ORDERED€this€____€day€of€______,€1998.Ô#†¼ná¼¼¼1TE#ÔÔ‡¼1¼¼¼náÔÐ D  Ðà Ø àà 0 àà ˆ àà à àà 8 àà  àPER€CURIAMÌBirch,€J.€„€Not€participating.Ô#†¼ná¼¼¼1ÉI#ÔÔ‡¼ná¼¼¼náÔÐ tH ÐÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ#†¼ná¼¼¼ná‘J#ÔÐ  &ì ÐÐ  ,  ÐñVñ›œñWñÐ  ° ÐñWñ›