ÿWPCv! eUB– %ØUBÞ n0 0r3w@¥4åU.ù' 0Ž/ 0D½ 0¥ 0J¦ 0Tð 0^D Æ¢ Æh Æ. Æô 0hº 0r" AQ”Æå 0Ž« 0@9 0Dy 0|½ D/9 0†h Bî D3  0> BÎ 1uë 0d`U6ÄB)úDC# AMf%³fØ%>v~cvÓáÆ´ 0sz Bí B* ! BB4!<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXô\  `*Times New RomanTT3|P«<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXxþ6X@ÉJQX@ô\  `*Times New RomanTTXXPô\  PŽ6QXPô\  `*Times New RomanTTôôCô\  PŽ6QôP(J.®$¡¡Ô€XnÐXXXÔÔ€XÕ|XXXnÐÔÓ  Ó äDåæçÓ€óVôîõÓ€Ft‹#(%ä2¼A`ArialTT(f3$¢$©©Ý ƒ.®!ÝÔ€XXXXÔÔ€X-ÚXXXÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý($Ó$‘‘òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(f3Å$¥¥Ý ƒ.®!ÝÔ€XXXXÔÔ€X-ÚXXXÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú.2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 526 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô !"#%Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(f3$¢$¢¢Ý ƒ.®!ÝÔ€XXXXÔÔ€X-ÚXXXÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô'''÷ÿ dxd2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔüÿP Pd****'ÿÿdxd2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô d$&) ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d44447Border 1dd "5Cþÿ << Gÿÿ Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€3ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ!"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ ÔÔ€ ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€ XÔÌÌò òJanuary€7,€1998ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€3ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ!"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ ÔÔ€ ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€ XÔÌÌò òJanuary€7,€1998ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$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 Ò1, 2, 3,Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5B1 21, 2, 3,NumbersÚƒGÚÚ  Ú.Û€GÛà0 àûÿ   d&ÿÿ0 d d>Thick DoubleK d dÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€3ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÙ€ ÙÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñò òÔ€ Ô›œßR€675A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€PANELÌAT€JACKSONÌÓ  Óó óÌÌÌSANDRA€KAY€CORNELISON,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àMADISON€CHANCERYÌà àPlaintiff€/€Appellee,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€€02S01„9704„CH„00035Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à(No.€€50191€below)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌNORTHWEST€TENNESSEE€ECONOMICà à)à àHON.€JOE€C.€MORRISÌDEVELOPMENT€COUNCIL,à àà àà à)à àCHANCELLORÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant€/€Appellant.à àà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:ó óóóÌÌRobert€O.€Binkleyà àà àà àà àà àà àJeffrey€A.€GarretyÌJeffery€G.€Fosterà àà àà àà àà àà àPatrick€N.€ParkerÌÔ€ ôÔRAINEY,€KIZER,€BUTLER,€REVIERE,€&€BELL,€P.L.C.€à àà àLAW€OFFICES€OF€JEFFREY€A.ÏGARRETYÔ€ XÔÌ105€South€Highland€Avenueà àà àà àà à65€Stonebridge€BoulevardÌP.O.€Box€1147€à àà àà àà àà àà àJackson,€Tennessee€38305ÌJackson,€Tennessee€38302„1147€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  Óà àà àà àà àà àò òòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóà@ àJustice€Janice€HolderÌà@ àSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌà@ àSpecial€Judge€Robert€L.€ChildersÌÌÌÌò òÌÌÌÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIEDà àà àà àà àCHILDERS,€Special€Judgeó óÌÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€œworkersðð›€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€TÔ€ ôÔENNÔ€ XÔ.€CÔ€ ôÔODEÔ€ XÔÏAÔ€ ôÔNNÔ€ XÔ.€€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà àœThe€plaintiff›€sustained€an€injury€to€her€back€during€the€course€of€employment€onÏMarch€1,€1994.€€Based€on€her€age,€education,€lack€of€transferable€job€skills,€the€natureÏand€extent€of€her€injury,€job€opportunities€for€similarly€injured€workers€and€all€otherÏrelevant€vocational€factors,€the€trial€judge€awarded€her€permanent€partial€disabilityÏbenefits€of€50%€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€Ìà àWe€find€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€an€award€of€50%€and€in€favorÏof€an€award€of€25%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole€and€affirm€theÏjudgment€of€the€trial€court€as€modified.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€is€a€œ42„year„old›€(39€at€the€time€of€the€accident)€female€with€a€ChildÏDevelopment€Associate's€Certificate€to€work€with€young€children.€€The€plaintiff€also€hasÍa€cosmetology€license.€€For€some€ten€years€prior€to€trial,€the€plaintiff€was€employed€byÏthe€Madison€County€School€System€working€with€visually€impaired€students€and€CDCÏstudents€at€the€local€high€school.€€€At€the€time€of€the€accident,€and€since,€the€plaintiffÏhas€sustained€employment€as€an€art€teacher€for€four€and€œfive„year„old›€children€in€theÏNorthwest€Tennessee€Head€Start€Program.€€This€job€entails€lifting€and€squatting€toÏmanipulate€and€communicate€with€the€œchildren,›€as€well€as€extended€periods€duringÏwhich€she€must€remain€on€her€feet.Ìà àOn€March€1,€1994€while€attempting€to€move€an€art€table€in€her€classroom,€theÏplaintiff€experienced€pain€in€her€lower€back€which€was€initially€diagnosed€as€a€lowerÏlumbar€muscle€strain.€€From€March€23,€1994€through€September€24,€1994€the€plaintiffÏwas€seen€by€Dr.€James€Warmbrod€who€diagnosed€the€plaintiff€as€having€a€resolvingÏlumbosacral€sprain.€€The€plaintiff€was€subsequently€treated€on€October€21,€1994€by€Dr.ÏJerry€Engelberg,€who€found€no€significant€abnormalities.Ìà àDr.€Glen€Barnett,€a€neurosurgeon,€examined€and€treated€the€plaintiff€€fromÏNovember€4,€1994,€through€August€12,€1996.€€Dr.€Glen€Barnett€stated€during€theÏcourse€of€that€treatment€that€he€did€not€believe€that€surgery€would€decrease€her€pain.€ÏOn€€April€1,€1996,€Dr.€Glen€Barnett€opined€that€the€plaintiff€had€reached€maximumÏmedical€Ñ`ÈÑÑ``ÑÑì`Ñimprovement€based€on€his€conclusions€that€the€plaintiff€was€working,€hadÏstopped€epidural€injections€and€that€she€seemed€"about€as€good€as€she€was€going€toÏbe."€€Dr.€Glen€Barnett€further€found,€from€a€neurological€point€of€view,€Plaintiff€had€noÏpermanent€impairment.€Ìà àOn€December€11,€1995,€Dr.€James€Varner€saw€the€plaintiff€and€conducted€anÏindependent€evaluation€at€the€request€of€the€defendant.€€Dr.€Varner€diagnosed€herÏwith€chronic€post„traumatic€lumbar€spine€pain€syndrome€without€disc€pathology€orÍneurological€impairment.€€He€assessed€2%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€asÏa€whole€based€on€the€AMA€guidelines,€and€he€opined€that€the€plaintiff€could€continueÏin€her€capacity€as€an€art€teacher€without€restriction.€Ìà àOn€February€12,€1996,€Dr.€Robert€Barnett,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€performed€anÏindependent€evaluation€of€the€plaintiff€at€her€request.€€Dr.€Robert€Barnett€diagnosedÏlumbar€radicular€syndrome€and€initially€assessed€25%€permanent€partial€disability€toÏthe€body€as€a€whole.€€Subsequently€at€trial,€Dr.€Robert€Barnett€revised€his€assessmentÏto€20%€based€on€the€pain€and€later€to€"perhaps"€10„15%€based€on€range€of€motionÏand€radiculopathy.€€Ìà àThe€plaintiff€testified€that€she€continues€to€take€pain€medication€(Relafin,€FlexerilÏand€Elavil)€to€cope€with€the€pain€on€a€daily€basis€and€that€she€has€had€œnine€(9)›€nerveÏblocks€as€a€"quick€fix"€for€her€pain.€€œThe€plaintiff›€also€testified€that€she€still€wears€aÏTENS€unit€on€a€daily€basis,€but€neither€this€unit€œnor›€the€medication€has€ever€been€ableÏto€fully€alleviate€her€pain.€€She€has€maintained€her€employment€without€complaint€fromÏher€employer,€but€has€pain€every€day€that€is€aggravated€by€simple€household€choresÏand€the€repetitive€bending€and€squatting€required€by€her€job.Ìà àOur€review€is€òòde€novoóó€on€the€record€accompanied€by€a€presumption€that€theÏfindings€of€fact€of€the€trial€judge€are€correct€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidenceÏis€otherwise.€€TÔ€ ôÔENN.Ô€ XÔ€CÔ€ ôÔODEÔ€ XÔ€AÔ€ ôÔNNÔ€ XÔ.€€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€In€reviewing€the€evidence,€we€noteÏthat€the€maximum€permanent€partial€disability€percentage€assessed€to€the€plaintiff€wasÏ25%€by€Dr.€Robert€Barnett€and€that€upon€cross€examination€at€trial€his€revised€estimateÏwas€10„15%.€€The€other€assessments€in€this€case€indicated€no€impairment€by€Dr.€GlenÏBarnett€and€2%€by€Dr.€Varner,€who€notably€only€tested€forward€range€of€motion.Ìà àThe€record€indicates€that€the€plaintiff€has€continued€to€perform€her€duties€in€aÍsatisfactory€manner€and€has€received€a€significant€increase€in€pay€from€œapproximatelyÏ$6.50€›€œto€over€$8.50€(about€$8.63)›€since€the€time€of€the€accident.€€There€is€no€disputeÏthat€the€plaintiff€continues€to€have€pain€on€a€daily€basis.€€We€believe€that€this€dailyÏpain,€aggravated€by€repetitive€bending,€squatting,€lifting€and€from€extended€periods€onÏher€feet€precludes€her€from€some€employment.€€However,€based€on€her€age,Ïeducation,€training€and€past€work€history€we€find€that€the€evidence€preponderatesÏagainst€an€award€of€50%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole€and€inÏfavor€of€an€award€of€25%.€€Taking€all€of€these€factors€into€œconsideration,›€Ms.ÏCornelison€should€be€able€to€work€at€other€teaching€jobs€which€do€not€require€asÏmuch€bending€and€stooping.€We€therefore€modify€the€trial€judge's€award.€€œThe€cost€ofÏthis€appeal€is€assessed›€œto›€the€œdefendant/appellant.›€€€Ì€à àà àà àà àà àà àà àòòÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àRobert€L.€Childers,€Special€Judgeà àÌò òœCONCUR:›ÌÌÓÓòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌó óJanice€œM.€Holder,›€Justiceò òÌÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌó óJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€Judgeò òÓÓÌó óÌÌÌÌ̜р8ÑÇÑ ` ÑÓÓà@ àÔ€ ¼ÔIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÔ€ XÔÌÌÌÓ#` p…X LÐ X#ÓSANDRA€KAY€CORNELISON,à à)à àMADISON€CHANCERYÌÓ#` p` LÐ X#Óà à)à àNO.€50191ÌÓ` p` ¸ ’XÓà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à à)à àÌÓ#` p` ¸ LÐ X#Óà àà à)à àHon.€Joe€C.€Morris,Ìvs.à àà à)à àChancellorÌßJ€69;+'b|ùÍ` Å `€@ÿJßà àà à)ÌNORTHWEST€TENNESSEE€ECONOMICà à)à àNO.€02S01„9704„CH„00035ÌDEVELOPMENT€COUNCIL,à à)Ìà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)à àAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€ ¼ÔJUDGMENT€ORDERÔ€ XÔÌÌÓ  ÓÌÓ` p`  ’XÓÓÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€the€orderÏof€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€of€theÏPanel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€ofÏthe€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Appellant,€and€surety,€for€which€execution€mayÍissue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€7th€day€of€January,€1998.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌ(Holder,€J.,€not€participating)ÌÌÌÌ›