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A.(#$  0   HP LaserJet 4 Plus,,,,,,0X[Z I&mage <=8C HKKKK)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.wpt- -(|G2$ !..8dd8         0  X X d(|39-$ !..8dd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|39-$ !..8dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8dd8     _8 XXdd8  @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL , @@ATJACKSON## X April25,2002Session 4 X X #XX #SYDNEYCOUCHv.BELLSOUTHTELECOMMUNICATIONS,INC., <  etc.X X  T  @@ DirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforShelbyCounty \  @@No.CT00225100GeorgeH.Brown,Jr.,Judge L  @@*AV) ` dE<` A l  No.W200102216SCWCMCVMailedJune11,2002;FiledOctober10,_2002_ k  #XX #X XAV) ` dE<` A ;      9  Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppeals * PaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingand  reportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Inthisappeal,#XX #X XԀthe   employeequestionsthetrialcourtsdisallowanceofbenefits.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhas  concludedtheevidencefailstopreponderateagainstthefindingsofthetrialcourt.  V#XX #X X   Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2001Supp.)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuit j CourtAffirmed.  Z     JoeC.Loser,Jr.,Sp.J.#X #X X.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichJaniceM.Holder,J.,and :  HamiltonV._Gayden_,Jr.,Sp.J.,joined. *!z SteveTaylor,Memphis,Tennessee,fortheappellant,SydneyCouch  #Z! J.Mark_Griffee_ԀandRobertB.C.Hale,Memphis,Tennessee,fortheappellee,BellSouth $: # Telecommunications,Inc.,d/b/aSouthCentralBell %*!$   MEMORANDUMOPINION #XX 6 #X X ' #&   #XX #X X  Theemployeeorclaimant,SydneyCouch,initiatedthiscivilactiononMay5,2000seeking )$( anawardofworker'scompensationbenefitsforaninjurytoherelbowallegedlyresultingfrom *%) repetitiveuseofherarmatwork.AfteratrialonthemeritsonJuly17,2001,thetrialcourt z+&* dismissedthecomplaintforfailuretoestablishcausationbyapreponderanceoftheevidence.By j,'+ thisappeal,theclaimantseeksareversalofthatjudgmentandanawardofbenefits. Z-(, Ї   XbK XXX ForinjuriesoccurringonorafterJuly1,1985,appellatereviewisdenovoupontherecord  ofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthe  preponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.#X X X XbKz#Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2) XbK XXX .Thereviewing  courtisrequiredtoconductanindependentexaminationoftherecordtodeterminewherethe  preponderanceoftheevidencelies.#X X X XbK# XbK XXX Ԁ_Wingert_Ԁv.GovernmentofSumnerCounty,908S.W.2d921, t 922(Tenn.1995).#X X X XbK# XbK XXX Conclusionsoflawaresubjecttodenovoreviewonappealwithoutany `  presumptionofcorrectness.#X X X XbK# XbK XXX _Nutt_Ԁv.ChampionIntern.Corp.,980S.W.2d365,367(Tenn.1998).#X X X XbKv# XbK XXX Ԁ L    Wherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityand $ t weighttobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccordedthose  `  circumstancesonreview,becauseitisthetrialcourtwhichhadtheopportunitytoobservethe  L  witnessesdemeanorandtoheartheincourttestimony.#X X X XbK# XbK XXX Longv.TriConInd.,Ltd.,996S.W.2d 8  173,178(Tenn.1999).#X X X XbK# XbK XXX ԀThetrialcourtsfindingswithrespecttocredibilityandweightofthe $  evidencemaygenerallybeinferredfromthemannerinwhichthecourtresolvesconflictsinthe   testimonyanddecidesthecase._Tobitt_Ԁv.Bridgestone/Firestone,Inc.,59S.W.3d57,62(Tenn.   2001).Theappellatetribunal,however,isaswellsituatedtogaugetheweight,worthand   significanceofdepositiontestimonyasthetrialjudge.#X X X XbK# XbK XXX ԀWalkerv.SaturnCorp.,986S.W.2d204,207  (Tenn.1998).#X X X XbK # XbK XXX  p #X X X XbK#  Itisundisputedthattheclaimantwasemployedbytheemployer,BellSouth,asacustomer L servicerepresentative.Theclaimantstestimonyconcerningwhen,whereandhowherinjury < occurredis,atbest,confusing,includingthefollowingexchangeondirectexaminationbyherown ,| attorney. l  (83! !")"  8   ` )2  Q  .3  0     Okay,Maam,whendidyoufirststarthavingproblemswithyour L elbow?)d݌<  Ќ  ! ! (88 ")"  8   ` )2  A  .3  0     Well,Icantgivetheexactdaypinpointthat.InoticedthatIwas , havingsorenessandstiffnessinmyelbowanditwouldcomeandgo,  andIjusttriedtodealwithit,workaroundit,whatever.Andaround   theholidays,Iwas)L݌  Ќ   (88! !")"  8   ` )2  Q  .3  0     Ofwhatyear,_mam_?)݌   Ќ  ! ! (88")"  8   ` ){!2  A  .3  0     Ibelieveitwas99.){!!݌!  Ќ   (ʽ88! !")"  8   ` )#2ʽ  Q  .3  0     98?)#_#݌|"   Ќ  ! ! (ڽ88")"  8   ` )$2ڽ  A  .3  0     Yes.thankyou.Youknow,IwasdoingthingsthatInormallydidnt l#! do,andInoticedthat,youknow,IthinkIwascookingandInoticed \$" thatwhenIwenttopickupaskillet,itcausedmealotofproblems. L% # Youknow,anintensekindofsharppainthatInormallydidnt <&!$ experience.Atwork,itwouldjustbe,youknow,adullconstant,just ,'|"% astiffness,soreness.Youcankindofworkaroundthat.)$$݌(l#&  Ќ  8        Shewentontodescribeintensepainwhilecooking,pickingupabasketofwetclothesand )L%( wrappingpresents.Withoutevermissingtimefromwork,althoughherworkinvolvedrepetitive *<&) useofthearms,shesoughtmedicalattentionandwasreferredtoDr.MarkT._Jobe_,aboardcertified +,'* orthopedicsurgeon.    TheclaimanttoldDr._Jobe_Ԁthatshehadnotsufferedanyspecificinjury,buthadstarted  noticingrightelbowpainwhileperforminghouseholdchores.Thedoctordiagnosedrightlateral  _epicondylitis_,whichhetreatedwithinjections,exerciseandatenniselbowbrace.Dr._Jobe_ p eventuallyperformedcorrectivesurgery.ShehadwhatDr._Jobe_Ԁdescribedinhisdepositionasan `   acceptablerecovery.Shereturnedtoworkwithoutrestrictions.Whenaskedaboutthecauseof P  theinjury,Dr._Jobe_Ԁconceded,inresponsetoahypotheticalquestion,thattheclaimantsworkcould @  havecausedoraggravatedthecondition,butprobablydidnot. 0    Dr.Joseph_Boals_ԀsawtheclaimantonNovember29,2000forthirtyminutes.Theclaimant `  toldhimthatherworkedcausedsorenessinherelbow,whichgraduallyworsened.However,Dr. P  _Boals_Ԁalsosaidthedeterminationofcausationwoulddependontheclaimant comingforthrightwith @  thehoneststatementofwhathappened.Dr._Boals_Ԁtestifiedtwice,butthethrustofhistestimony 0  wasthatthereprobablywasacausalconnectiontotheclaimantsactivitiesatwork.Theclaimant   testifiedthatherworkatBellSouthrequiredhertouseacomputer,telephoneandtelephonebook.    ThetrialjudgegavegreaterweighttotheopinionofDr._Jobe_Ԁthattherewasprobablyno  causalconnectionbetweentheclaimantsworkfortheemployerandherinjury. XbK XXX Thepartyclaiming  thebenefitsoftheActhastheburdenofprooftoestablishhisclaimbyapreponderanceofallthe  evidence.Anawardmaynotbebasedonconjecture;itmustbebasedonmaterialevidenceandthe | rulesofevidenceareapplicable.Testimonyofwitnessesisevaluatedonthebasisofreasonableness h andunreasonablenessofthetestimonygiven,theinterest,bias,prejudiceorlackthereofonthepart T ofthewitnesses,theirgeneralcredibility,theiropportunitytoseeandobserve,andalloftheother @ standardsandcriteriaapplicabletofactualdecisionsina_nonjury_Ԁcivilaction.#X X X XbKH1#ԀParkerv.RyderTruck ,| Lines,Inc.,591S.W.2d755,759(Tenn.1979). XbK XXX Unlessadmittedbytheemployer,theemployeeor ,| claimanthastheburdenofproving,bycompetentevidence,everyessentialelementofhisclaim.See ,| #X X X XbK4#_Oster_Ԁv._Yates_,845S.W.2d215(Tenn.1992) XbK XXX .Theclaimantmustprovethatheisanemployee,that h hesufferedaninjurybyaccident,andthatsuchinjurybyaccidentaroseoutofandinthecourseof h hisemploymentbytheemployer.#X X X XbK\6#ԀLongv.TriConInd.,Ltd.,996S.W.2d173,177(Tenn.1999).  T    XbK XXX Anaccidentalinjuryarisesoutofonesemploymentwhenthereisapparenttotherational !D mind,uponconsiderationofallthecircumstances,acausalconnectionbetweentheconditionsunder "0  whichtheworkisrequiredtobeperformedandtheresultinginjury.#X X X XbK7#Ԁ_GAF_ԀBldg.Materialsv.George, #! 47S.W.3d430,432(Tenn.2001). XbK XXX Inallbutthemostobviouscases,causationandpermanencymay $ " onlybeestablishedthroughexpertmedicaltestimony.#X X X XbK9#Thomasv.AetnaLifeand_Cas_.Co.,812 %!# S.W.2d278,283(Tenn.1991). XbK XXX Whenthemedicaltestimonydiffers,thetrialcourtmustchoose &"$ whichviewtobelieve.Indoingso,thecourtisallowed,amongotherthings,toconsiderthe '#% qualificationsoftheexperts,thecircumstancesoftheirexamination,theinformationavailableto ($& them,andtheevaluationoftheimportanceofthatinformationbyotherexperts.#X X X XbK$;#Ormanv.Williams )$' _Sonoma_,Inc.,803S.W.2d672,676(Tenn.1991). XbK XXX ԀMoreover,itiswithinthediscretionofthetrial *%( courttoconcludethattheopinionofcertainexpertsshouldbeacceptedoverthatofotherexperts +&) andthatitcontainsthemoreprobableexplanation.#X X X XbKr=#Hinsonv.WalMartStores,Inc.,654S.W.2d  675,6767(Tenn.1983) XbK XXX .    Fromaconsiderationoftheaboveprinciplesandourindependentexaminationoftherecord,  givingduedeferencetothefindingsofthetrialcourt,wecannotsaytheevidencepreponderates  againstthetrialcourtsfindingthattheevidencefailedtoestablishtherequiredcausalconnection. t  Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsaretaxedtotheappellant. `  #X X X XbK?#   `     h     ___________________________________ l     `     h     JOEC.LOSER,JR.  \    <  XX @ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @%ATJACKSON#X XVB#XX Ԉ ,    SYDNEYCOUCHv.BELLSOUTHTELECOMMUNICATIONS,INC.,  p etc.  8  #X XB#XX 6C #X XC#XX #X X&D#@*AV) ` dE<k ` A߈ l    No.W200102216SCWCMCVFiledOctober10,2002 k   DAV) ` dE<J` A K   @& JUDGMENT  J  XX #X XE#XX #X X F#XX #X XSF#  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtuponApplicantsmotionforreviewpursuanttoTenn.Code f  Ann.506225(e)(5)(B),theentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers V CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffact F andconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; 6   Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthemotionforreviewisnotwelltakenandshould f beDENIED;and V   Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadopted 6 andaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. &   CostswillbeassessedtoSydneyCouchforwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary.     `     h     PER_CURIAM_  Holder,J.,notparticipating