ÿWPC¬ …# VUNa %¯ 0ûµU:° 4ê þ   w@ 0?[ 0Dš 0JÞ 0T( 0^| 0hÚ 0rB 0|´ 0†0 0¶ 1uF 0d»U>U*]U*‡ B±B)ÎDC÷ AM:¼‡v~C D3ÁvÓô 0@Ç AOÆV 0D D/` B˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLhÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ÓH=$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal[  AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ LegalTÑÔ€XÎ_XXXÔÑ7€¾úXXdðXXdð7Ñ, øð AZ‹"Arial RegularÚƒç"3|x !H !!!!!!e!g!e!Ó€ !(ï(3c¸$¤¤Ý ƒH=!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€XxŠXXXÔÑ7€…XXdìdì7ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial< Œ 9p`(Times d% Line 7 d%%%%7Border 1dd€-&Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ²Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€"ÔÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌò òDecemberÏ9,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€"ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`$$$$'ÿÿdxdStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€"ÔÑ#€##Xd#ÑÑ#€##Xd#ÑÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÑ À ÑÑ X Ñò ò›Þ ÞÌÌÌó óà@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌWORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÙ€€ÙœßR€'(&A1-j|` 81 `€€@ÿRß›KNOXVILLE,€SEPTEMBER€1997€SESSIONó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌJAMES€WALTER€DELLINGERà àà à)à àSEVIER€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€William€R.€Holt,€Jr.,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àCircuit€JudgeÌTHE€ARNOLD€ENGINEERING€à àà à)ÌCOMPANY€AND€LUMBERMENSà àà à)ÌMUTUAL€CASUALTY€COMPANYà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€03S01„9703„CV„00033Ìà àDefendants/Appellantsà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìandà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌLARRY€BRINTON,€JR.,€DIRECTORà à)ÌOF€THE€SECOND€INJURY€FUNDà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellants:à àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellees:Ìó óóóÌTimothy€W.€Connerà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€O.€ShultsÌNan€R.€Jenneà àà àà àà àà àLucy€Dunn€HooperÌ1130€First€American€Centerà àà àà à335€East€Main€St.Ì507€S.€Gay€St.à àà àà àà àà àNewport,€Tenn.€€37821ÌKnoxville,€Tenn.€€37902Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àSandra€E.€KeithÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àCordell€Hull€Bldg.€2nd€FloorÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à425€5th€Avenue€NorthÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€Tenn.€€37243„0499ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  Óò òòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌò òòòMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóE.€Riley€Anderson,€Chief€JusticeÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌMODIFIED€AND€AFFIRMED.à àà àà àà àTHAYER,€Special€JudgeÌÌÓÓà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€CourtÏof€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà àThe€trial€court€found€plaintiff,€James€Walter€Dellinger,€totally€disabled€andÏapportioned€40%€of€the€award€of€disability€against€his€employer,€The€ArnoldÏEngineering€Company,€and€60%€against€the€Second€Injury€Fund.€€The€judgmentÏprovided€the€award€of€benefits€would€be€payable€for€a€period€of€400€weeks.Ìà àThe€employer€has€appealed€seeking€a€ruling€that€(1)€the€evidence€is€notÏsufficient€to€establish€the€employeeððs€back€injury€was€work„related€and€(2)€theÏapportionment€of€40%€of€the€award€to€the€employer€is€not€supported€by€theÏevidence.€€The€employee€contends€the€award€should€be€payable€until€he€reachesÏhis€65th€birthday€rather€than€for€just€400€weeks,€which€would€expire€while€he€wouldÏbe€63€years€of€age.Ìà àEmployee€Dellinger€was€injured€on€June€14,€1994,€while€removing€a€lid€fromÏa€ð ðball€millðð.€€He€testified€he€was€using€a€large€pipe€wrench€and€it€slipped€and€struckÍhim;€this€caused€him€to€fall€into€a€catwalk€when€he€struck€his€side.€€He€said€that€afterÏthe€incident,€he€was€hurting€all€over€his€body€and€he€sought€treatment€for€his€backÏand€side€at€the€hospital€emergency€room.Ìà àPlaintiff€testified€he€had€worked€for€his€employer€for€twenty€years€and€heÏgenerally€worked€ten€to€twelve€hours€a€day,€seven€days€a€week.€€He€was€55€yearsÏof€age€at€the€time€of€his€injury€and€he€had€completed€the€third€grade.€€He€cannotÏread€and€writes€very€little.€€His€job€duties€appear€to€involve€a€great€deal€of€physicalÏactivity€and€exertion.€€He€told€the€trial€court€he€notified€his€supervisor,€Johnny€Ogle,Ïand€Darrell€Adams,€the€production€manager,€how€he€was€injured.€€The€emergencyÏroom€physician€felt€he€had€suffered€a€strain€and€recommended€he€return€to€workÏdespite€the€fact€plaintiff€showed€the€doctor€a€knot€or€bulge€on€his€stomach.Ìà àThe€record€is€quite€clear€that€he€had€a€number€of€pre„existing€medicalÏproblems€which€would€appear€to€affect€his€employability€to€some€extent.€€HeÏsuffered€from€Pagetððs€disease€which€affected€the€bones€in€his€hips€and€knees€andÏcaused€complaints€of€pain,€etc.€€He€had€diabetes,€a€heart€murmur€and€high€bloodÏpressure.€€He€had€suffered€prior€work„related€injuries:€three€broken€ribs,€brokenÏfinger€and€a€knee€injury€which€required€wearing€a€cast.€€The€work„related€injuriesÏdid€not€result€in€workersðð€compensation€claims.€€After€the€work„related€accident€inÏquestion,€he€continued€to€work€for€some€period€of€time€and€then€retired€duringÏ1995.Ìà àPlaintiff€has€seen€many€doctors€for€his€various€medical€problems.€€SomeÏhave€testified€in€this€proceeding.€€All€of€the€expert€medical€testimony€is€byÏdeposition.Ìà àDr.€Samuel€W.€McGaha,€a€family€practice€physician,€said€he€had€treatedÏplaintiff€since€1987.€€He€also€saw€him€two€days€after€the€accident€in€question.€€HeÍtold€the€trial€court€he€was€of€the€opinion€plaintiff€was€totally€disabled.€€He€said€it€wasÏdifficult€to€determine€whether€his€back€pain€was€related€to€the€Pagetððs€disease€orÏthe€event€at€work€but€he€felt€it€was€work„related€at€the€time€of€giving€his€deposition.Ìà àDr.€W.€J.€Walters,€a€surgeon,€first€examined€plaintiff€on€October€24,€1994€andÏfound€the€bulge€or€knot€on€the€abdominal€wall€was€a€type€of€hernia€which€needed€toÏbe€corrected€by€surgery.€€This€was€performed€during€December,€1994.€€The€doctorÏwas€of€the€opinion€this€condition€resulted€when€the€wrench€slipped€and€struck€hisÏabdomen.Ìà àDr.€David€H.€Hauge,€a€neurosurgeon,€treated€plaintiff€for€some€period€of€time.€ÏHe€recommended€physician€therapy€and€found€he€had€an€8%€medical€impairmentÏas€a€result€of€the€accident.€€He€related€the€back€complaints€to€the€accident.Ìà àDr.€James€Templin,€specializing€in€occupational€medicine,€did€not€treatÏplaintiff€but€did€an€independent€medical€exam€for€plaintiff.€€He€testified€plaintiff€hadÏdegenerative€thoracic,€lumbar€and€cervical€disc€disease;€that€the€injury€in€questionÏbrought€into€a€symptomatic€state€the€several€disc€conditions€causing€his€back€pain.€ÏHe€gave€a€36%€medical€impairment€for€all€of€his€medical€problems.Ìà àDr.€Jeffrey€A.€Uzzle,€a€physical€medicine€and€rehabilitation€physician,€did€anÏindependent€medical€exam€for€the€employer.€€He€stated€it€took€him€about€six€to€eightÏhours€to€review€all€of€the€available€medical€records.€€He€did€not€feel€some€of€theÏmedical€records€were€consistent€with€the€back€injury€being€work„related.€€He€saidÏthe€pre„existing€problems€resulted€in€a€significant€impairment€but€did€not€give€aÏpercentage.€€Ìà àThe€trial€court€also€heard€the€oral€testimony€of€Dr.€Norman€E.€Hankins,€aÏvocational€consultant,€who€was€of€the€opinion€there€were€no€jobs€plaintiff€couldÏperform.€€Ìà àThe€case€is€to€be€reviewed€on€appeal€de€novo€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact€unless€the€preponderance€ofÏthe€evidence€is€otherwise.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€Ìà àIn€resolving€disputes€in€medical€testimony,€the€trial€court€may€choose€whichÏmedical€testimony€to€accept.€€In€doing€this,€the€court€may€consider€the€qualificationsÏof€the€experts,€the€circumstances€of€their€examination,€the€information€available€toÏthem€and€the€evaluation€of€the€importance€of€that€information€by€other€experts.€ÏòòOrman€v.€Williams„Sonoma,€Inc.,óó€803€S.W.2d€672,€676€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àThe€first€issue€raises€a€question€as€to€whether€the€back€injury€was€work„related.€€In€this€connection,€the€employer€argues€Dr.€Uzzleððs€testimony€should€beÏgiven€greater€weight.€€Also,€the€employer€points€to€certain€evidence€inconsistentÏwith€the€employeeððs€testimony.€€The€employerððs€witnesses,€Johnny€Ogle€and€DarrellÏAdams,€testified€orally€that€plaintiff€did€not€tell€them€in€reporting€the€accident,€he€fellÏinto€the€catwalk.€€The€emergency€room€records€did€not€contain€this€description€ofÏhow€the€accident€occurred.€€The€employer€also€introduced€evidence€showingÏplaintiff€did€not€work€ten€to€twelve€hours€a€day€for€365€days€a€year.Ìà àIn€resolving€the€conflicting€testimony,€the€trial€court€accepted€plaintiffððsÏversion€of€the€events€in€question€and€the€expert€medical€testimony€supportingÏplaintiffððs€contentions.€€Once€the€choice€has€been€made€from€competent€evidence,Ïthe€decision€must€stand,€even€though€the€review€is€de€novo,€unless€the€reviewingÏcourt€concludes€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€choice€made.€€We€do€notÏfind€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€decision€on€this€point.Ìà àThe€next€issue€involves€the€allocation€or€apportionment€of€the€100%€award.€ÏThe€employer€insists€that€with€all€of€plaintiffððs€prior€medical€problems,€the€allocationÏof€40%€against€it€was€excessive.Ìà àSince€the€prior€work„related€injuries€did€not€result€in€approved€workersððÏcompensation€claims,€the€apportionment€must€be€made€under€subsection€(a)€ofÏT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„208.€€This€requires€the€court€to€estimate€and€fix€the€legal€disability€ofÏthe€employee€from€the€last€injury€without€consideration€of€the€prior€injuries€orÏimpairments.€€The€employer€is€liable€for€this€disability€and€the€Second€Injury€FundÏthen€is€liable€for€the€remainder€of€the€award.€€òòSmith€v.€Liberty€Mutual€Ins.€Co.,óó€762ÏS.W.2d€883,€885€(Tenn.€1988).Ìà àIt€appears€to€us€that€even€though€plaintiff€had€a€number€of€pre„existingÏmedical€problems,€this€apparently€did€not€greatly€affect€his€ability€to€work€and€earnÏwages.€€The€employer€introduced€exhibit€#9,€which€is€a€summary€of€the€employeeððsÏwork€record€during€the€years€1990„1994,€inclusive.€€This€exhibit€shows:ÌÒ ` ÒÒ H ÒÓÓ1990à àà à48€wks.€worked€à àav.€41.60€hrs.Ì1991à àà à46€wks.€workedà àav.€46.21€hrs.Ì1992à àà à50€wks.€worked€à àav.€39.37€hrs.Ì1993à àà à50€wks.€workedà àav.€42.50€hrs.Ì1994à àà à38€wks.€workedà àav.€47.00€hrs.ÌÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÌÓÓà àPlaintiff€disputed€this€record€saying€he€worked€more€hours€and€his€time€cardsÏwould€show€ten€to€twelve€hours€per€day,€seven€days€a€week.€€It€is€obvious€theÏaccident€of€June€14,€1994€was€the€crowning€blow€to€his€employability€status.€ÏHowever,€we€cannot€conclude€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€40%„60%Ïallocation€made€by€the€trial€court.Ìà àLast,€employee€Dellinger€contends€the€award€should€be€payable€until€heÏreaches€age€65€rather€than€for€400€weeks,€which€would€terminate€sooner.€€WeÏagree€with€this€contention.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„207(4)€[Schedule€of€Compensation]Ïprovides€in€a€case€of€permanent€total€disability,€the€compensation€shall€be€paidÏð ðuntil€the€employee€reaches€the€age€of€sixty„five€(65);ðð€the€400€weeks€provisionÏappearing€in€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„241€and€242€(statutory€caps€on€an€award)€only€appliesÍto€cases€involving€permanent€òòpartialóó€disability€and€has€no€application€to€aÏpermanent€total€disability€award.€€òòSee€Davis€v.€Reagan,óó€___€S.W.2d€___€(Tenn.Ï1997),€opinion€filed€September€8,€1997€at€Knoxville.Ìà àThe€judgment€is€modified€to€provide€the€award€shall€be€paid€pursuant€toÏT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„207(4)€and€as€modified€the€judgment€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€the€appealÏare€taxed€to€defendant€employer€and€insurance€carrier.ÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÔ% € Ôà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ________________________________ÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌÌ________________________________ÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€Judge€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ