ÿWPC 1U:¾ %øþn­ 04»ïw@ï4/C 0JC 0T 0^á 0h? 0r§ 0| 0†• 0 1u« 0d U6„B)º AQãÆ4 0Pú 0@J 0DŠ DCÎ D/ B@ B] D3z AM­ U*ú $ f' & v~³vÓ1<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó DDDD Ó€DDUD]tÁ$(2 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`(Courier New% Line 7 d!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó7Border 1dd(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd!#%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ùÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌJuly€1,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌJuly€1,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{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  ellan Geneva ÒÒ  ellan Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€*,%A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌMARTHA€MAI€EDEN,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€)€€No.€01S01„9710„CV„00210€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€TROUSDALE€COUNTY€CIRCUIT€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€ÌEMPLOYERS€INSURANCE€OF€€€€€€€€€)€€HON.€BOBBY€CAPERS,€JUDGE€€ÌWAUSAU€MUTUAL€COMPANY€€€€€€€€€€)€€Ìand€WESTERN€RESERVE€PRODUCTS,€€)Ì€€€€€€€Defendants/Appellants€€€)€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTSóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEEóó:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌMARTIN€D.€HOLMES€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€FRANK€D.€FARRAR€€€€€€ÌSTEWART,€ESTES€&€DONNELL€€€€€€€€€€€€€WILLIAM€JOSEPH€BUTLER€€€Ì14th€Floor,€424€Church€Street€€€€€€€€FARRAR€&€HOLLIMAN€€€€€€€€€€ÌSunTrust€Center€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.€O.€Box€280ÌNashville,€TN€37219€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Lafayette,€TN€37083ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANELÌÌà@ àJANICE€M.€HOLDER,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌà@ à€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED,€AS€MODIFIED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.ÌÌÓÓÑ7€RXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€in€a€workers'€compensation€case€has€beenÏreferred€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€ofÏthe€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏSection€50„6„225€(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€SupremeÏCourt€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà@ àÌà àThe€appellee,€Martha€Mai€Eden,€had€been€working€five€daysÏfor€Western€Reserve€Products€when€she€fell€from€a€platform€andÏsuffered€a€minimally€displaced€left€fibula€fracture.€€Her€leftÏfoot€was€placed€in€a€cast€and€she€was€taken€off€from€work€for€sixÏweeks.€€About€two€months€after€the€initial€injury€she€twisted€herÏsame€ankle€on€the€job,€causing€a€visible€fracture€at€the€oldÏfracture€site,€and€a€slight€change€in€the€alignment.€€AnotherÏcast€was€fitted.€€The€fracture€did€not€heal€properly€and€surgeryÏwas€performed€on€an€out„patient€basis,€and€plates€were€attachedÏby€screws.€€She€returned€to€work€on€March€6,€1996.ÌÌà àThe€employee€only€worked€twelve€hours€a€week€when€she€firstÏreturned€to€work,€but€this€was€increased€to€full€time€by€May€20,Ï1996.€€She€suffered€occasional€swelling€in€the€injured€ankle.€ÏHer€attending€surgeon,€Dr.€H.C.€Jao,€released€her€from€treatmentÏin€November€of€1996,€to€return€as€needed.€€She€was€terminated€inÏJanuary€of€1997€for€absenteeism.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àThe€trial€judge€awarded€20%€permanent€partial€vocationalÏdisability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€All€other€benefits€had€beenÏpaid.€€The€trial€judge€made€an€alternative€finding€that€in€theÏevent€that€the€disability€should€have€been€restricted€to€the€leftÏleg€that€he€set€that€figure€at€40%.€€By€agreement€of€counsel€theÏjudgment€should€be€for€disability€to€the€leg,€and€the€only€issueÏbefore€this€court€is€the€appropriateness€of€the€judgment€of€40%Ïpermanent€partial€vocational€disability€to€the€left€leg.ÌÌà àDr.€Jao€testified€by€deposition€that€the€òòA.M.A.óó€òòGuidelinesóóÏdo€not€provided€a€permanent€impairment€rating€for€a€broken€bone,Ïand€he€has€assigned€no€permanent€impairment.€€ÌÌà àDr.€S.M.€Smith,€an€orthopaedic€surgeon€who€examined€theÏemployee's€ankle€for€purposes€of€evaluation,€testified€byÏdeposition€that€the€òòA.M.A.óó€òòGuidelinesóó€do€not€properly€address€anÏinjury€of€this€nature.€€He€opined€that€based€upon€his€experienceÏthat€she€had€a€2%€medical€impairment,€but€that€if€the€plate€andÏscrews€were€taken€out€that€this€impairment€could€diminish€or€goÍaway€entirely.€€He€testified€that€he€would€not€place€anyÏrestrictions€on€her.ÌÌà àAddressing€the€issue€of€vocational€disability,€this€is€aÏquestion€of€fact€to€be€determined€from€all€of€the€evidence,Ïincluding€lay€and€expert€testimony.€€òòWorthington€v.€Modine€Mfg.ÏCo.óó,€798€S.W.€2d€232,€234€(Tenn.€1990).ÌÌà àA€medical€expert's€rating€of€anatomical€disability€is€one€ofÏthe€relevant€factors,€but€the€vocational€disability€is€notÏrestricted€to€the€precise€estimate€of€anatomical€disability€madeÏby€a€medical€witness.€€òòCorcoran€v.€Foster€Auto€GMC,€Inc.óó,€746ÏS.W.€2d€452,€458€(Tenn.€1988).ÌÌà àWhen€the€medical€testimony€is€presented€by€deposition,€as€itÏwas€in€this€case,€this€court€is€able€to€make€its€own€independentÏassessment€of€the€medical€proof€to€determine€where€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòHensen€v.€City€ofÏLawrenceburgóó,€851€S.W.€2d€809,€812€(Tenn.€1993).ÌÌà àWe€believe€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€aÏjudgment€of€40%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€left€leg.€ÏMs.€Eden€worked€more€than€six€months€full€time€before€she€wasÏterminated€for€reasons€unrelated€to€her€injury.€€Her€anatomicalÏimpairment€of€2%€testified€to€by€Dr.€Smith€is€not€enhanced€by€hisÏstatement€that€the€removal€of€the€surgical€hardware€from€her€footÍwould€most€likely€abate€all€or€most€of€her€residual€discomfort.€ÏShe€has€some€discomfort€that€has€not€as€yet€been€abated€by€theÏremoval€of€the€metal€plate€and€crews.€€We€hold€that€a€judgment€ofÏ20%€vocational€disability€to€the€left€leg€is€supported€by€aÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence,€and€we€modify€the€judgmentÏaccordingly.ÌÌà àWe€remand€the€case€for€entry€of€a€judgment€in€accordanceÏwith€this€opinion.ÌÌà àCosts€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.Ìà àÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJANICE€M.€HOLDER,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICEÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó€ÌWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGEà àÌÌÌÑ€-ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€¼ÔßJ€*.;+'b| 1` ç `€@ÿJßà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌMARTHA€MAI€EDEN,à àà à}à àTROUSDALE€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€3202„0„132€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Bobby€Capers,€Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌEMPLOYERS€INSURANCE€OFà à}ÌWASAU€MUTUAL€COMPANY€andà à}ÌWESTERN€RESERVE€PRODUCTS,}à àNo.€01S01„9710„CV„00210Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendants/Appellants}à àAFFIRMED,€AS€MODIFIED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entireÏrecord,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€byÏreference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€theÏMemorandum€Opinion€of€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€andÏapproved;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel'sÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€andÏaffirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€theÏjudgment€of€the€Court.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Defendants/Appellants€andÏSurety,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€July€1,€1998.ÌÌà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÔ€XÔ