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ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€"ÖÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ&  ÔÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€KNOXVILLEÌ(November€19,€1997€Session)ÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓDEBORAH€ELLIS,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€McMINN€CHANCERYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,€€€Ô€„Ô€Ô€¼Ô€)€€€€€Hon.€Earl€H.€Henley,Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€Chancellor.Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ Ô€Ô€¼Ô)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)€€€€€No.€03S01„9705„CH„00051ÌÙ€€ÙßR€&'$A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRßNATIONAL€UNION€INSURANC€€€€)ÌCOMPANY,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„AppellantÔ€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô)Ìand€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€)ÌSUE€ANN€HEAD,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellee.Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€)ÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€Deborah€Ellis:óóÌÌJ.€Bartlett€Quinn€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼ÔThomas€L.€WyattÌFleissner,€Cooper,€Marcus€&€Quinn€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Summers€&€WyattÌChattanooga,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Chattanooga,€TennesseeÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€Second€InjuryÏFund:ÌóóÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€John€Knox€WalkupÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Attorney€General€&ÏReporterÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Sandra€E.€KeithÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Assistant€AttorneyÍÔ'  ÔGeneralÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TennesseeÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÌÓ  ÓAFFIRMED€and€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÓ ¹ ÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓòòÌMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÓ rAÓÌÓ ÂÓÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÓ€Óà àà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€andÏreporting€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€The€employer'sÏinsurer€and€the€Second€Injury€Fund€contend€the€evidence€preponderatesÏagainst€the€trial€court's€finding€that€the€employee's€asthma€is€compensable;Ïand€the€employer's€insurer€contends€the€condition€is€not€permanent.€€AsÏdiscussed€below,€the€panel€concludes€the€judgment€should€be€affirmed.Ìà àà àAt€the€time€of€the€trial,€the€employee€or€claimant,€Debra€Ellis,Ïwas€44€years€old.€€She€has€a€high€school€education€and€some€office€andÏcomputer€training,€but€has€never€done€office€work.€€She€began€working€forÏNational€Union's€insured,€F.€L.€Industries,€in€1971.€€Before€that,€she€hadÏworked€for€short€periods€of€time€as€a€cashier€in€a€grocery€store,€as€a€sewingÍmachine€operator€and€in€a€beauty€shop.Ìà àà àShe€has€worked€for€the€employer€as€a€packer€and€loader€ofÏelectrical€connectors€and€outlets.€€She€ran€a€machine€called€an€autobagger€inÏthe€employer's€Focus€department€when€she€became€disabled€to€work€becauseÏof€asthma.€€The€claimant€was€in€good€health€when€she€began€working€for€theÏemployer€at€the€age€of€19,€except€for€some€upper€respiratory€problemsÏfrom€allergies€during€the€spring€and€fall€of€the€year.€€Since€then,€she€has€hadÏpneumonia€three€times€and€two€back€injuries.€€She€has€received€priorÏworkers'€compensation€awards€totaling€eighty„eight€and€one„half€percent€toÏthe€body€as€a€whole,€but€had€returned€to€work€following€those€illnesses€andÏinjuries€without€any€respiratory€restrictions.Ìà àà àOn€April€11,€1990,€the€claimant€developed€facial€redness€andÏswelling€at€work.€€Her€symptoms€disappeared€and€she€returned€to€work€theÏnext€day,€but€her€symptoms€returned€after€she€began€working.€€When€herÏsymptoms€worsened€to€the€point€where€one€of€her€eyes€swelled€nearly€shutÏand€she€felt€as€if€she€were€sunburned,€she€was€referred€by€the€companyÏnurse€to€a€doctor,€who€hospitalized€her.Ìà àà àThe€claimant's€condition€improved€after€four€days€and€she€wasÏreleased€to€return€home.€€Soon€she€began€to€experience€uncontrollableÏcoughing€with€thick,€stringy€mucus€until€mid„May€of€1990,€when€she€wasÏre„hospitalized€after€fracturing€a€rib€during€a€coughing€spell.€€HerÏphysician,€Dr.€Donald€Watters,€who€had€treated€her€since€1984,€began€toÏsuspect€a€link€between€her€condition€and€exposure€to€something€at€work.Ìà àà àThe€claimant€was€regularly€exposed€to€paint€fumes€at€work.€ÏThe€paint€which€released€the€fumes€was€identified€as€Sherwin€WilliamsÍSuper€Acrylic€spray€enamel.€€It€is€undisputed€that€she€has€disabling€asthma,Ïfor€which€she€takes€steroid€and€cortisone€medications,€which€have€disablingÏside€effects,€including€excessive€obesity,€muscle€wasting,€poor€woundÏhealing,€immune€system€damage€and€kidney€disorder.Ìà àà àThis€action€originated€with€the€filing€by€the€employer€of€aÏcomplaint€in€the€United€States€District€Court€for€the€Eastern€District€ofÏTennessee.€€Shortly€thereafter,€the€claimant€commenced€an€action€against€theÏemployer's€insurer€and€the€Second€Injury€Fund€in€state€court.€€The€federalÏcourt€case€was€later€dismissed€for€lack€of€subject€matter€jurisdiction€basedÏon€the€Second€Injury€Fund€being€a€necessary€party.Ìà àà àWhen€the€employer€offered€the€names€of€three€physicians€fromÏwhich€the€claimant€could€choose€the€treating€physician,€she€chose€Dr.€SpiresÏWhittaker,€who€began€treatment€on€July€10,€1990.€€When€a€disputeÏdeveloped€as€to€the€choice€of€a€treating€physician,€the€parties€agreed€uponÏDr.€Pete€Soteres€as€such.€€The€record€contains€the€deposition€testimony€ofÏfive€medical€doctors.Ìà àà àOn€November€4,€1996,€the€trial€court€found€the€claimant€to€beÏpermanently€and€totally€disabled€from€occupational€asthma.€€AppellateÏreview€is€de€novo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€of€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderanceÏof€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(2).€ÏCausation€and€permanency€are€issues€of€fact.Ìà àà àUnder€the€Tennessee€Workers'€Compensation€Law,Ïoccupational€diseases€arising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€employment€whichÏcause€either€disablement€or€death€of€the€employee€are€compensable.€€Tenn.ÍCode€Ann.€section€50„6„102(a)(5).€€For€an€occupational€disease€to€be€oneÏarising€out€of€employment,€it€must€have€its€origin€in€a€risk€connected€withÏthe€employment.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„301.€€There€can€be€noÏrecovery€for€an€aggravation€of€an€alleged€occupational€disease€which€pre„existed€an€employee's€current€employment;€òòAmerican€Ins.€Co.€v€Isonóó,€519€ÏS.W.2d€€778€(Tenn.€1975);€but€if€an€employee€is€found€to€have€aÏcompensable€occupational€disease,€the€disability€flowing€from€that€disease€isÏfully€compensable,€including€any€aggravation,€acceleration€or€exacerbationÏof€a€pre„existing€condition€or€disease€caused€by€the€occupational€disease.€ÏòòArnold€v.€Firestone€Tire€and€Rubber€Co.óó,€686€€S.W.2d€€65€(Tenn.€1983).€ÏDisability€resulting€from€medical€treatment€for€a€compensable€injury€orÏoccupational€disease€is€compensable.€€See€òòRogers€v.€Shawóó,€813€€S.W.2d€€397Ï(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àà àDr.€Watters,€who€is€in€the€best€position€of€all€the€testifyingÏdoctors€to€know€the€claimant's€medical€history,€testified€unequivocally€thatÏthe€claimant's€asthma€did€not€pre„exist€her€exposure€to€paint€fumes€at€workÏand€that€such€exposure€was€the€cause€of€her€condition.€€He€further€testifiedÏthat€the€disease,€combined€with€the€medical€treatment€for€it,€rendered€herÏtotally€disabled.€€Dr.€Soteres,€the€primary€treating€physician,€agreed€as€toÏcausation€and€testified€that€the€claimant's€total€disability€was€permanent.€€Dr.ÏSoteres€is€board€certified€in€internal€and€pulmonary€medicine.€€Dr.ÏWhittaker€confirmed€exposure€to€paint€fumes€as€the€cause€of€the€claimant'sÏdisease€and€its€permanency.Ìà àà àDr.€B.€Daniel€Harnsberger,€a€board€certified€internist€with€aÏpulmonary€subspecialty,€examined€the€claimant€twice€at€the€request€of€theÏemployer's€insurer.€€He€found€no€objective€evidence€of€residual€pulmonaryÍimpairment.€€Dr.€Michael€M.€Miller€is€board€certified€in€internal€medicineÏand€allergy€and€immunology.€€He€found,€from€reviewing€the€depositions€ofÏDrs.€Soteres€and€Harnsberger€and€some€medical€records,€no€objectiveÏevidence€to€conclusively€demonstrate€the€claimant€has€asthma.Ìà àà àFrom€a€consideration€of€the€proof€and€the€law,€the€panel€findsÏthe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€inÏany€respect.€€The€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€consequently€affirmed.€ÏCosts€are€taxed€to€the€National€Union€Insurance€Company€and€the€SecondÏInjury€Fund,€one„half€each.€€The€case€is€remanded€to€the€Chancery€CourtÏfor€McMinn€County.Ó *bÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________Ó ÓÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÑ€(ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÑ ` ÑÔ€)Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÓ  ÓAT€KNOXVILLEÌÓ  ÓÌDEBORAH€ELLIS€€€€€€€€€€€à àà à€€€€à à)€McMinn€Chancery€à àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à€€Ïà àNo.€17,288Ìà àà àà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà à€€€€€)€Hon.€EarlÏH.€Henley,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€)€€€ChancellorÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€)€Supreme€Court€No.ÌNATIONAL€UNION€INSUANCE€COMPANY€€à à)€€€03„S„01„9705„CH„00051Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà àà à)€Affirmed€andÏRemandedÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìandà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌßJ€&+;+'b|` Å `€@ÿJßSUE€ANN€HEAD,€in€her€capacity€€à à)Ìas€Director€of€the€Division€ofà à)Ìthe€Workersðð€Compensation€Divisionà à)Ìof€the€TN€Department€of€Laborà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€)à àÌà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à€€€€€)Ìà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€Ìà@ àòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€forÏreview€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),Ïthe€entire€record,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€theÏPanel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€hereinÏby€reference;ÌÌà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€theÏmotion€for€review€is€not€well„taken€and€should€be€denied;ÏandÌÌà 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.ÌÌà àà àCost€will€be€paid€by€the€National€Union€InsuranceÏCompany€and€the€Second€Injury€Fund,€and€their€surety,€forÏwhich€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÌà àà àIt€is€so€ordered€this€_____€day€of€_____________,Ï1998.ÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÔ€Ô