ÿWPCò /U:¢ %Üân­ò 04ŸÓw@Ó4 0J' 0Tq 0^Å 0h# 0r‹ 0|ý 0†y 0ÿ 1u 0dU6hB)žDCÇ AM AQW ƨ 0Pn 0@¾ 0Dþ U*B D/l B› B¸ D3Õ  f +v v~¡vÓ<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x «<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó îD£££D D P D P§ƒt!2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d7Border 1dd!#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Arial(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd þÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÔ€%ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌNovember€25,€1996ÌÌCecil€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€%XÔÌÌNovember€25,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtfHHÚ(ÿáÿáùE1À˜ýHHŽxЀxh'dHStyl{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  inion Geneva ÒÒ  inion Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÙ€!ÙÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€*A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßà@ àÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAMY€FERRELL,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€GRUNDY€COUNTY€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€HON.€JEFFREY€F.€STEWART,€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€ChancellorÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌROBINSON€MANUFACTURING€COMPANY€€€)Ìand€ARGONAUT€INSURANCE€COMPANY,€€)€€€NO.€01S01„9512„CH„00224€Ì€€€€€€€€Defendants/Appellants€€€€)€€€(NO.€4480€below)Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTSóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€APPELLEEóó:ÌÌH.€RICHARD€MARCUS€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€JAMES€F.€CONLEY€€€€€€€€ÌCYNTHIA€D.€HALL€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€111€West€Grundy€StreetÌ800€Vine€Street€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€P.€O.€Box€176€€€€€€€€€€ÌChattanooga,€TN€37403€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Tullahoma,€TN€37388ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àÌà@ àADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,€CHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURT€Ì€à@ à€€€€JOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÑ7€‚<XXdÈXXdÈ7ÑÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€from€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€aÏworkers'€compensation€case€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(3)Ïfor€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€CASEÌóóà àAmy€Ferrell€suffered€a€back€injury€at€work€on€April€29,Ï1994,€when€the€chair€upon€which€she€was€sitting€collapsed€and€sheÏwent€down€hard€upon€the€concrete€floor.ÌÌà àThe€company€approved€physician,€Dr.€Bill€Hollins,€D.O.,Ïdiagnosed€a€lumbar€myositis.€€Her€back€was€tender€to€palpationÏand€restricted€in€range€of€motion.€€He€noted€spasm€in€theÏparavertebral€muscles€bilaterally.ÌÌà àDr.€Hollins€continued€to€treat€her€for€approximately€a€year.€ÏAt€one€time€he€referred€her€to€Dr.€J.R.€Nunley,€D.O.,€who€has€aÏpain€clinic€in€Tullahoma;€and€Dr.€Nunley€and€Dr.€Hollins€referredÏher€to€Dr.€Robert€Uskavitch,€M.D.,€a€neurologist.€€Dr.€HollinsÏcould€find€no€neurological€deficit,€but€wanted€to€rule€that€out.€ÏDr.€Hollins€testified€that€during€the€course€of€his€treatment€sheÏcontinued€to€complain€of€low€back€pain€and€inhibited€range€ofÏmotion€of€her€back.€€At€her€request€she€was€referred€to€a€secondÏneurologist,€Dr.€Richard€Lisella,€M.D.€€Neither€of€theÏspecialists€found€a€neurological€deficit.ÌÌà àDr.€Hollins€testified€that€he€advised€her€not€to€lift€inÏexcess€of€five€pounds,€nor€do€anything€that€hurt€her.€€She€walkedÏwith€a€cane€and€had€difficulty€getting€onto€her€physician'sÏexamination€table.ÌÌà àDr.€Hollins€opined€that€she€retained€a€24%€permanentÏanatomical€impairment,€15%€attributed€to€her€back€injury€and€9%Ïto€neck€pain€which€developed€seven€months€post„accident.ÌÌà àThe€trial€judge€found€that€the€neck€pain€was€not€shown€to€beÏa€proximate€result€of€this€industrial€accident;€but€he€judgedÏthat€her€back€injury€caused€a€40%€permanent€industrial€disabilityÏto€the€body€as€a€whole€and€rendered€judgment€accordingly.ÌÌà àMs.€Ferrell€never€returned€to€work€and€testified€that€sheÏwas€unable€to€resume€her€prior€employment.€€The€employerÏcontended€that€her€job€was€available€to€her.ÌÌà@ àòòISSUES€PRESENTEDÌóóà à1.€€Whether€or€not€there€was€evidence€to€support€the€awardÏofÑ€+ÑÇpermanent€impairment.ßJ€,;+'b|` ç `€@ÿJßà0 àà àà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌAMY€FERRELL,à àà àà àà à)à àGrundy€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€4480Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Jeffrey€F.€Stewart,ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à à€€€€€€€ChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌROBINSON€MANUFACTURINGà àà à)à àNo.€€01„S„01„9512„CH„00224ÌCOMPANY€and€ARGONAUTà àà à)ÌINSURANCE€COMPANY,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellants.à à)à àAffirmed.ÌÌÌÌò òòòà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERó óóóÌÌà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€a€motion€for€reviewÍpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entireÏrecord,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€Memorandum€OpinionÏsetting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€forÏreview€is€not€well„taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€factÏand€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decisionÏof€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€defendants/appellants€and€theirÏsureties,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€25th€day€of€November,€1996.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÓÓÌÌBirch,€C.J.,€Not€ParticipatingÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà à2.€€Whether€or€not€the€industrial€disability€award€exceededÏthe€two€and€one„half€times€the€medical€anatomical€impairmentÏproof€in€light€of€the€fact€that€the€employee's€job€remainedÏavailable.ÌÌà à3.€€Whether€or€not€the€40%€industrial€disability€award€isÏexcessive.ÌÌà@ àòòAPPLICABLE€LAWÌà àóóOur€review€is€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Íaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€findingsÏbelow,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise,ÏT.C.A.€Sec.€50„6„225€(e)(2)€(1991).€€This€standard€of€reviewÏrequires€this€court€to€weigh€in€depth€the€factual€findings€andÏconclusions€of€the€trial€court.€€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoons,ÏInc.óó,€734€S.W.€2d€315€(Tenn.€1987).ÌÌà àThe€extent€of€vocational€disability€is€a€question€of€fact€toÏbe€determined€from€all€of€the€evidence,€including€lay€and€expertÏtestimony.€€òòWorthington€v.€Modine€Mfg.€Co.óó,€798€S.W.€2d€232,€234Ï(Tenn.€1990).ÌÌà@ àòòANALYSIS€AND€CONCLUSIONSóóÌà àThe€treating€physician€set€the€anatomical€impairment€at€15%Ïto€the€body€as€a€whole,€and€testified€that€he€did€not€think€thatÏthe€employee€was€able€to€return€to€factory€work.€€TheÏneurologists'€testimony€negated€nerve€damage,€but€did€not€disputeÏthe€fact€of€injury.€€The€employee's€testimony€regarding€herÏcurrent€disability€is€credible.€€We€affirm€the€assessment€of€40%Ïwhole€body€disability€adjudged€by€the€trial€judge.ÌÌà àThe€cap€set€by€T.C.A.€Sec.€50„6„241€(a)(1)€does€not€apply.€ÏThe€employee€never€returned€to€work;€and€did€not€unreasonablyÏrefuse€to€do€so,€as€there€was€ample€evidence€that€she€wasÏphysically€unable€to€do€so.ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court,€and€assess€costsÏon€appeal€to€the€appellants.€€The€case€is€remanded€to€the€trialÏcourt€for€calculation€of€interest,€if€any,€due€upon€the€judgment;Ïand€for€enforcement€of€the€judgment.òòÌóóÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.ÌCHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURT€Ì€ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ìà àÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÒ 4 ÒÒ Ð ÒÒ 4 ÒÒ „ Ò