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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(9 Z 6Times New Roman Regular- -(|G2J$ !.8Jdd8         0  X3X d(|3$ !.8Jdd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !.8Jdd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8]4dd8     _8)XXdd8  {0 @ @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL   @@ATNASHVILLE#]4{# @ August2000Session ` X)X]4 #]4XX)#HAROLDW.FERRELL,SR.v.CIGNAPROPERTY&CASUALTY  T INSURANCECO.,etal.   b @@ DirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforWarrenCounty . ~ @@No.100770 @ RichardMcGregor,Judge <  @@*AV) ` dE<e` A f  No.M199902587WCR3CVMailedSeptember6,2000   FiledOctober11,2000  AV) ` dE<` A       e  X)X]4ThisworkerscompensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkersCompensationAppeals  PanelinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.Section506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingtothe  SupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Theappellants,APACTennessee,Inc.  andCignaProperty&CasualtyInsuranceCo.,contendthatthetrialcourterredinfindingthatthe | plaintiffwastwentypercent(20%)vocationallydisabledandawardinghimpermanentpartial b disabilitybenefitstotaling$39,360.00.Theyarguethattheplaintiffcouldnotbevocationally H disabledbecausepriortohisinjuryhehadalreadyplannedtoretireasaresultofapreexisting .~ arthriticcondition.Inotherwords,sincetheplaintiffhaddecidedtostopworking,heshouldnot d recoverbenefitswhichrelatetofutureemployabilityandearningcapacity.Werejectthisargument J forthereasonsstatedbelow,andaffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourtinitsentirety. 0    Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(1999)AppealasofRight;Judgmentofthe   CircuitCourtAffirmed  !     FrankF.Drowota,III,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichJohnA.Turnbull,Sp.J., ^#! andFrankG.Clement,Jr.,Sp.J.,d  ލ14OtherJudgese  joined. D$" W.ReeseWillis,IIIandTyreeBrysonHarris,IV,Nashville,Tennessee,fortheappellants,Cigna &`!$ Property&CasualtyInsuranceCo.andAPACTennessee,Inc. &F"% @*WilliamJ.Butler,FrankD.Farrar,andBarryH.Medley,Lafayette,Tennessee,fortheappellee, ($' HaroldW._Ferrell_,Sr. )$( d  ލ15EnterAppellant'sLawyer(s)e  d  ލ16EnterAppellee'sLawyer(s)e   @-(, v   MEMORAND UMOPINION       HaroldW.Ferrell,Sr.,theappellee,workedasaconstructionforemanforAPACTennessee, | Inc.,theappellant,whoseworkerscompensationinsurerisCignaProperty&CasualtyInsurance b Company,alsoanappellant.Asofthetrialdate,September23,1999,Ferrellwas58yearsold.He H receivedan8thgradeeducationandhadnospecialtrainingorskillsapartfromhistrainingasa . ~ constructionworkerandforeman,and,beforeworkingforAPAC,asalogger.OnApril28,1998,  d Ferrellslippedwhilegettingoffabackhoeandinjuredhisback.Hefiledthisworkerscompensation  J actiononNovember5,1998.Attrial,FerrellsubmittedashismedicalproofaStandardFormC32  0 inwhichhisdoctor,Dr.C.R.Dyer,foundthatFerrellsbackinjurymoreprobablythannotaroseout    ofhisemployment.Dr.DyerdeterminedthatFerrellhadapermanentpartialdisabilityratingoffive    percent(5%)tothebodyasawholeandassignedvariousrestrictionsonFerrellsactivities,suchas   athirtypoundweightliftingrestriction.TheappellantsofferednomedicalproofattrialtorebutDr. x  Dyersconclusions. ^    Thetrialcourt,inafinaldecreedatedOctober21,1999,heldthat:(1)Ferrellsustaineda *z  compensablebackinjurywhileonthejob;(2)Ferrellhasavocationaldisabilityintheamountof ` twentypercent(20%)whichequatestoeightyweeksofpermanentpartialdisability;and(3)Ferrells F propercompensationrateis$492perweek.Intotal,thetrialcourtorderedtheappellantstopay , benefitsintheamountof$39,360.00inalumpsum,futurenecessaryandreasonablemedical  expenses,andallcourtcostsaswellasdiscretionarycostsintheamountof$204.00.Inmakingthese  determinations,thetrialjudgespecificallynotedthatFerrellwascredible,remarkingthat itseems  likeheshootsdownthemiddle. t   BeforethisPanel,theappellantsarguethatthesefindingsareincorrectbecauseFerrellwas @ alreadysufferingfromanarthriticconditionbeforethebackinjuryoccurred.Theypointtoa1995 &v diagnosisofFerrellbyhispersonalphysician,whofoundthatFerrellhasdegenerativearthritisinhis  \ shoulders,back,hips,andupperlegs.TheyalsopointoutthatFerrellfailedtoinformDr.Dyerof B hisarthritis,thus,Dr.Dyersmedicalopinionwasbasedonlyonconsiderationofthebackinjury. ( TheappellantsalsonotethatFerrellsuffersfromahearingcondition.    Theheartoftheappellantsargumentisthatbecauseofhisarthritisandhearingproblems,   Ferrellhaddecidedtoretirebeforehewasinjuredonthejob.Ferrellhadalreadybeguncollecting p!  informationandfillingoutthenecessarypaperworktofileaclaimunderAPACsdisabilityplan.He V"! talkedtoAPACssafetydirector,DannyZoccola,abouthisdisabilityclaim.Theappellants <#" emphasizethatFerrelladmittedhecouldnotmovearoundaseasilyasbeforebecauseofhismedical "$r# problems,andthathewasnotplanningtoworkformuchlonger.TheyarguethatsinceFerrellonly %X $ hadan8thgradeeducationandhadonlyworkedasamanuallaborer,hisdecisiontoretirewas,in %>!% effect,theendofhisworkinglife.Sincehewouldnolongerbeemployed,heshouldnotbeawarded &$"& anyvocationaldisabilitybenefits. ' #'   TheWorkersCompensationLawdirectsthat [r]eviewoffindingsoffactbythetrialcourt )$) shallbedenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectness l*%* ofthefinding,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506 R+&+ 225(e)(2).Wherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallywhereissuesof 8,', credibilityareinvolved,areviewingcourtmustgiveconsiderabledeferencetothetrialcourts  findings.SeeKellermanv.FoodLion,Inc.,929S.W.2d333,335(Tenn.1996);Humphreyv.David  Witherspoon,Inc.,734S.W.2d315(Tenn.1987). |   Vocationaldisabilityisdeterminedbyconsideringwhethertheemployeesufferedadecrease H inhisabilitytoearnaliving,notwhetherhecanreturntohisformerjob.SeeWalkerv.SaturnCorp., . ~ 986S.W.2d204,208(Tenn.1998).TheSupremeCourthasheldthatavocationaldisabilityresults  d when theemployeesabilitytoearnwagesinanyformofemploymentthatwouldhavebeen  J availabletohiminanuninjuredconditionisdiminishedbyaninjury.Id.(quotingCorcoranv.  0 FosterAutoGMC,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,459(Tenn.1988)).Inassessingtheextentofan    employeesvocationaldisability,thetrialcourtmayconsidertheemployeesskillsandtraining,    education,age,localjobopportunities,anatomicalimpairmentrating,andhiscapacitytoworkatthe   kindsofemploymentavailableinhisdisabledcondition.Id.(citingTenn.CodeAnn.506241(b)). x    ThetrialcourtfoundthatFerrellsustainedaninjurytohisbackandthatDr.Dyerplaced *z  restrictionsonhisactivitiesthatdiminishhisabilitytoworkasamanuallaborer.Theevidencealso ` establishesthatFerrellsonlyjobtrainingisasamanuallaborer.Thesefactsareclearlysupported F byapreponderanceoftheevidence,andtheappellantsdidnotofferevidencetorebutthemattrial. , Consequently,FerrellsbackinjuryiscompensableundertheWorkersCompensationLaw.    ThetrialcourtsfindingastotheextentofFerrellspermanentpartialdisabilityisalso  supportedbyapreponderanceoftheevidence.AlthoughFerrellsufferedfromdegenerativearthritis, t histestimonyattrial!whichthetrialjudgefoundcredible!clearlyindicatesthattheaccidentat Z workcausedinjurytohisbackbeyondwhatcanbeattributedtohisarthritis.Specifically,Ferrell @ testifiedthatabsenttheinjury, IcouldbeworkingparttimetowhereIcantnow.Icantdonothing &v now.Thus,theevidencesupportsthetrialcourtsfindingthatFerrellsbackinjurycausedhimto  \ sufferadecreaseinhisabilitytoearnaliving.SeeWalker,986S.W.2dat208. B   TheappellantsdonotdisputethatFerrellsustainedabackinjury,nordotheyhaveevidence  toshowthathisinjurywasactuallycausedbyarthritis.Rather,theyemphasizeFerrellsintention  !asinferredfromhisconductandtestimony!toretirebecauseofhisarthritisandhearingconditions.   Theycontendthatsincehewouldnolongerbeworking,hecouldnothavesufferedadecreaseinhis p!  abilitytoearnaliving. V"!   WerejectthisargumentandholdthatwhetherFerrellintendedtoretirebecauseofa "$r# preexistingmedicalconditionisirrelevanttotheissueofwhetherhecanreceivecompensationfor %X $ hisworkrelatedinjury.Haditnotbeenforhisinjury,FerrellmayhaveretiredinApril1998!but %>!% thenagainhemayhavedecidednottoretireatthattime.Moreover,evenifhehadretired &$"& immediately,hemayalsohavewantedtoworkparttime,orperhapshewouldhavedecidedto ' #' resumefulltimeworkafterhavingretired.Regardlessofhisintentions,thetrialcourt,after (#( examiningDr.DyersmedicalopinionandFerrellscredibility,foundthatFerrellwasforcedtostop )$) workingbecauseoftheinjurytohisback.ThetrialcourtalsofoundthatFerrellretainsapermanent l*%* partialdisabilitytohisback.Asnoted,Dr.DyerplacedvariousrestrictionsonFerrellsactivities. R+&+ Nomedicalevidencehasbeenpresentedtodisputethesefindings.Therefore,weaffirmthetrial 8,', courtsawardtoFerrellinitsentirety.    CONCLUSION | T2  Forthereasonsdiscussedabove,weaffirmthefindingsandconclusionsofthetrialcourt. b Costsofthisappealaretaxedtotheappellants. H d  ލ18Beginopinionheree         m     u ___________________________________  "          m     u FRANKF.DROWOTA,III,JUSTICE#]4XX)#     ]4]4  @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  #]4]44#X)X]4 #]4XX)5#]4]4HAROLDW._FERRELL_,SR.v._CIGNA_ԀPROPERTY&CASUALTY  INSURANCECO.,etal.#]4]45#X)X]4    @@ CircuitCourtforWarrenCounty   @@No.10077   @@*AV) ` dEY` A Z  No.M199902587_WC_ԄR3CVFiledOctober11,2000 O  AV) ` dE` A k       #]4XX)6#]4]4#]4]48#X)X]48  JUDGMENT #]4XX).9#]4]4#]4]49#X)X]4 ,   #]4XX)9#]4]4#]4]4B:#X)X]4#]4XX):#]4]4#]4]4:#X)X]4X)XXX)  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltothe  SpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsMemorandumOpinionsettingforth  itsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference. t   Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbe @ acceptedandapproved;and &v   Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadopted B andaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. (   Costswillbepaidbytheappellants,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary.    ITISSOORDERED. p!!      m     u   PERCURIAM %X %   #X)XXX)';##]4XX);#