ÿWPC? …# VUNa %¯ 0(µw@Ý4 1 @ ÆH Æ ÆÔ Æš 0J` 0Tª 0^þ 0h\ 0rÄ 0|6 0†² 08 1uÈ 0d=U>¡B)ß BDC% AMhU *µêß D3É üv~  0@‡vÓÇ AOšÆé 0D¯ D/ó B"˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ ghiPjÓ€vwVxîyÓ€…†j„"3|x†Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 52 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% Line 7 d d$$$$7Border 1dd€-&Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial àÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÔ€(ÔÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€(XÔÌÌò òApril€17,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€(ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó%%%%'ÿÿdxd Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÔ€(ÔÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€(XÔÌÌò òApril€17,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€(ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHøHÿöÿòV,(ühhØ hd'0ÿÎÿºF ® ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  eskto Geneva ÒÒ  eskto Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÔ€#¼ÔÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›à@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ à(February€6,€1997€Session)ÌÌÌÓ ` Ü›XÓANITA€œGARDNER,à àà àà à)à àDYER›€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àœPlaintiff„Appellee,à àà àà à)à àHon.›€Joe€G.€Riley,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVs.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€02S01„9609„CH„00081ÌÙ€€ÙœßL€')&;+'h|‰ÿ` Å `€€Lß›à àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌWORLD€COLOR€PRESS,€INC.,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àœDefendant„Appellant.›à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:à àà àà àà àà àòòFor€Appelleeóó:ÌÌMr.€R.€Lee€Moore,€Jr.à àà àà àà àMr.€George€L.€Morrison,€IIIÌFarmer,€Moore,€Jones,à àà àà àà àœAttorney„at„LawÌ€€€Hamilton€&€Layà àà àà àà àà àP.›€O.€Box€œ182›ÌœP.›€O.€Box€œ763à àà àà àà àà àJackson,€TN€38302›ÌDyersburg,€TN€38025„0763à àÌœÌÌÌ›ÌÌà@ àòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌÌà@ àMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌà@ àLyle€Reid,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌà@ àJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌà@ àLeonard€W.€Martin,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€Martin,€JudgeÌÌÌÌÌÌœÌÑ7€…?XXdìXXdì7Ñ›à àà àà àà à€€€ÌÌòòà@ àMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÓ  ÓÌÓ€Óà àà àóóThis€workersðð€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkersðð€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225€(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€theÏSupreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà àà àThe€issue€presented€is€whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€finding€thatÏthe€plaintiff€sustained€œa€20›€œper€cent›€œ(20%)€permanent›€partial€disability€to€bothÏarms.ÌÌà àà àThe€standard€of€review€is€ò òde€novoó ó€upon€the€record€of€the€trialÏcourt,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€finding,€unless€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.€œR.›€App.€P.€13(d);€T.C.A.ÏSection€50„6„225(e)(2).ÌÌà àà àThe€panel€finds€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€theÏfinding€of€the€trial€court€and€concludes€that€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€shouldÏbe€œaffirmed.ÌÌà àà àThe›€employee,€Anita€Gardner,€is€thirty€(30)€years€old€and€has€a€tenthÏ(10th)€grade€education.€€She€has€obtained€her€GED€and€is€currently€enrolled€inÏDyersburg€State€Community€College€œintending›€to€become€a€nurse.€€She€hasÏworked€for€McDonalds€Restaurant,€Taco€Casa€Restaurant,€Roseoco€Gas€StationÏand€Doubleday€Book€Company.€€She€went€to€work€for€World€Color€Press,€Inc.,Ïin€1987.€€World€Color€Press€prints,€assembles€and€ships€magazines.€€DuringÏmuch€of€her€employment,€she€worked€twelve€(12)€hours€per€day,€seven€(7)€days€aÏweek.€€Her€duties€involved€the€use€of€her€œhands›€and€wrists€in€a€constant,€fastÏpaced,€repetitive€manner€for€long€periods€of€time.ÌÌà àà àIn€May€of€1994,€œthe›€plaintiff€injured€her€left€wrist€(she€is€leftÏhanded),€while€using€a€manual€banding€device€in€the€shipping€department.€€InÏAugust€of€1994,€she€began€having€trouble€with€her€right€wrist€while€working€inÏthe€quality€control€department.€€Due€to€her€previous€problem€with€her€left€wrist,Ïshe€was€favoring€it€and€primarily€using€her€right€hand€in€a€repetitive€manner.€€InÏFebruary€1995,€she€aggravated€or€reinjured€her€left€wrist€while€straightening€aÏdock€plate.€€Since€early€1994,€she€has€been€seen€by€a€number€of€doctors.€€HerÏprimary€treating€physician€was€Doctor€Michael€Heck,€an€œorthopaedic›€surgeon,Ïwhom€she€first€saw€on€July€20,€1994.€€Doctor€Ronald€Bingham€performed€nerveÏconduction€studies.€€Doctor€Lowell€Stonecipher,€an€œorthopaedic›€surgeon,€saw€herÏfor€evaluation.€€Doctor€William€Bourland,€an€œorthopaedic›€surgeon,€saw€her€forÏevaluation€in€connection€with€the€dock€plate€injury.€€Doctor€Carl€Huff,€anÏœorthopaedic›€physician,€saw€her€on€three€œ(3)€occasions,›€and€Doctor€Joseph€Boals,ÏIII,€an€œorthopaedic›€surgeon,€saw€her€for€evaluation.€€While€recognizing€that€herÏsubjective€complaints€were€œcarpal›€tunnel€syndrome€complaints,€the€doctors,€forÏlack€of€objective€findings,€concluded€that€she€had€no€impairment.€€Doctor€Boals,Ïto€whom€she€had€been€referred€by€plaintiffððs€attorney,€œdiagnosed›€her€as€havingÍcarpal€tunnel€syndrome,€chronic.€€Doctor€Boals€was€of€the€opinion€that€she€had€aÏpermanent€physical€impairment€of€€œ10›€œper€cent€(10%)€to€both€hands€and›€that€sheÏshould€avoid€repetitive€work€if€at€all€possible.€€He€also€felt€that€the€cause€was€theÏwork€done€at€World€Color€Press€over€a€period€of€eight€(8)€years,€doingÏrepetitive€work€with€both€hands.€€From€all€of€the€material€evidence€and€theÏtestimony€of€the€plaintiff,€the€trial€judge€awarded€the€plaintiff€œ20›€œper€cent›€œ(20%)Ïpermanent›€partial€vocational€disability€to€both€arms.ÌÌà àà àThe€trial€judge€may,€when€there€is€a€difference€in€opinion€betweenÏmedical€experts,€accept€the€opinion€of€one€or€more€over€the€opinion€of€anotherÏor€others.€€ò òòòJohnson€v.€œMidwesco›,€Inc.óó,€801€œS.W.2d›€804€(Tenn.€1990).€Ïó óWhen€the€medical€testimony€is€presented€by€deposition€this€Court€is€able€to€makeÏits€own€independent€assessment€of€the€medical€proof€to€determine€where€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€ò òòòLanders€v.€Firemanððs€Fund€œIns›.€Co.óó,Ï775€œS.W.›€œ2d›€355,€356€(Tenn.€1989).ó óÌÌà àà àWhere€the€issue€for€decision€depends€on€the€determination€of€theÏcredibility€of€witnesses,€the€trial€court€is€the€best€judge€of€their€credibility€and€itsÏfindings€of€credibility€are€entitled€to€œgreat›€weight.€€This€is€true€because€the€trialÏcourt€alone€has€the€opportunity€to€observe€the€appearance€and€demeanor€ofÏwitnesses.€€òòò òTenn„Tex€Properties€v.€œBrownell›„œElectro›,€Inc.óó,€778€œS.W.2d›Ï423ó ó.ÌÌà àà àIn€this€case,€the€plaintiffððs€work€duties€have€involved€œfast›€paced,Ïrepetitive€motions€of€the€hands€and€wrists€for€long€œperiods›€of€time.€€TheÏplaintiffððs€subjective€complaints€are€classic€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€complaints.€ÏThe€trial€court€found€the€plaintiff€to€be€ð ðquite€credibleðð.€€The€trial€court€chose€toÍrely€upon€Doctor€Boalsðð€in€finding€that€the€plaintiff€does€indeed€have€a€permanentÏpartial€injury.€€If€the€plaintiff€is€credible,€then€certainly€Doctor€Boalsðð€opinionÏmakes€more€sense€than€that€of€the€other€doctors.ÌÌà àà àThe€trial€court€awarded€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€on€theÏbasis€of€œ€20›€œper€cent›€œ(20%)€to›€both€arms,€finding€that€the€plaintiff€has€severalÏpossible€job€skills,€which€make€her€more€readily€adaptable€to€the€job€market€andÏfinding€her€degree€of€disability€to€be€less€than€a€person€who€would€not€have€thoseÏjob€skills.€€Once€the€causation€and€permanency€of€an€injury€have€been€establishedÏby€expert€testimony,€the€trial€judge€may€consider€many€pertinent€factorsÏincluding€age,€job€skills,€education,€training,€duration€of€disability,€and€jobÏopportunities€for€the€disabled,€in€addition€to€anatomical€impairment,€for€theÏpurpose€of€evaluating€the€extent€of€a€claimantððs€permanent€disability.€€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€Section€50„6„241(a)(2).ÌÌà àà àWe€are€unable€to€find€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€theÏfindings€of€the€trial€court€and€the€judgment€is€therefore€affirmed.ÌÌÓÓà àà àCosts€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€œappellant.›ÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà ààHMM*àóó€€€€€€€à àLeonard€W.€Martin,€JudgeÌœÌCONCUR:›ÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóLyle€Reid,€Associate€JusticeÌœÌòò›€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€œJudgeÇÑ ` ÑÔ€(Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÔ€(XÔÌÌÌÓ#` p…X LÐ X#ÓANITA€GARDNER,à àà àà à)à àDYER€CHANCERYÌÓ#` p` LÐ X#Óà à)à àNO.€94„511ÌÓ` p` ¸ ’XÓà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à à)à àÌÓ#` p` ¸ LÐ X#Óà àà à)à àHon.€Joe€G.€Riley,Ìvs.à àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà à)ÌWORLD€COLOR€PRESS,€INC.,à à)à àNO.€02S01„9609„CH„00081ÌßJ€'+;+'b|î` Å `€@ÿJßà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€(¼ÔJUDGMENT€ORDERÔ€(XÔÌÌÓÓÌÓ` p`  ’XÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€the€orderÏof€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€of€theÏPanel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€ofÏthe€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Appellant,€and€surety,€for€which€execution€mayÏissue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€17th€day€of€April,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌ(Reid,€J.,€not€participating)ÌÌÌÌÔ€#ÔÔ€#¼Ô›