WPCY ZOM5ij]e뤣l ƭGʝAs33iF7 R޹47Gvk;JfeM֧WFq|[z Оw". uˌDF'Tf[JwFx7]?C֞kfjg7[ byT7=0lu)3K](cW5wh—$A7 ~0 Mxn{qS>b#\ % # 0+ U.N ^  w z  4] q  m  _ %  JN 0DAEy[wwN zNN   & . 6 > FFFFFFFFFFFbNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN 0VVVV B AA 0^ D3 D-5 0Kbb AS 0 0Dj A\\IB27S11T\stats1,,,,0 (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regular̀-s  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$w%-@ \ 3|xULevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 @ RQ$      1  XIX  _Ԁ XXIԀ_Randstad_ԀStaffingandSiskinSteelstipulatedattrialthat_Randstad_Ԁwastheactualstatutoryemployerofthe  plaintiffatthetimeoftheallegedinjuryand,byagreement,_Randstad_ԀStaffingServicestookonsoleresponsibilityfor  thejudgment.#XIX #(#$  0    RQ$      3  XIX  _Ԁ XXIDr._Mastey_Ԁappearedantagonistictoquestionsfromplaintiffscounselandalsointerjectedhislegalopinion  intohistestimonybycitingacompensationdecisionbytheSupremeCourt.#XIX # o RQ$      2  XIX  _ XXIԀTheplaintifftestifiedhedidnotreturntoDr.Labradorbecausehisfingerwasswollenandinfectedandhe  didnotthinkhewasbeingproperlytreated.#XIX ~# Q RQ$      4  XIX  _ XXIԀThecourtfindsthattheplaintiffsrequestthattheamountfortheinjurybeincreasedisnotsupportedbythe  record.#XIX ~#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.wptH45678- -(|G2Q$ !.8UdXXd8         0  XX d(|3Ic$ !.8UdXXd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3Ic$ !.8UdXXd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8Mdd8     _M8IXXdd8  SM@@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL & @@ATKNOXVILLE#MS# L October9,2002Session "r XIXM #MXXI#HAROLDJ.GARTHv.SISKINSTEEL&SUPPLYCOMPANY,etal.XIXM   p @@ DirectAppealfromtheChanceryCourtforHamiltonCounty  p @@No.001363W.FrankBrown,III,Chancellor  \ FiledDecember9,2002 4  @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No.E200200090_WC_ԄR3CV   #MXXI#XIXMAV) ` dE<` A       ThisworkerscompensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkersCompensation  AppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)for v hearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Thetrial b courtfoundtheplaintiffsuffered75percentdisabilitytohisrighthandasaresultofanonthejob N injury,whichoccurredonMarch10,2000.Thedefendantsaysthetrialjudgeerredinnotfinding : theplaintiffsrecoveryfortheinjuryshouldbelimitedtothethumborthefirstphalangeofthe &v thumb.Theplaintiffsaysthetrialcourtproperlyfoundtheplaintiffsufferedanimpairmenttohis b righthandbutsaysthetrialcourtshouldhavegrantedahigheraward.Weaffirmthejudgmentof N thetrialcourt.#MXXI#XIXMԀ#MXXI #XIXM : "   Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(1999)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheChanceryCourt  Affirmed       JohnK.Byers,Sr.J.,#MXI] #XIX.Mdeliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichWilliamM.Barker,J.and   JosephM._Tipton_,Sp.J.,joined. r!  KentT.Jones,Chattanooga,Tennessee,attorneyforappellant,_Randstand_ԀStaffingServices. J#" DavidD.Moore,Chattanooga,Tennessee,attorneyforappellant,SiskinSteel&SupplyCompany. "%r $ RichardH._Winningham_,Chattanooga,Tennessee,attorneyforappellee,HaroldJ.Garth. &J"& P   MEMORANDUMOPINION #MXXI #XIXM ("$(   #MXXI^ #XIXM  Plaintiff,HaroldGarth,isahighschoolgraduatewithvocationaltrainingasabricklayer. *%* Afterservinginthemilitary,heattended_Draughon_sJuniorcollegewherehereceivedadegreeor +&+ diplomaintruckingandhaspastexperienceinbothtruckingandconstruction. ,',  n-(- _  Theundisputedevidenceshowstheplaintiffsustainedaninjurytohisrightthumborhand  onMarch10,2000whileworkingasamaterialshandlerwithSiskinSteel&SupplyCompany  throughRandstadStaffingServices. #  1           MedicalEvidence  `   Dr.DanielLabrador,Jr.,aplasticsurgeon,sawtheplaintiffattheemergencyroomonMarch 8  10,2000,shortlyafterhewasinjured.Hetestifiedthatthetipoftheplaintiffsrightthumbhadbeen $ t tornoff.Theportionofthethumbwasreattachedtotheplaintiffsthumbandtreatmentbegan.Dr.  ` LabradorsawtheplaintiffonseveraloccasionsandlastsawhimonApril3,2000.Dr.Labrador  L  deniedthattheplaintiffshandinjuryhaddevelopedgangrene.Dr.Labradorconcludedthatthe  8  plaintiffsinjuryhadhealedonApril2,2000,andtestifiedtheplaintiffsustaineda10percent $  permanentmedicalimpairmenttohisrightthumb.Dr.Labradortestifiedhewassomewhatlimited   inhisfindingbecauseMr.GarthdidnotreturnforafinalappointmentafterApril3,2000. #  2           Dr.RobertMastey,ahandandupperextremitiesspecialist,sawtheplaintiffonJuly27,2001   attherequestofthedefendantforpurposesofevaluation.Hefoundtheplaintiffhadnoboneloss p andhadnormalnervefunctioninthehand,whichwasbaseduponareviewofanEMGandCVdone \ previously.Healsofoundtheplaintiffhadlossofmotioninthethumbandlossofdigitalheight. H DrMasteydeterminedtheplaintiffhadsustaineda14percentmedicalimpairmenttotheright 4 thumb.Dr.Masteydidnotconsideralossofgripfindingbecausehefeltitwasunreliable.T #  3        p   Dr.CauleyW.Hayes,ahandsurgeon,sawtheplaintiffonApril6,2000.Hetestifiedthat H thetipoftheplaintiffsthumbhadbeenamputated(softtissue),thatthesofttissuehadbeen 4 reattachedandthatthewoundhadbecomenecroticandgangrenous.Dr.Hayesfoundtheplaintiffs   rightthumbwasnumbalmostpastthemetacarpalphalangejointandthattheplaintiffwas   experiencingswellingofthehand.Dr.Hayesopinedtheplaintiffwouldhaveapermanentpartial  medicalimpairmentof33percenttohishand,withlossofmotionand finemanipulation.     LayTestimony  l ^  Theplaintiffandotherwitnessestestifiedattrialthathisrighthandcontinuestoswell.On D! twooccasionstheplaintiffexhibitedhishandtothetrialjudgeforobservation,onceattherequest 0"  ofcounselandonceattherequestofthetrialjudge.Theonlyresponsebythejudgeonthese #l! occasionswas allright.Therewasnotestimonytorefutethetestimonyabouttheplaintiffshand  swelling.     Discussion  t   Whethertheinjurytotheplaintiffislimitedtothethumborthephalangeofthethumbor L  whetheritisproperlyproportionedtotheplaintiffsrighthandistoberesolvedbytheevidencein 8  thecaseandwhetherthepreponderanceoftheevidencesupportsthefindingofthetrialjudge. $ t   Iftheevidencepreponderatesinfavorofthedefendantsclaimtheinjuryistothethumbthen  L  theawardmustbelimitedtothethumb,Tenn.CodeAnn.506207(3)(A)(ii)(a),orifit  8  preponderatesinfavorofaninjurytothefirstphalangeofthethumbtheawardmustbetothat $  portionofthethumb,Tenn.CodeAnn.506207(3)(A)(ii)(f).If,however,theevidence   preponderatesinfavorofashowingtheinjurytotheplaintiffsthumbextendedbeyondthethumb,   theawardisproperlyapportionedtotheplaintiffsrighthand. Carneyv.SafecoIns.Co. ,745   S.W.2d868(Tenn.1988), EatonCorporationv.Quillen ,527S.W.2d74(Tenn.1975).Seealso    MetissuSuzanneDewv.ProTemp (WorkersComp.PanelNo.98LAU253,filedatKnoxville p April8,2002). \   Inreachingthejudgmentinthiscase,thetrialjudgereviewedthetestimonyofthethree 4 expertsanddeterminedthatthetestimonyofDr.Hayeswasthemostcredibleandbaseduponthis  p foundthattheplaintiffhadsustainedaninjurytohisrighthandandfixedtheawardat75percent.  \   Thetrialjudgehasthediscretiontoacceptthetestimonyofoneexpertoverthatofanother 4 orotherexperts, Kellermanv.FoodLionInc. ,929S.W.2d333(Tenn.1996),andthoughwemay   makeanindependentassessmentofthemedicalproofwhenitispresentedbydeposition,asitisthis   case, Cooperv.ICA ,884S.W.2d446(Tenn.1994),wearenotlikelytodisagreewiththefinding  ofthetrialjudgeonthemedicalevidenceunlessthereissomereasoninherentinthedepositions  themselvestoleadustoconcludeonerelieduponbythetrialjudgeisnotcredible.Wefindno  reasoninthiscasetoreachthisconclusion. l   Themedicalevidenceandthelaytestimonyinthiscaseissufficienttosupportthefinding D! ofthetrialjudgeandweaffirmthejudgment. #  4      ׀Thecostsofthisappealaretaxedtotheappellant. 0"     `    `     h     ___________________________________ %0!$    `     h     JOHNK.BYERS,SENIORJUDGE &"%   '#& MXXI@7 7 #XIXMq*#MXXIINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @ ATKNOXVILLE,TENNESSEE#XIXM*#Ԉ   MXXI  HAROLDJ.GARTHV.SISKINSTEEL&SUPPLYCOMPANY,ETAL.#XIXM+#MXXI   HamiltonCountyChanceryCourt#XIXM ,#    +@% %  %,%  % ,% ! %!,% " %"-No.001363   @"December9,2002    AV) ` dE<o` A p  @No.% # E200200090WCR3CV%#-Ԉ k  AV) ` dE<B` A C   @& JUDGMENT  > 󀀀ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferral f totheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'smemorandumOpinionsetting R forthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; >    ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthememorandumOpinionofthePanel  shouldbeacceptedandapproved;and     ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactsandconclusionsoflaware  adoptedandaffirmedandthedecisionofthePanelismadetheJudgmentoftheCourt. v    ` Thecostsonappealaretaxedtotheappellant,SiskinSteel&SupplyCompanyand N RandstadStaffingServices,anditssurety,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. : ̀%     `