ÿWPC …# VU:a %› 0û¡w@œ 4Ü ð ÿ 0J 0TQ 0^¥ 0h 0rk 0|Ý 0†Y 0ß 1uo 0däU *HB)rDC› AMÞ©+U6Ô B v~'vÓ¥ D3x 0@« AOëÆ: 0D D/D Bs˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ,c½¬AZ‹"Arial RegularX(Ó­$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal[  AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ LegalTÑÔ€XXXXÔÑ7€.íXXdðXXdð7Ñ žDŸ ¡¢E£¤D¥V¦î§Ó€Úƒç"ÔôX¼X3|x²2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d 7Border 1dd€-!Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ŸÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌò òSeptemberÏ10,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier New dPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÝ  Ý›Þ ÞÌà@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANEL̜ـ€ÙßR€"#!A1-j|` à. `€€@ÿRß›à@ àAT€KNOXVILLEó óÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌJOANN€GLOVER,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àGREENE€CIRCUITÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€œ03S01„9607„CV„00076›à àÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHON.€BEN€K.€WEXLER,ÌPHILIPS€CONSUMER€ELECTRONICSà à)à àJUDGEÌœCOMPANY,›à àà àà àà àœà à)›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌÌò òòòFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellees:ÌÌó óóóG.P.€Gabyà àà àà àà àà àà àRobert€Payne€Cave,€Sr.ÌMilligan€&€Colemanà àà àà àà àà à104€N.€College€St.ÌP.O.€Box€1060à àà àà àà àà àGreeneville,€TN€€37743ÌGreeneville,€TN€37744„1060ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÓ  ÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NÌóóó óÌò òòòÌÌMembers€of€Panel:Ìóóó óÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌœò òREVERSED€IN€PART,ó ó›Ìœò òAFFIRMED€IN€PART€and›ÌREMANDEDà àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,€Senior€JudgeÌÓÓó óà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€CourtÏof€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà àThe€plaintiff,€who€was€38€years€of€age€at€the€time€of€this€trial€and€who€has€aÏmeager€education,€testified€she€fell€over€a€fan€on€September€15€or€16,€1993€whileÏworking€for€the€defendant€and€injured€her€back.Ìà àThe€trial€judge€awarded€31%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€aÏwhole.€€We€affirm€in€part€and€reverse€in€part.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€testified€she€told€her€supervisor€at€the€time€of€the€fall€that€she€wasÏinjured.€€The€supervisor€denied€he€received€this€report.€€The€dispensary€nurse€at€theÏœplant›€notes€that€on€September€16€at€3:45€p.m.,€the€plaintiff€came€to€the€dispensaryÏand€complained€of€back€pain€which,€the€note€showed,€was€reported€to€be€the€resultÏof€a€fall€three€years€previously.€€There€is€no€indication€the€nurse€in€the€dispensaryÍreferred€the€plaintiff€to€an€approved€physician€for€treatment€or€evaluation€of€workÏinjuries.€€The€entry€shows€the€plaintiff€was€sent€home€and€ordered€to€take€Advil€forÏthe€pain.Ìà àOn€September€17,€1993,€the€plaintiff€was€seen€by€Dr.€Stanley€of€the€TakomaÏMedical€Group.€€Medicine€for€pain€and€muscle€relaxers€were€prescribed€for€theÏplaintiff.€€The€plaintiff€was€next€seen€in€March€1994€by€the€group,€then€June€13,Ï1994,€July€2,€1994,€October€4,€1994,€November€1,€1994€and€March€1995.Ìà àThe€testimony€concerning€the€plaintiffððs€treatment€and€depression€was€givenÏby€Dr.€Richard€J.€Aasheim,€a€family€practitioner.€€The€testimony€reveals€the€plaintiffÏhad€a€plethora€of€ailments,€many€attributable€to€her€general€physical€condition,Ïwhich€showed€a€person€5'2"€who€weighed€more€than€180€pounds€and€wasÏmoderately€obese.€€We€need€not€go€into€great€detail€concerning€the€overall€medicalÏfindings€concerning€the€plaintiff.€€The€pertinent€parts€of€the€doctorððs€testimony€for€theÏpurpose€of€this€case€is€his€finding€the€plaintiff€had€lower€back€pain€and€muscleÏspasm€as€a€result€of€the€fall€she€related€to€him,€with€underlying€chronic€back€painÏprior€to€the€fall.€€He€testified€that€the€fall€aggravated€and€advanced€pre„existingÏchronic€back€pain.Ìà àDr.€Aasheimððs€records€on€October€4,€1994€show€he€noted€ð ðShe€may€return€toÏfull€activities€as€needed.ðð€€Dr.€Aasheim,€in€his€testimony,€was€equivocal€about€theÏmeaning€of€this.€€At€any€rate,€Dr.€Aasheim€did€not€fix€any€medical€impairment€ratingÏas€a€result€of€his€treatment€of€the€plaintiff.Ìà àDr.€William€Kevin€Bailey,€a€specialist€in€physical€medicine,€examined€theÏplaintiff€on€November€11,€1995.Ìà àThe€crux€of€Dr.€Baileyððs€testimony€is€that€the€plaintiff€exhibited€signs€ofÏsymptom€magnification€and€malingering.€€Dr.€Bailey€found€the€plaintiff€sufferedÏsome€early€disc€degeneration€but€found€she€had€not€suffered€any€permanentÏimpairment€as€a€result€of€the€fall.Ìà àThe€defendant€raises€the€following€issues€on€appeal:Ìà à1)€€Whether€the€plaintiff€provided€her€employer€with€adequate€notice€of€herÏwork€injury€within€30€days€of€its€occurrence.Ìà à2)€€Whether€the€trial€court€erred€in€awarding€recovery€for€medical€expensesÏincurred€prior€to€the€date€of€the€work„related€accident€and€injury€and€for€awardingÏmedical€expenses€incurred€after€the€date€of€the€work„related€injury€but€which€wereÏnot€related€to€that€injury.Ìà à3)€€Whether€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€courtððs€award€ofÏpermanent€disability€benefits.Ìà àWe€reverse€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€so€far€as€the€judgment€finds€theÏplaintiff€entitled€to€be€compensated€for€permanent€partial€disability.Ìà àThere€was€conflicting€testimony€as€to€whether€the€plaintiff€gave€adequateÏnotice€of€her€accidental€injury€as€required€by€T.C.A.€ðð€œ50„6„201.›€€€The€plaintiffÏtestified€she€gave€notice€of€the€accident€to€her€supervisor€at€the€time€it€occurred.€ÏThe€supervisor€testified€the€plaintiff€did€not€give€notice.€€The€companyððs€dispensaryÏrecords€show€the€plaintiff€reported€to€the€dispensary€on€September€16,€1993.€€TheÏentry€on€those€records€did€not€record€a€report€the€plaintiff€had€fallen€over€a€fan.€€TheÏplaintiff€testified€she€told€the€nurse€in€the€dispensary€she€had€fallen€as€she€claims€inÏthis€case.€€On€September€23,€1993,€Dr.€Walter€C.€Chapman,€an€approved€physicianÍof€the€defendant,€wrote€a€report€or€letter€to€the€defendant€informing€them€that€plaintiffÏhad€fallen€over€a€fan€some€four€or€five€weeks€prior€to€September€23,€1993.Ìà àBased€upon€the€oral€testimony€and€the€records€introduced€into€the€case,€theÏtrial€judge€found€sufficient€notice€of€the€accident€had€been€given€to€satisfy€the€noticeÏrequirements€of€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„201.€€The€evidence€in€the€record€does€notÏpreponderate€against€this€finding.Ìà àThe€defendant€contests€the€award€of€five€separate€medical€bills€for€theÏplaintiff€by€the€trial€court.€€Three€of€these€bills€were€incurred€prior€to€the€accident€inÏthis€case.€€Two€were€incurred€as€a€result€of€a€visit€to€the€hospital€emergency€roomÏfor€treatment€of€anxiety.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€concedes€the€award€of€medical€expenses€prior€to€the€injury€wasÏerroneous.€€We€reverse€that€portion€of€the€judgment€which€ordered€payment€ofÏthese€expenses.Ìà àAs€to€the€medical€expenses€which€the€defendant€says€are€for€visits€to€theÏemergency€room€for€anxiety,€the€defendant€makes€only€a€general€denial€ofÏresponsibility€for€these€expenses.€€Instead€of€pointing€us€to€a€page€in€Dr.€AasheimððsÏdeposition€or€otherwise€delineating€why€they€should€not€be€paid,€the€defendantÏmerely€states,€ð ðSee€Dr.€Aasheimððs€deposition.ðð€€We€have€read€the€deposition€butÏare€not€inclined€to€support€the€defendantððs€claim€where€they€have€failed€toÏdefinitively€address€why€these€are€not€payable.€€We€thus€œaffirm›€the€holding€of€theÏtrial€judge€on€these€expenses.Ìà àDr.€Aasheim€made€no€finding€of€a€percentage€of€medical€impairment€of€theÏœplaintiff›€in€this€case.€€We€find€his€deposition€to€be€somewhat€short€of€certainty€onÍwhether€the€plaintiff€suffered€any€permanent€injury.€€Dr.€Bailey€found€the€plaintiffÏsuffered€no€permanent€impairment€as€a€result€of€the€injury.Ìà àTo€support€an€award€of€permanent€disability,€there€must€be€medical€evidenceÏto€show€a€permanent€impairment€exists€unless€the€impairment€is€obvious,€òòJohnsonÏv.€Midwesco,€Inc.óó,€801€S.W.2d€804,€806€(Tenn.€1990),€nor€can€an€award€be€basedÏupon€speculative€medical€evidence.€€òòSingleton€v.€Procon€Products,€óó788€S.W.2d€809Ï(Tenn.€1990).Ìà àThe€plaintiff€has€the€burden€of€proving€all€of€the€essential€elements€of€herÏcase,€œòòWhite€v.›€Werthan€Industries,€óó824€S.W.2d€158,€159€(Tenn.€1992).€€ThisÏincludes€showing€she€has€sustained€a€permanent€vocational€disability€as€a€result€ofÏan€industrial€accident.Ìà àWe€find€the€plaintiff€has€failed€to€œprove€permaennt€disability€and›€find€from€anÏin„depth€review€of€the€case€that€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€finding€ofÏthe€trial€judge€that€the€plaintiff€sustained€a€31%€permanent€partial€disability€to€theÏbody€as€a€whole€as€a€result€of€her€injury.€€òòSee€óóT.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).Ìà àWe,€therefore,€reverse€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€so€far€as€it€holds€theÏplaintiff€is€entitled€to€recover€for€a€permanent€impairment.€€We€further€reverse€theÏjudgment€so€far€as€it€awarded€medical€expenses€incurred€before€the€injury.€€WeÏaffirm€the€award€of€all€other€medical€expenses.Ìà àThe€cost€of€this€appeal€is€taxed€equally€to€the€plaintiff€and€the€defendant.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€JusticeÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€œJudgeÇÔ€&Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÌJOANN€GLOVER,€à àà à€€€€à àà à)à àGreene€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff„Appellant,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌV.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€03„S„01„9607„CV„00076Ô€$ÔÌÔ€Ôà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌPHILIPS€CONSUMER€ELECTRONICS€à à)à àHon.€Ben€K.€Wexler,€JudgeÌCOMPANY,€€€€à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAffirmed€in€part;€reversed€in€part;€Ìà àDefendant„Appellee.à àà àà à)à àand€remanded.ÌÔ€$ÔÌÌÔ€Ôà@ àòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌÌÓÖÓÓ  Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€review€pursuant€to€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€itsÏfindings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;ÌÌà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€not€well„takenÏand€should€be€denied;€andÌÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€lawÏare€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÌà àà àCosts€are€taxed€equally€to€the€plaintiff€and€the€defendant.ÌÌà àà àIt€is€so€ordered€this€_____€day€of€_____________,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌAnderson,€C.J.,€not€participatingÔ€$Ôà@ àÔ€ÔÌÔ€XÔ›