ÿWPCa 3U:Ú %n­* 0‚×Yw@Y4™U<­ 0Jé 0T3 0^‡ 0hå 0rM 0|¿ 0†; 0Á 1uQ 0dÆ AQ* Æ{ 0DA 0@… 0DÅ U6 D/? Bn B‹ D3¨ B)Û DC AMG U*” v¾ f4všv~vÓŽ<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x[«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXôxþ6X@É“8Ç;X@(Z°l$¡¡Ó$ÿÿp°(#°œX$ÓѸ °ÑÑ°ÑÒ°ÒÓ  Ó @UABDCDDEÓ€OP QÓ€[ÏeH#æ.èB' Z‹$Arrus BT Roman2 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!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Courier New(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d****7Border 1dd!#+Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial lÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€%ÔÓ` p°(#ÓÑ ¸ ÑÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ! ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€-ÔÔ€-ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€-XÔÌÌOcto…ber€21,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppel…lateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ lÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€%ÔÓ` p°(#ÓÑ ¸ ÑÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ! ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€-ÔÔ€-ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€-XÔÌÌOcto…ber€21,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppel…lateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€%ÔÓ` p°(#ÓÑ ¸ ÑÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€¢wXXdÈdÈ7ÑÞ ÞÌà àà ààHô ô °àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÙ€!ÙßR€,.+A1-j|öÿy` á `€€@ÿRßà àà ààH| | °àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€PANELÌà àà ààHàà$°àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌALMA€JEAN€GRAYSON€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€DAVIDSONÏCHANCERYÌV.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€Hon.€Robert€S.ÏBrandtÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€ChancellorÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌHEALTHTRUST,€INC.„€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€NO.€01S01„9607„CH„00153ÌTHE€HOSPITAL€COMPANY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìà à€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellee€€€€)ó óÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ` p°P(#ÓÌÌòòFor€the€Appellant:óóà àà àòòFor€the€AppelleeÌóóAnn€Buntin€Steinerà àà àW.€Reese€Willis,€IIIÌSteiner€&€Steinerà àà àWillis€&€KnightÌ214€Second€Avenue€Northà àà à215€Second€AvenueÏNorthÌSuite€203à àà àNashville,€TN€37201ÌNashville,€TN€37201„1644€ÌÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ò òà@ àMEMORANDUM€OPINION€ÌÌÌà àà ààH´´"°àòòMembers€of€Panel:óóÌà àà ààH| | °àChief€Justice€Adolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.Ìà àà ààHô ô °àSenior€Judge€James€L.€WeatherfordÌà àà ààHl l °àSpecial€Judge€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.ÌÌÌÌÌÌREVERSEDó ó€ò òANDÌREMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€WEATHERFORD,ÏSenior€JudgeÌÑ ` ÑÑ ° ÑÓÓó óà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeal€Panel€of€the€Supreme€CourtÏin€accordance€with€TENN.€CODE€ANN.€Section€50„6„225€(e)€(3)€forÏhearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€factÏand€conclusions€of€law.Ìà àPlaintiff€Alma€Jean€Grayson,€has€appealed€from€the€actionÏof€the€trial€court€in€dismissing€her€claim€for€failure€to€giveÏtimely€notice€as€required€by€TENN.€CODE€ANN.€Section€50„6„201Ïand€50„6„202.Ìà àPlaintiff,€55€at€the€time€of€the€trial,€has€a€seventhÏgrade€education.€€She€completed€the€seventh€grade€at€the€age€ofÏ17.€€ÌHer€grades€were€poor€and€she€flunked€"about€all"€of€herÏcourses.ÌHer€reading€level€was€about€the€first€or€second€grade€level€and€Ïbasically€she€cannot€read.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€began€working€for€the€defendant,€NashvilleÏMemorial€Hospital,€in€September,€1991,€as€a€cleaning€aide.€€HerÏduties€as€a€cleaning€aide€were€to€clean€the€doctor's€offices,Ïsuch€as€going€in€and€picking€up€trash,€dusting€desks,€cleaningÏtreatment€rooms,€picking€up€all€of€the€trash,€cleaning€theÏsinks,€commodes,€high€dusting,€cleaning€baseboards,€vacuuming,Ïdust€mopping€and€mopping€all€of€the€treatment€rooms.€€This€workÏrequired€constant€repetitive€use€of€her€hands.Ìà àPrior€to€going€to€work€for€the€defendant,€plaintiff€hadÏworked,€caring€for€an€elderly€man€for€about€two€years.€€ThisÏwas€after€she€left€school€in€the€seventh€grade€in€1957.€ÏPlaintiff€married€in€1959,€had€five€children,€and€did€not€workÏduring€the€time€she€was€raising€her€children.€€Plaintiff'sÏhusband€got€sick€with€cancer€and€she€took€care€of€him€until€heÏdied€sometime€in€the€80's.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€worked€for€Holiday€Inn€and€performed€other€maidÏwork€at€various€hotels,€also€worked€for€her€sister€cleaning€herÏhouse.Ìà àWhile€working€for€the€defendant,€plaintiff€began€toÏdevelop€problems€with€her€hands€in€the€last€part€of€1992.€€SheÍtold€Tony€Owen,€her€supervisor,€that€the€work€she€was€doing,Ïlike€mopping€and€dusting€and€cleaning€the€sink,€was€hurting€herÏhands€and€arms.€€Mr.€Owen€denied€that€he€knew€that€plaintiffÏwas€having€a€problem€with€her€hands€that€may€have€been€workÏrelated.€€He€stated,€however,€that€if€an€employee€came€to€himÏand€said,€"I've€got€carpal€tunnel",€it€would€have€been€his€dutyÏto€file€an€incident€report€even€though€the€employee€did€notÏclaim€that€the€condition€was€work€related.€€€Mr.€Owen€furtherÏstated€that€if€an€employee€had€come€in€with€braces€on€theirÏhands,€that€would€have€put€him€on€notice€that€there€was€aÏproblem€and€that€he€would€have€filed€notice.Ìà àIn€the€fall€of€1993,€Lenore€Honeycutt€became€plaintiff'sÏsupervisor.€€Ms.€Honeycutt€knew€that€plaintiff€was€havingÏproblems€with€her€hands€and€knew€that€the€doctor€thought€thatÏshe€was€suffering€from€bilateral€carpal€tunnel€syndrome.€€Ms.ÏHoneycutt€knew€that€plaintiff€was€wearing€something€on€herÏhands€for€this€condition,€knew€she€was€having€problems€and€knewÏthe€condition€was€worse€near€the€end€of€the€night.€€Ms.ÏHoneycutt€did€not€file€a€notice€of€injury€stating€that€this€wasÏa€gradual€injury€and€that€she€didn't€do€anything€for€a€gradualÏinjury.Ì€€à à€Plaintiff€saw€Dr.€Robert€Pilkinton€because€of€the€pain€inÏher€hands€and€arms.€€Dr.€Pilkinton€sent€plaintiff€to€Dr.ÍCushman€who€performed€tests€and€diagnosed€carpal€tunnel€inÏplaintiff's€left€and€right€hands.€€Plaintiff€then€was€referredÏto€Dr.€Huber.ÌDr.€Huber€advised€plaintiff€to€have€surgery.€€Plaintiff€decidedÏagainst€surgery€because€as€she€stated,€"I€didn't€have„„„„IÏcouldn't€lay€out€of€work€because€I€didn't€have€no€other€incomeÏcoming€in."€€She€continued€to€wear€braces€on€her€arms€andÏdiscussed€with€her€supervisors€about€how€her€work€affected€herÏhand€and€arms.Ìà àThe€only€experience€plaintiff€had€withÏworkers'compensation€during€this€time€was€a€"needle€stick".€SheÏsaw€a€€house€nurse€one€time.€€The€plaintiff€thought€an€EmployeeÏOccurrence€Report€was€filed,€but€she€never€stated€that€this€wasÏa€workers'€compensation€claim€or€this€was€a€work€relatedÏinjury.Ìà àIn€July€of€1994,€plaintiff€saw€Dr.€Robert€Collins.€€ThisÏwas€about€14€months€after€she€had€seen€Dr.€Huber.€€During€thisÏperiod€of€time,€she€was€working€full€time€as€a€cleaning€aideÏwith€the€defendant,€and€her€symptoms€were€worsening.Ìà àOn€July€14,€1994,€Dr.€Collins€diagnosed€plaintiff€withÏbilateral€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€including€multiple€areas€ofÏsymptoms€in€her€left€arm.€€Dr.€Collins€referred€plaintiff€forÏan€EMG€which€indicated€"advanced€changes"€in€plaintiff's€medianÍnerve€in€the€left€forearm€and€wrist.Ìà àOn€the€22nd€day€of€August,€1994,€plaintiff€went€in€for€herÏannual€physical€with€Nurse€McKinney€at€Nashville€MemorialÏHospital€and€informed€Nurse€McKinney€that€she€was€sufferingÏfrom€carpal€tunnel€syndrome.€€She€informed€Nurse€McKinney€thatÏthe€work€that€she€did€would€make€her€arms€worse,€"like€moppingÏand€dusting€and€stuff".Ìà àDr.€Collins€performed€surgery€on€September€28,€1994.€€ÏPlaintiff€worked€up€until€the€time€of€her€surgery.Ìà àAn€injured€employee€must€generally€provide€an€employerÏwith€written€notice€of€injury€within€thirty€days€of€the€injury,Ìunless€reasonable€excuse€exists€for€not€complying€with€theÏrule.ÌTENN.€CODE€ANN.€Sec.€50„6„201.Ìà àThis€panel€must,€therefore,€determine€whether€or€not€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€court's€finding€thatÏplaintiff€failed€to€give€notice€of€her€work„related€injury€toÏher€employer€as€required€by€TENN.€CODE€ANN.€Sec.€50„6„201€and€ÌSec.€50„6„202,€and€if€there€exists€a€reasonable€excuse€for€notÏcomplying€with€the€rule.Ìà àThe€Supreme€Court€has€held€that€the€carpal€tunnel€syndromeÏcondition€is€a€gradual€injury,€and€that€the€accidental€injuryÏoccurred€on€the€date€the€employer's€condition€was€sufficientlyÍsevere€to€prevent€the€employee€from€working.€€Barker€v.€Home„Crest€Corp.,€805€SW2d€373,€374€(Tenn.€1991).€€Also€see€BrownÏShoe€Company€v.€Reed,€350€SW2d€65€(Tenn.€1961).€€€€Ìà àDefendant€argues€plaintiff's€delay€of€over€two€yearsÏbefore€providing€notice€was€not€reasonable€and€justified€whereÏplaintiff€was€diagnosed€with€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€inÏNovember,€1992.Ìà àThe€date€of€injury€in€this€case€was€September,€1994,€underÏthe€holding€of€Barker€v.€Home„Crest€Corp.,€805€SW2d€373€(Tenn.Ï1991).€€Defendant's€argument€that€plaintiff€should€have€givenÏnotice€when€she€was€diagnosed€with€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€inÏNovember,€1992,€would€in€effect,€require€the€injured€worker€toÏgive€notice€of€an€injury€before€the€injury€occurred.Ìà àDuring€this€time,€plaintiff€constantly€discussed€with€herÏsupervisors€about€how€her€hands€and€arms€hurt€especially€nearÏthe€end€of€a€work€day.€€Her€supervisors€saw€plaintiff€wearingÏbraces€on€her€arms.€€Also,€the€plaintiff€told€Nurse€McKinneyÏabout€a€month€before€her€surgery€that€she€had€carpal€tunnelÏsyndrome€and€that€her€work€made€her€arms€worse.Ìà àIn€this€case,€it€can€be€reasonably€concluded€that€theÏemployer€had€actual€knowledge€of€plaintiff's€condition€and€asÏmuch€knowledge€of€the€nature€of€the€injury€as€did€theÏplaintiff.ÌDuring€the€time€Ms.€Honeycutt€was€plaintiff's€supervisor,€theÏplaintiff's€condition€was€discussed€almost€every€night.Ìà àA€condition€which€justifies€the€delay€in€asserting€aÏcompensable€claim€is€the€employee's€limited€understanding€ofÏher€condition€and€her€rights€and€duties€under€the€worker'sÏcompensation€law.€€Livingston€v.€Shelby€Williams,€Inc.€811€SW2dÌ511€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àThe€record€in€this€case€reflects€that€the€plaintiff€cannotÏread€or€write€or€reads€at€the€second€grade€level€at€the€most.€ÏShe€is€functionally€illiterate.€€She€has€difficulty€inÏremembering€dates€and€difficulty€in€communicating.Ìà àThe€trial€judge€was€obviously€concerned€aboutÏdiscrepancies€in€the€information€furnished€by€the€plaintiff,€Ïin€her€interrogatories,€and€her€testimony€at€trial.€€There€wereÏmisrepresentations,€however,€the€trial€judge€did€not€find€theseÏmisrepresentations€to€be€intentional.Ìà àFrom€the€record€in€this€case,€it€is€obvious€that€theÏplaintiff€was€totally€ignorant€of€the€Workers'€CompensationÏLaw.€€A€glaring€example€of€this€is€when€she€was€asked€why€sheÏdid€not€agree€for€Dr.€Huber€to€do€surgery€in€1993,€she€stated,Ï"Because€I€didn't€have€„„„„€I€couldn't€lay€out€of€work€becauseÏI€didn't€have€no€other€income€coming€in."Ìà àTherefore,€we€find€and€hold€that€plaintiff€was€sufferingÍfrom€carpal€tunnel€syndrome,€a€gradual€injury,€due€toÏrepetitive€€work„related€movements€in€her€hands€and€arms€fromÏ1992„1994;€that€she€never€became€disabled€to€work€until€1994€atÏwhich€time€the€accidental€injury€is€considered€to€haveÏoccurred.€€The€defendant€employer,€had€notice€of€this€injuryÏthrough€the€plaintiff's€supervisors€and€nurse.Ìà àTherefore,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€reversed.Ìà àWe€do€not€find€the€record€in€this€case€sufficient€toÏdetermine€the€extent€of€plaintiff's€permanent€disability;€andÏtherefore€remand€this€case€to€the€trial€court€for€the€purposeÏof€determining€the€extent€of€plaintiff's€permanent€disabilityÏand€for€any€further€proceedings€necessary.€€Costs€of€thisÏappeal€are€taxed€to€the€appellee,€HealthTrust,€Inc.„„„TheÏHospital€Company,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÌà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€James€L.€Weatherford,€Senior€JudgeÌÌò òCONCUR:ÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ó óóó€€Ìò òAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.€,€Chief€JusticeÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€Judge€€Ìó óÌÑ€/ÑÇÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÓÓÔ€ Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌALMA€JEAN€GRAYSON,à à)à àDAVIDSON€CHANCERYÌà àà à)à àNo.€€95„700„III€BelowÌà àAppellant,à à)Ìà àà à)à àHon.€Robert€S.€Brandt,€ÌßJ€,0;+'b|äý` á `€@ÿJßv.à àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà à)€à àÌHEALTHTRUST,€INC.,€€€€€€€€à à)à àà àÌTHE€HOSPITAL€COMPANY,à à)à àNo.€€01S01„9607„CH„00153Ìà àà à)Ìà àAppellee,à à)à àREVERSED€ANDÏREMANDED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌÓ` p¸ P(#Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€review€pursuant€toÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€the€orderÏof€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€theÏPanel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àà àÌà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€isÏnot€well„taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àà àÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€ò òÌó óà àà àÌà àà àCosts€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellee.Ìà àà àÌÌà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€21st€day€of€October,€1997.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌBirch,€J.€€„€Not€participating.Ô€%Ô