WPC OctW: es%MaKZseSs1溌Dgc(?/Ά]ly,6j{@ɉ@Q)ڃJk,R{سLE&q UT췲tT!@T_Dl/_/nu0~]"­R3lgcTŽFYS"yW QgquG.de Ӌ{nͭýc6_0?\C\uGPw8ueIw!264'{-ZAU:z݁rݡvO Mb %\^ b 0nU/NwD4H\ zk m U N #   s9NN U@ EKU:MMMM 0Db 0 B  0 D3 D- 0K AS*} 0C 0D A+/ (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularX2/xRDPE~13|x C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptU(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularHP LaserJet 4000 Series PCL6V,,,,V0Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 (9 Z(Times New Roman ,cAZ"Arial Regular(#$  0  - -(|G2j$ !..8dd8         0  X+X d(|30$ !..8dd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|30$ !..8dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8dd8     _8+XXdd8  /N@@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL # @@ATNASHVILLE#/N# F June10,2003Session i X+X #XX+#WILLIEJEANHEADv.NISSANMOTORMANUFACTURING  b CORPORATION,U.S.A.,etal.X+X  # s  DirectAppealfromtheChanceryCourtforDavidsonCounty  m @@No.001798IIICarolL.McCoy,Chancellor W  @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No.M20021908_WC_ԄR3CVMailedSeptember25,2003   #XX+#X+XFiledDecember18,2003   AV) ` dE<` A       Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppeals  PaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingand s reportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Inthisappeal,#XX+#X+XԀthe#XX+#X+X \ employeeinsiststhetrialcourterredindisallowingbenefitsforaleftshoulderinjuryforfailureto E givetimelywrittennotice.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcludedtheevidencefailsto .~ preponderateagainstthefindingsofthetrialcourt. g R   Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2002Supp.)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheChancery 9 CourtAffirmed  #     #X+ #X+X.JoeC.Loser,Sp.J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichFrankF._Drowota_,III,C.J.,and  FrankG.Clement,Jr.,Sp.J.,joined.  WilliamL.UnderhillandAubreyT.Givens,Madison,Tennessee,fortheappellant,WillieJean a  Head J!  KennethM._Switzer_ԀandKitty_Boyte_,Ruth,Howard,Tate&_Sowell_,Nashville,Tennessee,forthe #l" appelleesNissanMotorManufacturingCorporation,U.S.A.andRoyaland_SunAlliance_ԀInsurance $U# Company $> $ @   MEMORANDUMOPINION #XX+o #X+X &"&   #XX+ #X+X  Theemployeeorclaimant,Ms.Head,initiatedthiscivilactiontorecoverworkers (#( compensationbenefitsforinjuriestoherrightarmandbothshoulders.Followingtrial,thetrial |)$) courtawardedmedicalanddisabilitybenefitsfortherightarmandshoulder,butdisallowedbenefits e*%* fortheleftshoulderinjurybecausetheemployeefailedtogivetimelywrittennoticeasrequiredby N+&+ Tenn.CodeAnn.506201.Theemployeehasappealedcontendingshedidgivetimelynotice. 7,', Thustheissuetobereviewedisthetrialcourtsfindingwithrespecttonotice.  -p(- _ԇ  Appellatereviewisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumption  ofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.  CodeAnn.506225(e)(2).Thistribunalisnotboundbythetrialcourt'sfindingsbutinstead  conductsanindependentexaminationoftherecordtodeterminewherethepreponderancelies. k Gallowayv.MemphisDrumServ.,822S.W.2d584,586(Tenn.1991). X)XXX+Conclusionsoflaware T subjecttodenovoreviewonappealwithoutanypresumptionofcorrectness.#X+XX X)_#ԀNuttv.Champion =  Intern.Corp.,980S.W.2d365,367(Tenn.1998). & v   Theclaimantisfiftytwoyearsoldwithageneralequivalencydiploma.Shehasbeena  H productionworkerforNissansince1985.Fromrepetitiveuseofthehands,shegraduallydeveloped  1  disablingpaininbothhands,armsandshoulders,beginninginMay1999.Shecontinuedworking    withpainuntilJanuary13,2000,whenarthroscopicsurgerywasperformedonherrightshoulder.      X)XXX+Immediatelyupontheoccurrenceofaninjury,orassoonthereafterasisreasonableand   practicable,aninjuredemployeemust,unlesstheemployerhasactualknowledgeoftheaccident, n  givewrittennoticeoftheinjurytohisemployer.#X+XX X)p#Tenn.CodeAnn.506201. X)XXX+Benefitsarenot W  recoverablefromthedateoftheaccidenttothegivingofsuchnotice,andnobenefitsare @ recoverableunlesssuchwrittennoticeisgivenwithin30daysaftertheinjuriousoccurrence,unless )y theinjuredworkerhasareasonableexcuseforthefailuretogivetherequirednotice.Id.#X+XX X)#Ԁ X)XXX+For b graduallyoccurringinjuries,thebeginningdateiswhentheemployeeeither(1)knowsorreasonably K shouldknowthatheorshehassufferedaworkrelatedinjurythathasresultedinapermanent 4 physicalimpairment,or(2)isrenderedunabletocontinuetoperformhisorhernormalwork  activitiesasaresultofaworkrelatedinjuryandtheemployeeknowsorreasonablyshouldknow  thattheinjurywascausedbyworkrelatedactivities.#X+XX X)#ԀTenn.CodeAnn506201. X)XXX+Wherethe  employerdeniesthataclaimanthasgiventherequiredwrittennotice,theclaimanthastheburden  ofshowingthattheemployerhadactualnotice,orthattheemployeehaseithercompliedwiththe q requirementorhasareasonableexcuseforhisfailuretodoso,fornoticeisanessentialelementof Z theclaim.#X+XX X)#ԀJonesv.SterlingLastCorp.,962S.W.2d469,47172(Tenn.1998). C   Therecordisrepletewithconflictingevidencerelativetothenoticeissue.Theclaimant e reportedaninjuryto botharmsonMay26,1999.Attrial,shetestifiedthatsheverbally N complainedtohersupervisorofpaininbothshouldersinthesummerofthesameyear.The  7 supervisortestifiedthatshedoesnotrememberanysuchcomplaintsabouttheleftshoulder,butdoes !   recalltheclaimantcomplainingaboutrightshoulderpain.OnJuly19,1999,theclaimantmadea " ! writtenreportofaninjurytotherightshoulder.Thereport,whichwasenteredintoevidence,did #" notmentiontheleftshoulder,althoughtheclaimanttestifiedthatshethoughtitdid. $#   Ms.HeadtestifiedthatonAugust19,1999,shemetwithhercasemanageratNissanand ]&!% complainedaboutpaininbothshoulders.Thecasemanagerdeniedanyknowledgeofaclaimedleft F'"& shoulderinjurybeforeMay1,2000,whentheclaimantmadeawrittenreportofit.Oneofthe /(#' doctorschartedaleftshoulderinjuryonSeptember10,1999,buttestifiedthatitwasprobablyan )h$( errormadebyhisnurse.OnJanuary14,2000,onedayafterarthroscopicsurgeryonherright *Q%) shoulder,Ms.Headcomplainedtoaphysicaltherapistthatherleftshoulderwasbotheringher.The *:&* therapistsreportwasthefirstwrittendocumentationofaleftshoulderinjurythatwasnoterroneous._ +#'+ Ї  Ms.HeadtestifiedthatshereportedherleftshoulderpaintoanotherdoctorinNovemberand  December2000,butthedoctortestifiedthatthefirsttimeMs.Headcomplainedtoherofleft  shoulderpainwasonApril4,2001.Shetestifiedthatshediscussedherleftshoulderinjurywiththe  casemanagerduringthattimeframe.Again,thecasemanagerdeniedit.Thetrialcourtresolved k alltheconflictingtestimonyagainsttheclaimantandconcludedtheemployerdidnothavetimely T actualorwrittennotice. =     X)XXX+Wherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityand  _ weighttobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccordedthose  H circumstancesonreview,becauseitisthetrialcourtwhichhadtheopportunitytoobservethe  1  witnessesdemeanorandtoheartheincourttestimony.#X+XX X)w&#Longv.TriConInd.,Ltd.,996S.W.2d    173,178(Tenn.1999). X)XXX+ԀTheappellatetribunal,however,isaswellsituatedtogaugetheweight,   worthandsignificanceofdepositiontestimonyasthetrialjudge.#X+XX X)(# X)XXX+Walkerv.SaturnCorp.,986   S.W.2d204,207(Tenn.1998).#X+XX X))#ԀInthepresentcase,thedepositiontestimonysupportsthetrial   courtsfindings. n    Givingduedeferencetothefindingsofthetrialcourt,weconcludethebeginningdatefor @ givingwrittennoticetobeJanuary13,2000,whenshewasdisabledfromworking,andthedateof )y noticetobeMay1,2000,considerablymorethan30dayslater.Theevidencealsofailsto b preponderateagainstthetrialcourtsfindingthattheevidencefailstoestablishthattheemployer K hadactualnoticeorthattheemployeehadareasonableexcuseforherfailuretogivewrittennotice. 4   Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisthereforeaffirmed.Costsaretaxedtotheappellant.     `     h     ___________________________________ q    `     h     JOEC.LOSER,JR.  Z __X)XXX+Ԁ#X+XXX).#X XXX+#X+X XX.#XX+@9 9 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @$ATNASHVILLE  #X+X&/# XX+  WILLIEJEANHEADv.NISSANMOTORMANUFACTURING   CORPORATION,U.S.A.,EtAl.#X+X./#   0@  ChanceryCourtforDavidsonCounty   @\\#No.001798III   @*AV) ` dE<k` A߈ l  @; ; No.M200201908WCR3CVFiledDecember18,2003 e  AV) ` dE<8` A 9   @//# JUDGMENTORDER  j X XXX+#X+X XXǯ2# X)XXX+  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtuponthemotionforreviewfiledbyWillieJeanHeadpursuant = toTenn.CodeAnn.50-6-225(e)(5)(B),theentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltothe & SpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsMemorandumOpinionsettingforth  itsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.    ItappearstotheCourtthatthemotionforreviewisnotwelltakenandisthereforedenied. z ThePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedbyreference,are c adoptedandaffirmed.ThedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. L   Costsareassessedtotheplaintiffappellant,WillieJeanHead,andhersureties,forwhich n executionmayissueifnecessary. W #X+XX X)2#X XXX+#X+X XX6#X)XXX+  ItissoORDERED. )    `     h     PERCURIAM "" Drowota,C.J.,notparticipating@*#X+XXX)57#X XXX+#X+X XXR8#X)XXX+Ԉ f$$ #X+XXX)8#X XXX+Ԁ#X+X XX8#