ÿWPCÑ 7UJB %TU .Zrˆ 0ú‡n— 0r›  w@ 4M a U<i 0J¥ 0Tï 0^C 0h¡ 0r 0|{ 0†÷ 0} 1u  0d‚ AQæÆ7 0Žý 0@‹ 0DË D/ B> B[ D3x«B)ÄDCí$0 AMT;¡fÜ>Bv~€vÓþô\  `*Times New RomanTTô"ÝÆÿA€ArialTT'    0 .   (e2‚N$©©Ý ƒ Dˆ!ÝÔ€X_ÂXôôÔÔ€X¨XXX_ÂÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý3|x&«ô\  `*Times New RomanTTôôCô\  PŽ6QôP"ÝÆÿA€ArialTTomanTTXXaÝÆÿptQXpô\  `*Times New RomanTT¼¼^ô\  PŽ6Q¼Pô\  `*Times New RomanTT,,)ô\  PŽ6Q,Pô\  `*Times New RomanTTXXPô\  PŽ6QXPô\  `*Times New RomanTT6ô\  PŽ6QP(JDˆ$¡¡Ô€XoíXôôÔÔ€X¨XXXoíÔÓ  Ó D !P"D#U$%U&UÏeH#x #<.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(f3²¨$¢¢Ý ƒ Dˆ!ÝÔ€X_ÂXôôÔÔ€X¨XXX_ÂÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd Ý ƒ !ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ@  ÔÚ  ÚÚ  ÚÔA  ÔÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓ% Line 7 d....7Border 1dd Ý ƒ !ÝÑ  ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ@  ÔÚ  ÚÚ  ÚÔA  ÔÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓ!#/Cþÿ << Gÿÿ 1Ý ƒ !ÝÑ  ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌOctober€9,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ 4Ý ƒ !ÝÓ ÓÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌOctober€9,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  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€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€-ÖÑ  ÑÔ&  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÙ€!ÙÖ€0ÖÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔßR€12/A1-j| ` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€NASHVILLEÌ(June€9,€1997€Session)ÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓRICHARD€HITCHCOCK,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€)€€€€€DAVIDSON€CHANCERYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€Hon.€Robert€S.€Brandt,Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€€€€€€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€)€€€€€Chancellor.Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)€€€€€No.€01S01„9612„CH„00250ÌWAUSAU€INSURANCE€COMPANIES€)Ìand€SERVICE€AMERICA€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)ÌCORPORATION,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€Ô€XÔ€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendants„Appellees.€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)Ìand€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌLARRY€BRINTON,€JR.,€DIRECTOR,€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€)ÌDIVISION€OF€WORKERS'€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€)ÌCOMPENSATION,€SECOND€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€)ÌINJURY€FUND,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant.€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€)ÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€Hitchcock:ÌóóÌCharles€W.€Burson€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€Kenneth€M.€SwitzerÌAttorney€General€&€Reporter€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Williams/Nebel€&€AssociatesÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TennesseeÌDianne€Stamey€DycusÌSenior€Counsel€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€Wausauóó:ÌNashville,€TennesseeÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Angus€Gillis,€IIIÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Schulman,€LeRoy€&€BennettÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TennesseeÌÔ'  ÔÌÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌThomas€W.€Brothers,€Special€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓVACATED€AND€REMANDED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÓ ¹ ÓÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÓ rAÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€andÏreporting€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€In€this€appeal,€theÏSecond€Injury€Fund€(the€fund)€contends€(1)€the€evidence€preponderatesÏagainst€the€trial€court's€finding€that€the€claimant€is€permanently€and€totallyÏdisabled,€and€(2)€that€it€was€error€to€approve€a€settlement€between€theÏemployee€and€employer€under€the€circumstances.€€The€claimant€contends€theÏobjection€to€the€settlement€comes€too€late.€€As€discussed€below,€the€panel€hasÏconcluded€both€judgments€should€be€vacated€and€the€case€remanded€forÏfurther€consideration.Ìà àà àThe€employee€or€claimant,€Hitchcock,€is€forty„two€and€a€highÏschool€graduate.€€On€October€14,€1993,€he€suffered€a€compensable€backÏinjury€while€employed€as€a€warehouseman€for€the€employer,€ServiceÏAmerica.€€He€has€since€had€three€back€operations.€€The€operating€surgeonÏhas€released€him€to€return€to€work€with€lifting,€twisting€and€bendingÏrestrictions€and€assigned€a€permanent€impairment€rating€of€twelve€percent€toÏthe€whole€body.Ìà àà àOn€September€5,€1995,€the€trial€court€approved€a€settlementÍbetween€the€claimant€and€his€employer,€whereby€the€claimant€receivedÏpermanent€partial€disability€benefits€based€on€forty„five€percent€to€the€bodyÏas€a€whole,€paid€in€a€lump€sum.€€The€fund€did€not€participate€in€theÏsettlement.Ìà àà àThe€claimant's€return€to€work€has€been€complicated€by€two€pre„existing€conditions,€blindness€in€one€eye€and€limited€side€vision€in€the€other,Ïand€a€prior€carpal€tunnel€release.€€A€vocational€expert€testified€the€claimantÏis€capable,€in€his€disabled€condition,€of€performing€medium€or€lightÏsedentary€work.€€At€the€time€of€the€trial,€the€claimant€was€in€fact€employedÏby€Opryland€as€a€cashier.Ó ¹ ÓÌà àà àAfter€a€trial€in€which€the€Second€Injury€Fund€was€the€onlyÏdefendant,€the€trial€court€found€the€claimant€to€be€permanently€and€totallyÏdisabled€and€found€the€fund€liable,€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„208(a),€for€benefits€at€the€claimant's€compensation€rate€from€the€date€theÏclaimant€reached€maximum€medical€improvement€from€the€injury€until€theÏclaimant€reaches€age€sixty„five.€€Appellate€review€is€de€novo€upon€theÏrecord€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€ofÏthe€findings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€ÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(2).€€This€tribunal€is€required€toÏconduct€an€independent€examination€of€the€evidence€to€determine€where€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòWingert€v.€GovernmentÔ€XÔ€Ô€¼Ôof€SumnerÏCountyóó,€908€€S.W.2d€€921€(Tenn.€1995).Ìà àà àWhen€an€injury,€not€otherwise€specifically€provided€for€in€theÏAct,€totally€incapacitates€a€covered€employee€from€working€at€an€occupationÏwhich€brings€him€an€income,€such€employee€is€considered€totally€disabled.€ÏFrom€our€independent€examination€of€the€record,€we€find€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€trial€court's€finding€of€permanent€total€disability.€ÏThe€claimant€is€not€incapacitated€from€working€at€an€occupation€whichÏbrings€him€an€income.€€Accordingly€the€award€of€benefits€under€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€section€50„6„208(a)€is€vacated.Ó rAÓÌà àà àAfter€this€case€was€litigated€in€the€trial€court,€our€SupremeÏCourt€released€its€opinion€in€òòSweeten€v.€Trade€Envelopesóó,€1996€Tenn.€LexisÏ809€(S.€Ct.€1996),€in€which€it€held€that€an€employee's€claim€against€the€fundÍmust€be€litigated€at€the€same€time€as€the€employee's€claim€against€hisÏemployer,€unless€the€fund€agrees€otherwise,€citing€òòFarr€v.€Headóó,€811€ÏS.W.2d€€894,€896„97€(Tenn.€1991)€and€òòDailey€v.€Southern€Heel€Co.óó,€785€ÏS.W.2d€€344,€346€(Tenn.€1990).€€Such€was€not€the€case€here.€€The€trial€courtÏdid€approve€a€settlement€between€the€claimant€and€his€employer€and€thatÏsettlement€contained€a€handwritten€notation,€"It€is€further€ORDERED€thatÏthe€claim€against€the€Second€Injury€Fund€has€been€announced€as€settledÏsubject€to€approval€of€the€State€of€Tennessee,"€but€the€consent€order€was€notÏsigned€by€counsel€for€the€fund€or€the€state.€€Moreover,€our€reading€of€theÏstatutes€is€that€the€fund€and€the€state€are€one€and€the€same.€€Accordingly€theÏorder€approving€the€settlement€is€vacated.Ìà àà àThe€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Chancery€Court€for€Davidson€forÏsuch€further€proceedings€as€may€be€appropriate.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxedÏto€the€plaintiff„appellee.Ó *bÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________Ó ÓÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌThomas€W.€Brothers,€Special€JudgeÌÑ€3ÑÇÒ € ÒÒ 8 ÒÒ € ÒÒ À Ò›Ô€ÔÔ€XÔà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌœ›à@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌRICHARD€HITCHCOCK,à àà à)à àDAVIDSON€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€94„536„III€BelowÌà àAppellee,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€€Robert€S.€Brandt,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌœWAUSAU€INSURANCE›à àœ›à à)€à àNo.€€01S01„9612„CH„00250ÌœßJ€14;+'b|üþ›` ç `€@ÿJß›œCOMPANIES€&€SERVICE›€€€€€€€€€à àœ)›à àà àÌœ›œAMERICA€CORP.,€›à àà àœà à)›Ìœ›à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àAppellees,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìand€à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌLARRY€BRINTON,€JR.,€œDIRECTOR,)›ÌDIV.€OF€WORKERSðð€COMP.,€à àœ)›à àœVACATED€AND€REMANDED.›ÌSECOND€INJURY€FUND,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àAppellants.à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àœ›Ìœ›œÌ›à@ àòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌÓÓÓ€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 àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€œmotions›€for€reviewÏœare›€not€well„taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€andÍconclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€isÏmade€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€ò òÌó óà àà àCosts€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellee.Ìà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€œ9th›€day€of€œOctober,›€1997.Ìà àà àà àà àà àœÌ›œÌ›œà à›œà à›œà à›œà à›œà à›à àPER€œCURIAMÌ›ÌÓÓBirch,€C.J.€€„€Not€participating.Ô€ÔÓӜԀ¼Ô