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ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€+ÖÑ  ÑÔ&  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÖ€,ÖÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌÙ€!ÙßR€/0.A1-j|‡` ç `€€@ÿRßSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€NASHVILLEÌ(March€20,€1997€Session)ÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓBRENDA€GAIL€HOWELL,€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)€€€€€LAWRENCE€CHANCERYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)€€€€€Hon.€James€L.€Weatherford,Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€)€€€€€Judge.Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)€€€€€No.€01S01„9609„CH„00176ÌMURRAY,€INC.,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€XÔ€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant.€€€€€)ÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee:óóÌÌBen€Boston€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Hershell€D.€KogerÌChristopher€V.€Sockwell€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Pulaski,€TennesseeÌLawrenceburg,€TennesseeòòÌóóÌÌÌÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÔ'  ÔÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÌÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÓ  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.€€The€appellantÏemployer€insists€(1)€the€award€of€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€basedÏon€sixty€percent€to€the€body€as€a€whole€is€excessive,€(2)€the€trial€courtÏapplied€an€incorrect€compensation€rate,€and€(3)€the€trial€court€erred€inÏcommuting€the€award€to€a€lump€sum.€€The€lump€sum€issue€was€withdrawnÏduring€oral€argument.€€As€discussed€below,€the€panel€has€concluded€theÏaward€of€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€and€the€compensation€rateÏshould€be€modified.Ìà àà àÌà àà àBecause€both€issues€are€fact€driven,€appellate€review€is€de€novoÏupon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€ofÏcorrectness,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€is€otherwise.€€Tenn.ÏCode€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(2).€€This€tribunal€is€required€to€conduct€anÏindependent€examination€of€the€record€to€determine€where€theÏpreponderance€of€the€evidence€lies.€€òòWingert€v€Government€of€SumnerÏCountyóó,€908€€S.W.2d€€921€(Tenn.€1995).Ìà àà àÌà àà àThe€claimant€is€forty„six€years€old€with€an€eleventh€gradeÏeducation.€€She€was€injured€at€work€when€a€box€hit€her€in€the€head,€injuringÏher€neck,€on€October€16,€1992.€€Dr.€Rex€Arendall€operated€on€her€neck€andÏassessed€her€permanent€medical€impairment€from€the€injury€and€surgery€atÏfifteen€percent€to€the€whole€body.€€He€prescribed€a€permanent€liftingÏrestriction€of€fifteen€pounds€and€instructed€her€to€avoid€repetitive€pushing,Ïpulling€or€lifting€over€that€weight.€€Her€injury€was€superimposed€upon€pre„existing€carpal€tunnel€syndrome€and€some€other€conditions.Ìà àà àÌà àà àA€second€opinion€was€obtained€of€eleven€percent€permanentÏmedical€impairment.€€A€vocational€expert€assessed€her€occupationalÏdisability€at€twenty„five€percent€from€the€neck€injury€alone€and€sixty€percentÏconsidering€both€injuries.€€The€claimant€returned€to€work€at€a€wage€equal€toÏor€greater€than€her€pre„injury€wage€but€later€resigned€or€was€laid€offÏbecause€of€pain€in€her€hands.€€She€has€seen€a€number€of€other€doctors,€butÏwe€do€not€find€in€the€record€any€medical€impairment€ratings€except€those€ofÏDr.€Arendall€and€Dr.€Bacon,€which€we€have€already€noted.Ìà àà àÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(1)ÌÓ šðÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àFor€injuries€arising€after€August€1,€1992,€in€cases€where€anÏinjured€worker€is€entitled€to€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€to€the€bodyÏas€a€whole€and€the€pre„injury€employer€returns€the€employee€to€employmentÏat€a€wage€equal€to€or€greater€than€the€wage€the€employee€was€receiving€atÏthe€time€of€the€injury,€the€maximum€permanent€partial€disability€award€theÏemployee€may€receive€is€two€and€one€half€times€the€medical€impairmentÏrating.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„241(a)(1).€€In€making€determinations,Ïthe€courts€are€to€consider€all€pertinent€factors,€including€lay€and€expertÏtestimony,€the€employee's€age,€education,€skills€and€training,€local€jobÏopportunities€for€the€disabled,€and€capacity€to€work€at€types€of€employmentÏavailable€in€the€claimant's€disabled€condition.€€Id.Ìà àà àÓ ÓÌà àà àIf€the€injured€employee€thereafter€loses€his€pre„injuryÏemployment,€the€court€may,€upon€proper€application€made€within€one€yearÏof€such€loss€of€employment,€and€if€such€loss€of€employment€is€within€fourÏhundred€weeks€of€the€day€the€employee€returned€to€work,€enlarge€the€awardÏto€a€maximum€of€six€times€the€medical€impairment€rating,€allowing€theÏemployer€credit€for€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€already€paid€for€theÏinjury.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„241(a)(2).€€The€preponderance€of€theÏevidence€in€this€case€is€that€the€claimant's€later€loss€of€employment€wasÏunrelated€to€her€neck€injury.€€In€such€cases,€the€award€may€not€be€enlarged.Ìà àà àÌà àà àFrom€a€deliberate€consideration€of€the€record,€the€briefs€andÏthe€law€governing€the€issue€presented,€we€are€of€the€opinion€that€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€an€award€based€on€sixty€percent€permanentÏpartial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole€and€in€favor€of€one€based€on€thirty„seven€and€one„half€percent€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€The€judgment€isÍmodified€accordingly.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(2)ÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àThe€weekly€compensation€rate€for€an€injured€employee'sÏpermanent€partial€disability€is€an€amount€equal€to€sixty„six€and€two„thirdsÏpercent€of€the€employee's€average€weekly€wage.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€sectionÏ50„6„207(3)(a)(II).€€An€employee's€average€weekly€wage€is€an€amount€equalÏto€the€employee's€earnings€in€the€employment€in€which€he€was€working€atÏthe€time€of€the€injury,€during€the€fifty„two€weeks€immediately€preceding€theÏinjury,€divided€by€fifty„two.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„102(a)(1)(A).€ÏDays€lost€because€of€sickness€or€other€fortuitous€circumstances€should€beÏdeducted.€€òòRussell€v.€Genescoóó,€651€€S.W.2d€€206€(Tenn.€1983).Ìà àà àÌà àà àThe€claimant€earned€$8,994.51€during€the€fifty„two€weeksÏimmediately€preceding€her€injury€but€lost€six€weeks€because€of€fortuitousÏcircumstances.€€The€trial€judge€fixed€her€weekly€compensation€rate€atÏ$193.44.Ìà àà àÌà àà àAs€best€we€can€determine€from€the€record,€the€claimant€lost€sixÏof€the€preceding€fifty„two€weeks€because€of€fortuitous€circumstances.€€WeÏhave€therefore€divided€$8,994.51€by€46€and€arrived€at€an€average€weeklyÏwage€of€$195.53.€€Her€weekly€compensation€rate€is€sixty„six€and€two„thirdsÏtimes€$195.53€or€$130.35.€€The€judgment€is€modified€accordingly.Ìà àà àÌà àà àAs€modified,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€CostsÏon€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€parties,€one„half€each.Ìà àà àÌà àà àÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________ÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÑ€1ÑÇÒ € ÒÒ 8 ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  Ñà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€/2;+'b|ìÿ{` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌBRENDA€GAIL€HOWELL,à àà à)à àLAWRENCE€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€6819„94Ìà àPLAINTIFF/APPELLEE,à à)à àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJAMES€L.€WEATHERFORD,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àJUDGEÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌMURRAY,€INC.,à àà àà à)à àS.€CT.€#01S01„9609„CH„00176Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDEFENDANT/APPELLANT.à à)à0 àAFFIRMED€AS€MODIFIEDÌÌÌÌà@ àòòJUDGEMENT€ORDERóóÌÌÌÓ€Óà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€review€pursuant€to€Tenn.ÏCode€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€the€order€ofÏreferral€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 àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€notÏwell€taken€and€should€be€denied;€and€Ìà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€and€conclusionsÏof€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€theÏjudgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€parties,€one„half€each,€for€which€executionÏmay€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIt€is€so€ordered€this€12th€day€of€September,€1997.ÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌBirch,€J.€„€Not€Participating