ÿWPCL 3U:Ú %n­* 04× w. 49M 0JM 0T— 0^ë 0hI 0r± 0|# 0†Ÿ 0% 1uµ 0d*U6Ž AQÄÆ 0PÛ 0@+ 0Dk B)¯ D/Ø B B$ D3A DCt AM· U* . f1 U>— &Õ v~ûvÓy<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ€V¿îÓ€]tÁ$(2 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`(Courier New!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó% Line 7 d(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd%%%%7Border 1dd!#*Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ùÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌJuly€1,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÔ€,ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌJuly€1,€1998ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(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  ellan Geneva ÒÒ  ellan Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€+-*A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌTHOMAS€HUGGINS,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellee€€€€€€)€€No.€01S01„9708„CH„00178€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€DAVIDSON€COUNTY€CHANCERY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€ÌROYAL€INSURANCE€COMPANY,€€€€€€€€)€€HON.€IRVIN€H.€KILCREASE,€JR.,Ì€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellant€€€€€)€€CHANCELLORÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEEóó:Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌDAVID€T.€HOOPER€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€FRED€C.€DANCE€€€€€€€€€ÌHOOPER€&€HOOPER€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€DANCE,€DANCE€&€LANE€€€€€€Ì109€Westpark€Drive€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€3200€West€End€Avenue€ÌSuite€410€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Suite€101ÌBrentwood,€Tennessee€37027€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€Tennessee€37203€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANELÌÌà@ àFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌà@ à€JOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.ÌÌÓÓÑ7€bdXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€in€a€workers'€compensation€case€has€beenÏreferred€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€ofÏthe€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏSection€50„6„225€(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€SupremeÏCourt€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà àThe€injured€employee,€Thomas€Huggins,€while€working€forÏCummings€Sign€Company€(insured€by€Royal€Insurance€Company)€fellÏ10„12€feet€from€atop€a€sign€on€June€22,€1993.€€Mr.€HugginsÏapparently€landed€upon€his€head€and€was€rendered€unconscious.€€HeÏsuffered€a€fracture€of€the€skull€base.€€Later€he€was€diagnosedÏwith€seizures€and€occipital€neuralgia.ÌÌà àDr.€James€P.€Anderson,€M.D.,€his€last€treating€physician,Ïopined€that€Mr.€Huggins€retained€a€permanent€anatomicalÏimpairment€of€8„10%€for€his€brain€seizure€activity,€and€anÍadditional€5%€for€headaches€caused€by€occipital€neuralgia.€€AÏprior€treating€physician,€Robert€Weiss,€M.D.,€opined€that€Mr.ÏHuggins€suffered€no€permanent€impairment;€and€two€others,€HaroldÏP.€Smith,€M.D.,€and€Pamela€Auble,€Ph.D.,€conducted€medicalÏevaluations€at€the€instance€of€the€defendant€and€they€concurredÏwith€the€opinion€of€Dr.€Weiss.ÌÌà àThe€trial€judge€accredited€the€opinion€of€Dr.€Anderson€€andÏfixed€the€permanent€partial€vocational€disability€of€the€injuredÏemployee€at€22€1/2%€to€the€body€as€a€whole.ÌÌà àThe€defendant,€Royal€Insurance€Company,€contends:ÌÓÓÌà8 àà8 à(1)€€That€Mr.€Huggins'€injury€resulted€notÏfrom€the€fall€on€June€22,€1993,€but€from€aÏslap€on€the€head€by€a€fellow€employee€on€MayÏ4,€1994;€ÌÌà8 àà8 à(2)€€That€the€said€incident€on€May€4,€1994Ïcaused€any€residual€impairment€that€existsÏand€recovery€could€not€be€had€because€T.C.A.ÏSec.€50„6„110€(a)€bars€recovery€resultingÏfrom€an€employee's€willful€misconduct;à@ àÌÌà8 àà8 à(3)€€That€the€court€erred€in€settingÏpermanent€vocational€impairment€at€22€1/2%€toÏthe€body€as€a€whole;€andÌÌà8 àà8 à(4)€€That€the€statute€of€limitations€bars€anyÏrecovery€for€injuries€resulting€from€theÏslapping€incident.ÌÌÓÓÌà àReview€in€this€court€is€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€upon€the€record€of€the€trialÏcourt,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€the€correctness€of€theÏfindings€of€the€trial€court,€unless€the€preponderance€of€theÍevidence€is€otherwise.€€T.C.A.€Sec.€50„6„225€(e)(2)(1996);€òòHillÏv.€Eagle€Bend€Mfg.,€Inc.óó,€942€S.W.€2d€483,€487€(Tenn.€1997).ÌÌà àThe€key€issue€in€this€case€is€the€cause€of€the€employee'sÏseizures€and€related€injuries.€€Causation€must€be€shown€by€expertÏmedical€evidence.€€òòLivingston€v.€Shelby€Williams€Industriesóó,€811ÏS.W.€2d.€511,€515€(Tenn.€1991).€€The€testimony€of€Dr.€AndersonÏsatisfies€this€requirement.€€He€opined€that€the€employee'sÏretained€injuries€were€primarily€due€to€his€fall€of€June€22,Ï1993.€€The€other€doctors€who€testified€did€not€see€Mr.€HugginsÏafter€the€seizure€activity€commenced.€€We€hold€that€the€medicalÏevidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€finding€of€the€trialÏjudge.ÌÌà àIt€was€also€the€opinion€of€Dr.€Anderson€that€the€slapÏsuffered€during€the€horseplay€nearly€a€year€after€his€fall€didÏnot€cause€the€employee's€permanent€disability.€€Furthermore,€theÏslapping€incident€was€not€willful€misconduct€by€the€employee€asÏproscribed€by€T.C.A.€Sec.€50„6„110(a).ÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€22€1/2€%€permanent€partial€wholeÏbody€impairment.€€This€must€be€based€upon€age,€education,Ïtraining,€job€skills,€work€experience€and€job€opportunities€forÏan€employee€injured€and€impaired€as€is€the€plaintiff.€€òòMiles€v.ÏLiberty€Mut.€Ins.€Co.óó,€795€S.W.€2d€665€(Tenn.€1990);€T.C.A.€Sec.Ï50„6„241€(a)(1).€€Dr.€Anderson€testified€that€Mr.€Huggins€shouldÍavoid€working€in€high€places,€or€around€heavy€machinery€andÏequipment;€and€should€avoid€driving€a€car.ÌÌà àBecause€this€judgment€is€grounded€upon€the€fall€in€1993,€theÏissue€of€the€statute€of€limitations€directed€at€any€claim€arisingÏout€of€the€slapping€incident€is€irrelevant.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€onÏappeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.€Ìà àÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóFRANK€F.€DROWOTA,€III,€ÌASSOCIATE€JUSTICE€€€€€€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóJOHN€K.€BYERS,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌSUPREME€COURTÌ€Ìà àÌÑ€.ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒÔ€/ÔòòÔ€/¼Ô€à@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€+0;+'b|é` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌTHOMAS€HUGGINS,à àà àà à}à àDAVIDSON€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€94„978„I€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Irvin€H.€Kilcrease,€Jr.,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌROYAL€INSURANCE€COMPANY,à à}à àNo.€01S01„9708„CH„00178Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à}à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌà@ àJUDGMENT€ORDERÌÌÌÓ€Óà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€theÏorder€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€theÏPanel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusionsÏof€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€OpinionÏof€the€Panel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà 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.ÌÓ ` ` šXÓà àà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Defendant/Appellant€and€Surety,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€July€1,€1998.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€/XÔ