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ÔÔ€+ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÞ ÞÌÌÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÌÔ€+îÔà@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÔ€+ ÔÌ̜ـ!ÙßR€.0-A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRß›à@ àAT€NASHVILLEÔ€+XÔó óÌÔ€+¼ÔÌà@ à(June€9,€1997€Session)ÌÌÌÌTRACY€JENKINSà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àRUTHERFORD€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Robert€E.€Corlew,€III,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌBRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE,€INC.,)à àNo.€œ01S01„9607„CV„00144›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌòòÌFor€the€Appellantóó:à àà àà àà àà àà àòòFor€the€Appelleesóó:ÌÌKatherine€Boyteà àà àà àà àà àà àMichael€J.€VetterÌJulia€J.€œTateà àà àà àà àà àà àà àBREWER,€KRAUSE,€›ÌGRACEY,€RUTH,€HOWARD,€TATE€&à àà àœ€€BROOKS€&€MILLS›€€€€€€€Ì€€€€SOWELLà àà àà àà àà àà àœNashville,€Tennessee›€€ÌNashville,€Tennesseeà àà àà àà àà àÌœà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àCharles€R.€Niewold›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àœNashville,€Tennessee›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌÌà@ àòòò òMEMORANDUM€OPINIONó óóóÌÌà@ àÌà@ àòòMembers€of€PanelóóÌÌà@ àAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌà@ àRobert€S.€Brandt,€Senior€JudgeÌà@ àJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌœÌAFFIRMED›€IN€PART,€ÌREVERSED€IN€PARTà àà àà àà àà àœBrandt,›€Senior€JudgeÇÒ ° ÒÒ ° ÒÑ7€f@XXdìXXdì7Ñò òà0 àà àó óÌÌà@ àò òòòÔ€+ ÔMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÔ€+¼Ôóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€workersðð€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkersðð€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€of€findings€of€factÏand€conclusions€of€law.Ìà àThe€dispute€is€between€the€employee,€Tracy€Jenkins,€her€employer,ÏBridgestone/Firestone,€and€her€employerððs€previous€insurer,€Yasuda€Fire€&ÏMarine€Insurance€Company.€€The€controversy€results€from€Jenkinsðð€increasedÏdisability€following€a€court„approved€workersðð€compensation€settlement.€WeÏconclude€that€the€increased€disability€is€compensable€and€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code.ÏAnn.€ðð50„6„231€she€is€entitled€to€an€increase€in€the€previous€award.€€The€statuteÏauthorizes€the€modification€of€an€award€on€the€ground€of€increase€or€decrease€ofÏincapacity€due€òòò òsolely€ó óóóto€the€injury.€€€€ÌÌà àJenkins€had€a€pre„existing€arthritic€condition€when€she€suffered€aÏcompensable€neck€injury€at€Bridgestone/Firestone€in€1991€and€underwent€surgicalÏfusion€of€the€C4„5€disk.€€Yasuda€was€the€workersðð€compensation€carrier€at€thatÏtime€and€was€ordered€to€€pay€periodic€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€asÏwell€as€future€medical€costs.€€Jenkins€returned€to€work€with€restrictions€andÍultimately€was€assigned€a€job€operating€a€tow€motor.€€This€job€required€her€toÏmove€her€neck€and€arms€constantly€and€to€drive€while€looking€backwards.€€ÌÌà àJenkins€testified€that€she€continued€to€have€pain€in€her€neck€and€to€take€painÏmedication€after€she€returned€to€work.€€The€doctor€who€performed€the€surgery,ÏPaul€R.€McCombs,€continued€to€see€Jenkins€on€an€ð ðas€neededðð€basis€which€JenkinsÏstated€was€about€every€three€months.€€In€February€of€1994,€Jenkins€called€Dr.ÏMcCombs€and€told€him€that€she€really€needed€to€see€him€because€her€pain€hadÏincreased.ÌÌà àWhen€Jenkins€saw€Dr.€McCombs,€they€discussed€the€possible€causes€of€herÏincreased€symptoms,€including€the€possibility€that€driving€the€tow€motor€was€aÏfactor.€€Dr.€McCombs€examined€her€and€ordered€an€MRI€which€showed€newÏanatomical€changes€in€the€C5„6€and€C6„7€disk€levels,€changes€which€were€belowÏthe€surgery€site.€€At€this€time,€Yasuda€was€no€longer€the€insurance€provider€forÏBridgestone/Firestone.€€€Bridgestone/Firestone€and€Yasuda€could€not€agree€as€toÏwhich€of€them,€if€either,€was€responsible€for€additional€compensation.€ÌÌà àIf€€Jenkinsðð€1994€condition€was€merely€increased€pain€from€the€earlierÏinjury,€for€which€she€already€received€benefits,€then€she€is€not€entitled€to€anyÏmore€benefits.€€If,€on€the€other€hand,€there€is€a€new€injury€or€the€severity€of€theÍold€injury€is€advanced,€then€she€is€entitled€to€benefits.€òòCunningham€v.€GoodyearÏTire€&€Rubber€Co.óó,€811€S.W.2d€888,€891€(Tenn.€1991).€€Ìà àÌà àDr.€McCombs€was€the€only€medical€expert€who€testified.€€He€testified€thatÏJenkins€had€a€pre„existing€degenerative€arthritic€condition€and€found€a€narrowingÏof€the€cervical€canal€and€diagnosed€her€as€having€an€accelerated€degenerative€diskÏdisease€with€an€additional€permanent€partial€disability€rating€of€4%.€€MostÏimportantly,€€Dr.€McCombs€concluded€that€the€neck€fusion€at€the€C4„5€disk€levelÏcaused€the€adjacent€disk€levels€to€work€harder€to€achieve€the€same€mobility,€Ïaccelerating€the€arthritis€between€the€C5„6€and€C6„7€levels.€€The€condition€Dr.ÏMcCombs€found€in€1994€is€not€simply€the€natural€progression€of€degenerativeÏdisc€disease.€€It€results€from€the€fusion.€ÌÌà àThe€resolution€of€this€case€is€difficult€due€to€the€nature€of€the€medicalÏevidence.€€Dr.€McCombs€in€May€1994€wrote€Jenkins€that€the€acceleratedÏdegenerative€disc€disease€ð ðòòis€not€related€óóto€your€previous€disc€herniation€at€theÏC4„5€level€which€was€directly€work€relatedðð€(emphasis€added).€€If€the€doctor€hadÏtestified€to€that€at€trial,€the€decision€in€this€case€would€be€easy.€€Jenkins€would€notÏbe€entitled€to€any€additional€compensation.€Ìà àÌà àBut€in€his€deposition,€Dr.€McCombs€said€something€seemingly€different.€€€€€€€€Ìð ðI€can€say€with€a€reasonable€degree€of€medical€certainty€that€it€[the€degenerativeÏdisc€disease]€òòwas€related€óóto€her€neck€fusion€òòsolely€óóand€not€related€to€bouncingÏaround€on€a€tow€motorðð(emphasis€added).€€Though€it€is€difficult€to€reconcileÏthese€two€statements,€when€Dr.€McCombsðð€testimony€is€taken€as€a€whole,€itÏbecomes€clearer.€ÌÌà àHe€emphasized€that€the€1994€condition€was€a€progression€of€symptomsÏrelated€to€her€neck€fusion.€As€noted,€the€fusion€at€C4„5,€he€said,€caused€theÏadjacent€levels€to€work€harder€to€achieve€the€same€mobility€and€accelerated€theÏarthritis€between€other€levels.€€He€could€not€relate€her€accelerated€degenerativeÏdisk€disease€directly€to€her€tow€motor€activities€but€stated€that€any€movement,Ïabsent€immobilization€in€an€upper€body€cast,€would€have€caused€the€wear€and€tearÏto€the€new€disk€levels.€Ìà àÌà àWe€conclude€that€this€satisfies€the€statuteððs€ð ðsolelyðð€requirement.€€When€theÏmovement€of€€ordinary€living€advances€the€severity€of€the€condition,€it€is€dueÏsolely€to€the€injury.€€Otherwise,€no€workers€compensation€award€could€ever€beÏmodified.€€Everyone€moves€to€some€degree,€regardless€of€the€severity€of€theirÏdisability.€€ÌBut€if€the€increase€in€incapacity€is€due€to€some€other€cause,€such€as€out„of„the„ordinary€non„work„related€trauma€or€is€caused€by€work,€then€the€increase€is€notÍdue€solely€to€the€previous€injury.€ÌÌà àWe€therefore€conclude€that€the€previous€workersðð€compensation€awardÏshould€€be€modified€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð50„6„231.€€Ìà àÌà àNone€of€the€parties€complain€about€the€amount€of€the€award,€16%,€so€thatÏportion€of€the€trial€courtððs€decision€is€affirmed.€€The€award€againstÏBridgestone/Firestone€of€a€small€amount€of€discretionary€costs,€$880,€is€modifiedÏand€is€awarded€against€Yasuda.€Ìà àÌà àIn€summary,€we€affirm€the€trial€courtððs€finding€that€Jenkins€is€entitled€toÏworkersðð€compensation€for€the€1994€condition€and€affirm€the€finding€of€16%Ïpermanent€partial€disability.€€€We€reverse€the€trail€courtððs€finding€that€theÏadditional€€disability,€future€medical€expenses,€and€discretionary€costs€€should€beÏassessed€against€Bridgestone/Firestone,€and€hold€that€they€should€be€assessedÏagainst€œYasuda.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€assessed€against€Yasuda€Fire€&€MarineÏInsurance.›ÌÌœÓÓà à›à àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€__________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àRobert€S.€Brandt,€Senior€JudgeÌÓỚ̜ÌÓÓCONCUR:ÌœÌ______________________________›ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌ______________________________ÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Judge€œÌÇÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÔ€1ÔÔ€1&Ô›à@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌœßJ€.2;+'b|3` ç `€@ÿJß›Ìà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌTRACY€JENKINS,à àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ì€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,à àà à(€€Rutherford€œChancery›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€No.€œ34520›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Hon.€Robert€E.€Corlew,€œIII,›ÌÒ € ÒÒ h Òv.à àà àà àà àà àà à(€€œChancellor›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€S.€Ct.€No.€œ01S01„9607„CV„00144›€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à(ÌÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒBRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE,€INC.,à à(Ìœ›Ò € ÒÒ X Òà àà àà àà àà àà à(€€AFFIRMED€IN€PART;ÌÒ € ÒÒ 8 Ò€€€€€Defendant„Appellant.à àà à(€€REVERSED€IN€PART.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à à€€€€€€€œòò›à8 ààH.ààH.ààHŽŽ'àœò òJUDGMENT›€œORDERóóó ó›ÌÓÓœ›à àÌà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€reviewÏpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entireÏrecord,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€byÏreference;Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€forÏreview€is€not€well€taken€and€should€be€denied;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€theÏdecision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.€€Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Yasuda€Fire€and€Marine€Insurance,Ïfor€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€œ21st€day›€of€October,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌBirch,€J.€„€Not€participating.ÌÔ€+ÔÔ€+¼Ô