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D3 D- 0KCC AS 0 0DK A(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular(`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regulari+ m~g+:i+00 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.wpt3|xU Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5HP LaserJet 8000 Series PS03#37=CIQYag1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)(;3$2#  0  .3  0  (hH  Z 6Times New Roman Regular(#$  0  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.wpt(9 Z(Times New Roman - -(|G2$ !.8 d d 8         0  XvtX d(|3$ !.8 d d 8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !.8 d d 8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8|d d8     _8lXXdd 8  @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL & @@ATJACKSON## L August20,2001Session "r XPX #XXP#DAVID_KEE_v._UNIMIN_ԀCORPORATIONXPX   p @@ DirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforBentonCounty  p @@No.99CCV195JulianP._Guinn_,Judge  \ @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No.W200002673_WC_ԄR3CVMailedOctober2,2001;FiledNovember9,2001   #XXP#XPXAV) ` dE<` A       Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppeals  PaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingand v reportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.#XXP#XPXԀThisisanactionbyan b injuredemployeetorecoverworkers'compensationbenefitsforthreeseparateclaimedinjuriesby N accidentoccurringatdifferenttimes.Afteratrialonthemerits,thetrialjudgedismissedtheclaim : basedonanarminjuryforinsufficientproofthatitoccurredatwork,butawarded,interalia, &v permanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsbasedon40percenttothebodyasawholefortheinjuriesto b theneckandback.Theemployerhasappealedcontending(1)theevidencepreponderatesagainst N thetrialcourt'sfindingthattheemployee'sclaimedneckinjuryiscompensableand(2)thetrialcourt : erredinawardingpermanentdisabilitybenefitsfortheneckinjuryandforanadmittedly & compensablelowbackinjury.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcludedthejudgmentshould  beaffirmed.  #XXP#fXPX   Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2000)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourt r!  Affirmed  ^"!     JoeC.Loser,Jr.,Sp.J.#XP #XPX.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichJaniceM.Holder,J.,andW. 6$# Michael_Maloan_,Sp.J.,joined. "%r $ RichardC._Manglesdorf_,Jr.,andThomasJ._Dement_,II,Nashville,Tennessee,fortheappellant, &J"& _Unimin_ԀCorporation '6#' TerryJ.Leonard,Camden,Tennessee,fortheappellee,David_Kee_ )%)    MEMORANDUMOPINION #XXP3 #XPX +&+ _  #XXP#XPX  Theemployeeorclaimant,DavidKee,is59yearsoldwithahighschooleducationandno n-(- vocationaltraining.HeworkedforGenescoforoneyearaftergraduatingfromhighschooland  workedforUnimin,formerlyHardySandCompany,for37years,advancingtothepositionofshift  productionandshippingsupervisoruntilhewasterminatedonFebruary24,1999.    Oneoftheclaimedinjuriesistotheleftarm.Itappearsfromtherecord,asthetrialcourt ` found,thatthearminjurywasanoldone,notrelatedtowork,althoughamanifestationofitoccured L  atworkonoraboutApril21,1998.ThetestimonyofDr.LowellF.Stonecipherclearlysupportsthat 8  finding.Italsoappearsfromtherecordthattheclaimshouldfailforlackofwrittennotice.Noissue $ t israisedintheappellee'sbriefconcerningthetrialcourt'sdisallowanceofbenefitsforthearminjury.  `   AsDr.JosephC.Boals,III,understatedinhisdeposition,theclaimant'shistoryisconvoluted  8  andconfusing.ItappearsfromtherecordthataninjuryoccurredatworkonApril28,1998,when $  theclaimantslippedonoilandfell,,injuringhislowerback.Theemployerdoesnotcontestthe   compensabilityofthebackinjury,butinsistsitdidnotcauseanypermanentdisability.Thetreating   physician,Dr.JohnNeblett,diagnosedacutelumbarsprainwithnerverootirritationatL5S1onthe   leftside.Theinjurywassuperimposedonpreexistingdegenerativearthritis.Conservativecarewas   providedbyDr.Neblett.Dr.Boals,towhomtheclaimantwasreferredbyhisattorneyfor p evaluation,estimatedhispermanentimpairmentat10percenttothewholebody. \   TheclaimanttestifiedthathefelldownaflightofstairsatworkonFebruary22,1999, 4 landingonhisneckandinjuringit.Thereisconflictingtestimonyastowhethertheemployerhad  p noticeofit.AsupervisoratUnimin,DavidHayes,wasnearbywhenithappened.Hayestestified  \ thatheheardanoiseandsawtheclaimantpickinghimselfup.Whenheaskedtheclaimantifhewas H hurt,theclaimantsaidsomething,thenwalkedaway,accordingtothetestimonyofHayes.The 4 claimantbelievesthesupervisorsawmorethanheistelling.Nowrittenreportwasmade.Dr.   Neblettdiagnosedacutenecksprainandexacerbationofpreexistingarthritis.Dr.Boalsestimated   theclaimantspermanentimpairmentforallthreeinjuriesat33percent.    Thetrialjudgefoundtheemployeetobeacrediblewitnessandawardedpermanentpartial  disabilitybenefitsonthebasisof40percenttothebodyasawhole.Appellatereviewisdenovo l upontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsof X  fact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2). D! Thistribunalisnotboundbythetrialcourt'sfindingsbutinsteadconductsanindependent 0"  examinationoftherecordtodeterminewherethepreponderancelies.Gallowayv.MemphisDrum #l! Serv.,822S.W.2d584,586(Tenn.1991).Wherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses, $X" especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweighttobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerable $D # deferencemustbeaccordedthosecircumstancesonreview,becauseitisthetrialcourtwhichhad %0!$ theopportunitytoobservethewitnessesdemeanorandtoheartheincourttestimony.Longv.Tri &"% ConInd.,Ltd.,996S.W.2d173,178(Tenn.1999).Theappellatetribunal,however,isaswell '#& situatedtogaugetheweight,worthandsignificanceofdepositiontestimonyasthetrialjudge._ (#' Walkerv.SaturnCorp.,986S.W.2d204,207(Tenn.1998). )$(   Theappellantfirstarguestheneckinjurydidnothappen.Theargumentoverlooksthe h+&* testimonyoftheclaimantandthetreatingphysician'sdiagnosisofanacuteinjury.Thetrialjudge  believedtheclaimant.Theappellantarguestheinjuriesarenotpermanent.Thetrialcourtaccepted  thetestimonyofDr._Boals_Ԁtothecontrary.Anemployertakesanemployeeasheisandassumesthe  riskofhavingaweakenedconditionaggravatedbyaninjurywhichmightnotaffectanormalperson. t #XXPS#XPXFinkv._Caudle_,856S.W.2d952(Tenn.1993)#XXP##XPX.Theevidencefailstopreponderateagainstthetrial ` courtsfindingthattheclaimantsneckinjuryiscompensable. L    Next,theappellantarguestheclaimantfailedtogivewrittennoticeoftheaccidentalneck $ t injury.Immediatelyupontheoccurrenceofaninjury,orassoonthereafterasisreasonableand  ` practicable,aninjuredemployeemust,unlesstheemployerhasactualknowledgeoftheaccident,  L  givewrittennoticeoftheinjurytohisemployer.Tenn.CodeAnn.506201#XXP;$#XPX.Benefitsarenot  8  recoverablefromthedateoftheaccidenttothegivingofsuchnotice,andnobenefitsarerecoverable $  unlesssuchwrittennoticeisgivenwithin30daysaftertheinjuriousoccurrence,unlesstheinjured   workerhasareasonableexcuseforthefailuretogivetherequirednotice.Id.     Whetherornottheexcuseofferedbyaninjuredworkerforfailuretogivetimelywritten   noticeissufficientdependsontheparticularfactsandcircumstancesofeachcase.#XXP&#XPXA.C.Lawrence p Co.v.Britt,220Tenn.444,414S.W.2d830,834(1967).#XXP|)#XPXԀThepresenceorabsenceofprejudiceto \ theemployerisaproperconsideration._McCaleb_Ԁv.SaturnCorp.,910S.W.2d412(Tenn.1995)#XXP*#XPX. H Wheretheemployerdeniesthataclaimanthasgiventherequiredwrittennotice,theclaimanthas 4 theburdenofshowingthattheemployerhadactualnotice,orthattheemployeehaseithercomplied  p withtherequirementorhasareasonableexcuseforhisfailuretodoso,fornoticeisanessential  \ elementofhisclaim.#XXP&+#XPXJonesv.SterlingLastCorp.,962S.W.2d469,471(Tenn.1998)#XXP-#XPX.Thetrial H courtmadenospecificfinding,butitappearstheclaimantssupervisor,Hayes,didhaveactual 4 noticeoftheaccident,inwhichcasewrittennoticeisexcused.Thesecondissueisresolvedinfavor   oftheclaimant.     Fortheabovereasonsandbecausetheevidencefailstopreponderatethefindingsofthetrial  court,thejudgmentisaffirmed.Costsaretaxedtotheappellant.  #XXP-#XPX   `     h     ___________________________________ D!    `     h     JOEC.LOSER,JR. 0"    $X" @7 7 XXPINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @??SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  @''%ATJACKSON $ @"August20,2001 6    DAVID_KEE_Ԁv._UNIMIN_ԀCORPORATION0 @   Z A2@[ [  CircuitCourtforBentonCounty 0  @#No.99CCV195 D  @*AV) ` dE<k` A߈ l  @No.W200002673_WC_ԄR3CVFiledNovember9,2001   AV) ` dE<` A   @PP& JUDGMENT  (    ` ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorder ` ofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel's "r MemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,which 4 areincorporatedhereinbyreference; F    ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthe j Panelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and |    ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusions  oflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgment   oftheCourt. ! Ѐ "&    ` CostsonappealaretaxedtotheAppellant,_Unimin_ԀCorporation,for #8 whichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. $J     ` ITISSOORDERED. 'n"" #4#|   `     h     PER_CURIAM_ N*%% #|s9##XPX'1#