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X   TR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'Tќr (<,(j 8` `@E ` ttx$X rINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  t (>.*jx` `@E` ttx$@ tߛSPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANELATJACKSONP *XXDXX*WILLIAMMcDOWELL, h      D )  b  `     h      D )9XXDQ XXXDX9 ` Plaintiff/Appellee, h      D ) Q     .   `     h      D ) Q CarrollCircuit    v. `     h      D ) Q     `     h      D ) Q No.02S019710CV00088   HENRYI.SIEGELCOMPANY,INC. D ) v  andROYALINSURANCECOMPANY, D ) Q HonorableC.CreedMcGinley,Judge \   `     h      D ) ` Defendants/Appellants.     D ) Q  (x  FortheAppellants:  h      D  Q FortheAppellee:   StephenR.Butler   h      D  Q KennethL.Walker d Jackson,Shields,Yeiser&Cantrell   D  Q WalkerLawOffice J 262GermanOakDrive h      D  Q P.O.Box530 0 Cordova,TN38018 h      D  Q Lexington,TN38351  f   `     h      D 򀀀 "!   MEMORANDUMOPINION *&* MembersofPanel: -(-  SeniorJudgeJohnK.Byers h/*/ SpecialJudgeF.LloydTatumSpecialJudgePaulR.Summers   AFFIRMED    h      D  Q   TATUM,SpecialJudge 0:5;   ;l6<    XX7ZXXdXXd7OPINION #XZX~ #     ` ThisworkerscompensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.XMXXXZ#XZXXXM #Ԁ506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactand  d conclusionsoflaw. ` Thetrialjudgefoundthattheplaintiffhadsustainedthirtypercentpermanentpartialdisabilitytoeacharmandenteredjudgmentaccordingly. ` Thedefendantemployer,HenryI.SiegelCompany,Inc.(HIS),anditsinsurancecarrier,RoyalInsuranceCompany,presentissuethatthethirtypercentpermanentpartialdisabilitytoeacharmisexcessiveandshouldbereducedtoapproximatelytenpercentpermanentdisabilitytoeacharm. ` Itwasstipulatedbeforetrialthattheplaintiffhadagraduallyoccurringinjuryinbotharms.Theonlyquestionthatwaspresentedtothetrialcourtwastheextentofthedisability. ` Theplaintifftestifiedthatheisahighschoolgraduate.Hewas47yearsofageatthetimeofhisinjury.HehasworkedforthedefendantsinceMay,1967andcontinuestoworkforthedefendantasa packer. ` TheplaintifftestifiedthatinOctober,1994hishandsandwristsbeganhurting.Hisrighthandandwristhurtmorethantheleft.Hishandsandwristscontinuedtohurt,buthecontinuedtoworkuntilhehadsurgeryontherighthandonJanuary9,1995. ` Aftersurgerytohisrighthand,hislefthandandarmbecamemuchworse.UltimatelyhehadsurgeryonthelefthandandarmonFebruary8,1995.Afterthesurgeryonhislefthand,bothhandscontinuedtopainbutthelefthandwasmuchworsethantherighthand.HewenttoseeDr.EugeneF.GulishwhoperformedasecondsurgeryonthelefthandonMarch12,1996. ` Plaintifftestifiedthataftertherepeatsurgeryonthelefthand,itimproved.However,hecontinuedtohavewristpainandtinglingrunningdownthreefingers.Itwasnotasbadatthetimeoftrialasbeforethesecondsurgery,butattimeshecouldnotpickupacupofcoffee,opencansofCoke,oropenjars.Hedoesnothavethegripstrengthheoncehadinthelefthand. 945;  ` Hefurthertestifiedthathehadoccasionalpaininhisrighthand,butnothingcomparedtothepaininthelefthandwithmuchlesstingling.Therighthandisweak,butmuchstrongerthanthelefthand.Heisrighthanded. ` Plaintifftestifiedthathecontinuedtowork,buthewaspaidonthebasisofhisproduction.Hisaverageearningswere$14.85perhourbeforehisdifficultywithhishands.Henowearnsapproximately$1012.00anhour.Hetestifiedthatabackinjuryheincurredafterthehandsurgeryhasalsohinderedhisabilitytoworkandinhibitedhisearningcapacity. ` Hefurthertestifiedthathehadbacksurgeryin1995and1996.In1995,hehadacutegastroenteritis,chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease,pneumonia,andbackpain.In1996,hesufferedbackpain,carotidynia,upperrespiratoryinfection,bronchitis,lumbardiscdisease,andprostatitis.In1996,hecontinuedtosufferwithpneumonia,emphysema,andhypokalemia,andaherniateddiscofthelowbackforwhichhehadsurgery.In1996,healsohaddermatitis,anemia,andmigraineheadaches. ` SincetheplaintiffhasworkedforHIS,hehasbeenapacker.Thisrequirestheconstantuseofhishandsandwristsinpackingpantsandshirtsinboxes. ` Mr.RustyLifseytestifiedthatatthetimeoftrialonSeptember5,1997,hehadbeentheplaintiffspackingsupervisorforfiveorsixyears.Hecoulddiscernnochangeintheplaintiffsabilitytoworkfromthetimehefirstbecameplaintiffssupervisoruntilthetimeoftrial.Hetestifiedthathetalkstoplaintifftwoorthreetimeseachdayandthatplaintiffnevercomplainsofwristpain. ` InMarch,duetotheemploymentofcomputers,therewasatwentypercentreductioninwarehouseproduction.Thisresultedinemployeesattheplantreceivingatwentypercentlossofpay,assumingtheirproductionremainedthesame. ` Mr.Lifseyplacedtheplaintiffondifferentjobsbecauseofhishands.Forexample,heaskedplaintiffononeoccasionifhecouldputhangersonpants,andtheplaintiffrespondedintheaffirmative.However,thewitnessdidnotthinkthathewasabletodothisworkbecauseofhiswrists,anddidnotplacehimonthatjob. ` Bystipulation,medicalrecordsofseveraldoctors,hospitals,andothermedicalpersonnelwereintroducedintoevidence.ThetestimonyofDr.JosephC.Boalswas 84: admittedbydeposition. ` Afterbeingseenbyotherdoctors,theplaintiffultimatelywasexaminedonNovember23,1994byDr.GlennBarnett,aneurosurgeon.Testingrevealedcarpaltunnelsyndromeatleastontherightside. ` OnJanuary4,1995,Dr.Barnettagainsawplaintiff.Hissymptomshadnotsubsided,buttherighthandbotheredhimmorethantheleft.OnJanuary9,1995,anopenreleaseoftherightcarpalligamentwasperformedbyDr.Barnett. ` OnFebruary6,1995,plaintifftoldDr.Barnettthathewastotallysatisfiedwiththerighthand,butthelefthandwas killinghim.ThedecisionwasmadeforsurgeryonthelefthandandthiswasperformedonFebruary8,1995. ` OnFebruary20,1995,beforetheplaintiffwasdischarged,Dr.Barnettopinedthattheplaintiffhadfivepercentimpairmenttoeacharm. ` OnApril5,1995,hereportedtoDr.Barnettthathisrighthandfelt prettygood,butthelefthandhurtnearlyconstantly.OnApril26,1995,plaintifftoldDr.Barnettthathisrighthandwas great,buthislefthandwas drivinghimwild.Onthisoccasion,Dr.Barnettadvisedplaintiffthathecoulddonothingelseforhimanddischargedhim. ` OnMay25,1995,theplaintiffwasseenbyDr.LowellF.Stonecipherwithnosymptomsontherighthand,butpainontheleft.Dr.Stonecipherrecommendedrepeatopencarpaltunnelsurgerywithneurolysistobreakupanyintraneuralscarring. ` TheplaintiffwasultimatelyseenbyDr.EugeneF.Gulish,anorthopedicsurgeon,onJanuary15,1996bydirectionoftheCourt.Dr.Gulishexaminedbothofplaintiffshands.Examinationoftherightwristindicatedafullrangeofmotion,nopain,goodmusclestrength,goodgripstrength,andnegativePhalensandTinelstests. ` ExaminationandtestingbyDr.GulishoftheleftwristindicatedtheneedforsurgerywhichwasperformedonMarch12,1996.Massivescartissueswereremovedfromtheleftwristandhand. ` OnJuly10,1996,Dr.Gulishopinedthatplaintiffhadthreepercentpermanentimpairmenttotheleftarm.Hepredictedthatplaintiffwouldhaveintermittentdiscomfortbutcouldpursueafullcourseofactivitywithnoneurologicchange.Herenderednoopinionwithregardtotherightarm. 84:  ` ThedepositionofDr.JosephC.Boals,anorthopedicsurgeon,wasintroducedintoevidence.Dr.Boalssawtheplaintiffonetime,onAugust20,1996,foranindependentmedicalevaluation.Heratedtheplaintiffashavingtenpercentpermanentimpairmenttoeachupperextremity. ` Theratingwasbasedonlossofgripstrength.Thelossofgripstrengthwascomputedbytakingthegripstrengthofanaveragepersonandsubtractingfromittheplaintiffsowngripstrength. ` Dr.BoalstestifiedthathedidnotusethetablesintheAmericanMedicalAssociation(AMA)Guidelinestodeterminetheaveragegripstrength,butusedatablesuppliedbytheJamarCompany,whichmanufacturedthedynamometerthatheused.HetestifiedthatthestrengthsgivenbytheAMAtablesweretoolowandthatifheusedthetablesintheAMAGuidelineshisratingontherightsidewouldbezerodisability.However,evenwiththetablesintheAMAGuidelines,theplaintiffwouldcontinuetobedepressedintheleftarm. ` Ourreviewisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbya  \ presumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.XMXXXZ#XZXXXMF0#Ԁ506225(e).Thistribunalisrequiredto  conductanindependentexaminationoftherecordtodeterminewherethepreponderanceoftheevidencelies.SeeLandersv.FiremansFundIns.Co.,775S.W.2d355(Tenn. T#" 1989).Wherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweighttobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbegiventhosecircumstancesonreview.Townsendv.State,826S.W.2d434,437(Tenn. ($( 1992).Wheremedicaltestimonyisdocumentaryorbydeposition,thereviewingtribunalisasabletopassontheweightandvalueoftheevidenceasthetrialjudge.Humphrey P,', v.DavidWitherspoon,Inc.,734S.W.2d315,316(Tenn.1987). .l).  ` Asstated,allofthemedicalevidenceisbydepositionorbydocumentation.Noneofthemedicalexpertstestified.PlaintiffandMr.LifseytestifiedinCourt. ` Takingtheevidenceasawhole,wecannotsaythatitpreponderatesagainstthefindingsofthetrialjudge.Hisjudgmentmustthereforebeaffirmed. ` Wedonotfindthatthisappealisfrivolous,ortakenforpurposesofdelay.Plaintiffsrequestforassessmentofsanctionsisdenied.Costsaretaxedagainst 844: defendants/appellants. `  `     h     ________________________________________ `     h     F.LLOYDTATUM,SPECIALJUDGE     CONCUR:___________________________________JOHNK.BYERS,SENIORJUDGE___________________________________XMXXXZ  PAULR.SUMMERS,SPECIALJUDGE̜#XZXXXM8#  x ` r (<,(j 8` `@E f ` ttx$X` r@  D{XXZINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE@mm*DATJACKSON#XZX{-:#Ԉ x  <XXp XXXDQ X<WILLIAMMCDOWELL, h   )  CARROLLCIRCUIT P <Xp XXXp X<  )  NO.3209 6 6pXXp X6 ` Plaintiff/Appellee,  )    6p XpX6 `   )  Hon.C.CreedMcGinley,  vs. `   )  Judge    `   )HENRYI.SIEGELCOMPANY,INC.,  )  NO.02S019710CV00088 T  t (>.*jx]` `@E}|` ttx$ tandROYALINSURANCECOMPANY,  ) :   `   ) ` Defendants/Appellants.  )  AFFIRMED. f  @(D{XXZJUDGMENTORDER#XZX{?#Ԉ  6` pXp X6 ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference. Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. CostswillbepaidbyAppellantsandsurety,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. ITISSOORDEREDthis26thdayofOctober,1998.      x   (#    PERCURIAM 8P/4 Ї