ÿWPC# 6UB %FÊL 0t 0lŠ 0Ëö 0JÁ 0 D+˜ ÆÃ 0‰ 0= 0S AQà 0T1 … n• 0r˜ wš 4¤ 0^¸ÆÆÜÆ¢Æh 0h. 0r– 0| 0†„ 0  1uš 0d Bs D3B)ÃDCì AK/U *z.¤ÀÒ.’v~ÀvÓ>ô\  `*Times New RomanTTô' Í* 6Gordon Chadwick Aulgur60Gordon Chadwick Aulgur .   h††ÿÿ:Default ParaDefault Paragraph FontÔ€XXXÔÔW€ô\  `*Times New RomanTTWÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ€ôôôÔÔW€ô\  `*Times New RomanTTWÔ`††ÿÿ:footnote reffootnote referenceÔ€XXXÔÔW€ô\  `*Times New RomanTTWÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ€ôôôÔÔW€ô\  `*Times New RomanTTWÔ<;Tÿÿ.footerfooterÓ  ÓÓ°°ÀÐ (#ÓÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ>4°X°` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#>Ó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô(e2»™$©©Ý ƒã!ÝÔ€ô¾ôôôÔÔ€ô¾ôôô¾ÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý'ÈÈÈÈdxdƒ Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(e2»™$££Ý ƒã!ÝÔ€ô¾ôôôÔÔ€ô¾ôôô¾ÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý(ÿÿ$””Ú  ÚÚ  Ú(e2»™$¢¢Ý ƒã!ÝÔ€ô¾ôôôÔÔ€ô¾ôôô¾ÔÓ  ÓÝ  Ý  Cþÿ<< cÿÿ2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô3|x8«ô\  `*Times New RomanTTôôCô\  PŽ6QôPô\  `*Times New RomanTTXXPô\  PŽ6QXPô\  `*Times New RomanTT&&Jô\  PŽ6Q&P(Jã$¡¡Ô€ô:¦ôôôÔÔ€ô:¦ôôô:¦ÔÓ  Ó Y Y « &ÆHDUEDEUUUUEEDHÓ€*V+î,Ó€8Ft‹#<2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 526 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 d&&&&'ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d----7Border 1dd .Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial $Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€0ÔÔ€0ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€0XÔÌÌò òJanuary€7,€1998ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€0ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó ¶Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÓ È ÓÔ€XÔÌÓ  ÓÌÔ€ôÔ $Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€0ÔÔ€0ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€0XÔÌÌò òJanuary€7,€1998ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€0ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÓÿÿÓÔ€XÔÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€¾ôôdÈdÈ7ÑÙ€ ÙßR€/1.A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÌà@ à(May€23,€1997€Session)ÌÌ______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌRICKY€MCFARLAND,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àNO.€02S01„9702„CV„00011Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌCHAMPION€HOME€BUILDERS,à àà à)à àà àHENRY€COUNTY€CIRCUITÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àJUDGE€JULIAN€P.€GUINNÌà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTóó:à àà àà àà àà àà àòòFOR€APPELLEEóó:ÌP.€Allen€Phillipsà àà àà àà àà àà àRicky€L.€BorenÌJackson,€Tennesseeà àà àà àà àà àà àJackson,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌà@ àMailed€November€______,€1997ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌà@ àJanice€M.€Holder,€Associate€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌà@ àRobert€A.€Lanier,€Special€JudgeÌà@ àDon€R.€Ash,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÌÌò òAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àó óAsh,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌÇà@ àò òòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONó óóóÌÌÓÿÿÓà àThis€workerððs€compensation€appeal€was€referred€to€the€Special€Workersðð€CompensationÏAppeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€(1996ÏSupp.)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€ÏIn€this€appeal,€the€employer,€Champion€Home€Builders,€contends€that:€(1)€the€trial€court€erred€inÏfinding€that€the€plaintiff€had€sustained€a€compensable€injury;€and€(2)€the€trial€court€erred€inÏassessing€a€50€%€permanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.€€The€panel€finds€that€theÏjudgment€of€the€trial€court€should€be€affirmed.Ìò òà@ àòòSTANDARD€OF€REVIEWó óóóà àÌà àAppellate€review€is€de€novo€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€aÏpresumption€of€correctness€of€the€findings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2)€(1996€Supp.).€€This€tribunal€is€required€to€conductÏan€independent€examination€of€the€record€to€determine€where€the€preponderance€of€the€evidenceÏlies.€€òòWingert€v.€Government€of€Sumner€Countyóó,€908€S.W.2d€921€(Tenn.€1995).Ìà@ àò òòòFACTSó óóóÌà àThe€claimant,€Ricky€McFarland,€forty„three€years€old€at€the€time€of€trial,€has€a€twelfthÏgrade€education€with€a€minimal€amount€of€college€experience.€€Mr.€McFarland€worked€as€aÏcommon€laborer€for€most€of€his€career.€€Champion€Home€Builders€has€employed€Mr.€McFarlandÏsince€June€of€1985.€€In€March€of€1995,€Mr.€McFarland€suffered€an€injury€to€his€back€whileÏworking€at€Champion€Home€Builders.€€Dr.€Carpenter,€an€osteopath,€examined€Mr.€McFarland€forÏthis€injury.€€After€this€initial€examination,€Mr.€McFarland€was€referred€to€Dr.€Joe€Rowland,€aÏneurosurgeon,€who€performed€a€CAT€scan€which€revealed€a€paracentral€bulging€disc.€€However,ÏDr.€Rowland€opined€that€the€injury€was€not€of€a€surgical€nature€and€treated€Mr.€McFarland€in€aÏconservative€manner.€€On€August€15,€1995,€Dr.€Rowland€performed€a€myelogram€which€€revealedÏdegenerative€changes€and€a€possible€right€paracentral€disc€at€the€L„4€level.€€On€August€29,€1995,Ïsurgery€was€performed€but€a€ruptured€disc€was€not€found.€€€However,€Dr.€Rowland€discovered€anÍunusual€configuration€known€as€a€conjoined€nerve€root,€which€is€a€congenital€anomaly€where€twoÏnerves€exit€from€the€same€canal.€€Again€Dr.€Rowland€treated€Mr.€McFarland€conservatively.€ÏHowever,€Mr.€McFarland€did€not€improve€and€a€second€surgery€was€performed.€€Ö€2ÖAfter€the€secondÏsurgery,€Dr.€Rowland€opined€that€the€injury€was€to€a€disc€and€not€a€conjoined€root.€€Further,€Dr.ÏRowland€opined€that€the€congenital€deformity€could€have€been€aggravated€by€trauma,€but€Mr.ÏMcFarland€had€no€history€of€trauma.€€Dr.€Rowland€assessed€a€10%€permanent€partial€impairmentÏrating€to€the€body€as€a€whole€to€Mr.€McFarland.€€Further,€Dr.€Rowland€opined€that€the€nature€ofÏMr.€McFarlandððs€work€could€aggravate€the€preexisting€conjoined€nerve€root€condition.€€On€June€8,Ï1995,€prior€to€the€second€surgery,€Dr.€Everett,€an€orthopaedic€surgeon,€performed€a€CAT€scanÏwhich€revealed€a€paracentral€bulging€disc€and€disc€herniation€toward€the€right€side€at€the€L„4€level.€ÏOn€August€19,€1996,€Dr.€Everett€performed€surgery€for€this€problem.€€When€Mr.€McFarlandÏreturned€to€work,€Champion€Home€Builders€informed€Mr.€McFarland€that€he€would€be€limited€toÏlight€duty€of€no€more€than€twenty€or€thirty€pounds€lifting€for€two€months€before€he€could€return€toÏnormal€activities€without€restrictions€of€a€permanent€nature.Ìà àAfter€seeing€Dr.€Rowland€but€before€the€bulging€disc€operation,€Dr.€Robert€J.€Barnett,€anÏorthopaedic€surgeon,€examined€Mr.€McFarland€for€an€independent€medical€evaluation.€€Dr.€BarnettÏnoted€that€Mr.€McFarland€had€a€history€of€low€back€pain€that€had€been€aggravated€by€a€liftingÏepisode€in€August€of€1995.€€Dr.€Barnett€opined€that€this€lifting€incident€caused€Mr.€McFarlandððsÏinjury.€€Upon€examination,€Dr.€Barnett€found€that€Mr.€McFarland€could€touch€his€knees€with€hisÏfingertips€but€he€could€not€bend€over€to€the€degree€necessary€to€touch€his€ankles.€€Further,€Dr.ÏBarnett€found€that€Mr.€McFarland€was€limited€when€he€bent€backwards€and€to€his€sides.€€X„raysÏof€Mr.€McFarland€revealed€the€large€operative€area€in€which€considerable€amounts€of€bone€hadÏbeen€taken€off€through€the€large€hemilaminectomy€on€the€right€at€the€L„4€level.€€Dr.€Barnett€opinedÏthat€Mr.€McFarland€had€a€20%€permanent€partial€impairment€to€the€body€as€a€whole€and€placed€aÏthirty„pound€overall€weight€limit€restriction€and€a€limit€on€repetitive€lifting€of€not€more€than€tenÍpounds.€€Further€work€restrictions€include€that€Mr.€McFarland€was€to€avoid€long€periods€ofÏsitting,€long€periods€of€standing,€and€body€movements€of€that€nature.€€Dr.€Barnett€opined€that€Mr.ÏMcFarland€is€not€a€good€candidate€for€manual€labor€because€the€back€pain€limited€his€motion.€€Ìà àThe€trial€court€held€that€Mr.€McFarlandððs€work€had€primarily€been€in€the€field€of€manualÏlabor€and€Mr.€McFarland€suffers€classic€symptoms€for€an€injury€of€this€nature.€€Further€the€trialÏcourt€held€Mr.€McFarland€suffered€€a€compensable€injury€and€as€a€result€has€a€50%€permanentÏpartial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole.Ìà@ àò òòòCAUSATIONó óóóÌà àAppellant€contends€the€trial€court€erred€in€finding€that€the€plaintiff€had€sustained€aÏcompensable€injury.€€In€order€to€be€eligible€for€workersðð€compensation€benefits,€an€employee€mustÏsuffer€ð ðan€injury€by€accident€arising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€employment€which€causes€eitherÏdisablement€or€death.ðð€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€Sec.€50„6„102(a)(5).€€The€phrase€ð ðarising€outðð€refers€toÏcausation.€€òòBraden€v.€Sears€Roebuck€and€Co.óó,€883€S.W.2d€496,€498€(Tenn.€1992).€€TheÏcausation€requirement€is€satisfied€if€the€injury€has€a€rational,€causal€connection€to€the€work.€€òòId.óó€ÏAlthough€causation€cannot€be€based€upon€speculation€or€conjectural€proof,€òòSimpson€v.€H.D.€LeeÏCo.óó,€793€S.W.2d€929,€931€(Tenn.€1990),€absolute€certainty€is€not€required.€€òòTindall€v.€WaringÏPark€Assððnóó,€725€S.W.2d€935,€937.€€Generally,€an€injury€arises€out€of€and€in€the€course€ofÏemployment€if€it€has€a€rational,€causal€connection€to€the€work€and€occurs€while€the€employee€isÏengaged€in€the€duties€of€his€employment;€and€any€reasonable€doubt€as€to€whether€an€injury€aroseÏout€of€the€employment€or€not€is€to€be€resolved€in€favor€of€the€employee.€€òòWhite€v.€WerthanÏIndustriesóó,€824€S.W.2d€158,€159€(Tenn.€1992).Ìà àMr.€McFarlandððs€congenital€anomaly€does€not€preclude€him€from€receiving€workersððÏcompensation€benefits.€€A€prior€disabling€condition€does€not€preclude€a€workersðð€compensationÏaward€where€a€work„related€injury€aggravates€that€pre„existing€condition.€€òòId.óó€at€159.€€However,Ïan€employee€is€not€entitled€to€workersðð€compensation€benefits€where€the€employment€does€notÍcause€an€actual€progression€or€aggravation€of€the€underlying€condition€but€simply€producesÏadditional€pain.€€òòTownsend€v.€Stateóó,€826€S.W.2d€434€(Tenn.€1992);€òòSmith€v.€Smithððs€TransferÏCorp.óó,€735€S.W.2d€221€(Tenn.€1987).€€€Dr.€Barnett€opined€that€Mr.€McFarlandððs€injuries€wereÏaggravated€by€the€nature€of€his€work,€and€Dr.€Rowlandððs€opinion€was€inconclusive€on€this€matter.€ÏFurther,€the€trial€court€held€that€Mr.€McFarlandððs€injuries€were€work€related€and€the€nature€of€hisÏemployment€aggravated€his€condition.€€Therefore,€after€weighing€the€medical€evidence€and€the€trialÏcourtððs€finding,€this€panel€concludes€that€Mr.€McFarlandððs€congenital€anomaly€does€not€precludeÏhim€from€receiving€workersðð€compensation€benefits.€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àIn€the€instant€case,€there€is€conflicting€testimony€between€Dr.€Rowland,€who€opined€that€noÏanatomical€findings€relate€to€the€conjoined€nerve€root€and€Dr.€Barnett,€who€opined€that€causationÏexisted€as€a€result€of€Mr.€McFarlandððs€work€related€lifting.€€Moreover,€Dr.€Rowland€opined€thatÏlifting€and€bending€can€irritate€a€conjoined€nerve€root.€€Any€reasonable€doubt€as€to€causation€is€toÏbe€construed€in€Mr.€McFarlandððs€favor.€€òòWhite€v.€Werthan€Industriesóó,€824€S.W.2d€158,€159Ï(Tenn.€1992).€€It€is€within€the€sound€discretion€of€the€trial€judge€to€conclude€that€the€opinion€ofÏcertain€experts€should€be€accepted€over€that€of€other€experts.€€òòThomas€v.€Aetna€Life€&€Cas.€Co.óó,Ï812€S.W.2d€278,€283€(Tenn.€1991).€€€€€Further,€while€causation€and€permanency€of€an€injuryÏmust€be€proved€by€expert€medical€testimony,€such€testimony€must€be€considered€in€conjunctionÏwith€the€lay€testimony€of€the€employee€as€to€how€the€injury€occurred€and€the€employeeððsÏsubsequent€condition.€€òòSmith€v.€Empire€Pencil€Co.óó,€781€S.W.2d€833,€835€(Tenn.€1989).€€€ÏTherefore,€based€upon€the€doctorsðð€opinions,€€the€lay€testimony€of€the€plaintiff,€and€the€evidence€inÏthe€record,€the€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€trial€courtððs€holding€that€the€Mr.ÏMcFarland€did€sustain€a€compensable€injury.€€€€ò òòòÌóóà@ àòòAMOUNT€OF€IMPAIRMENTó óóóÌà àAppellant€contends€the€trial€court€erred€in€assessing€a€50%€permanent€partial€disability€toÏthe€body€as€a€whole.€€In€cases€where€expert€medical€testimony€is€presented€by€deposition€and€isÍconflicting,€the€appellate€court€is€in€as€good€a€position€as€the€trial€court€in€reviewing€and€weighingÏtestimony€and€determining€credibility€questions€and€questions€concerning€the€weight€of€expertÏtestimony.€€òòLanders€v.€Fireman's€Fund,€Inc.óó,€775€S.W.2d€355,€356€(Tenn.€1989).€€Nevertheless,Ïit€is€within€the€sound€discretion€of€the€trial€judge€to€conclude€that€the€opinion€of€certain€expertsÏshould€be€accepted€over€that€of€other€experts.€€òòThomas€v.€Aetna€Life€&€Cas.€Co.óó,€812€S.W.2dÏ278,€283.Ìà àHere,€Dr.€Rowland€and€Dr.€Barnett€both€used€standard€means€to€give€an€impairment€ratingÏto€Mr.€McFarland.€€Though€Dr.€Rowland€appeared€to€be€the€treating€physician,€Dr.€Barnett€had€theÏbenefit€of€time€to€see€the€results€of€treatment€and€the€results€of€Mr.€McFarlandððs€surgeries.€€Dr.ÏBarnett€opined€that€the€lifting€Mr.€McFarland€did€at€his€job€caused€Mr.€McFarlandððs€back€injuries.€ÏFurther,€Dr.€Barnett€opined€that€the€€hemilaminectomy€would€cause€large€amounts€of€scar€tissueÏlimiting€the€movement€of€Mr.€McFarlandððs€back.€€€Coupled€with€his€observations,€tests,€and€Mr.ÏMcFarlandðð€history,€Dr.€Barnett€assessed€Mr.€McFarland€as€having€a€20%€permanent€partialÏimpairment€to€the€body€as€a€whole€with€a€thirty€(30)€pound€lifting€work€restriction€and€a€ten€(10)Ïpound€repetitive€lifting€work€restriction€with€no€long€sitting€or€long€standing€periods.€€The€opinionÏof€a€qualified€medical€expert€with€respect€to€a€claimant's€medical€impairment€is€a€factor€which€mustÏbe€considered€along€with€all€other€relevant€facts€and€circumstances€in€determining€the€extent€of€hisÏor€her€industrial€disability.€€òòPittman€v.€Lasco€Industries,€Inc.óó,€908€S.W.2d€932€(Tenn.€1995).€ÏMoreover,€Tennessee€has€long€recognized€that€an€employer€takes€an€employee€as€he€is€andÏassumes€the€risk€of€having€a€weakened€condition€aggravated€by€an€injury€which€might€not€affect€aÏnormal€person.€€òòHarlan€v.€McClellanóó,€572€S.W.2d€641€(Tenn.€1978).€€Further,€TennesseeÏrecognizes€that€the€employer€takes€the€employee€with€all€preexisting€conditions€and€cannot€escapeÏliability€when€the€employee,€upon€suffering€a€work„related€injury,€incurs€disability€far€greater€thanÏif€he€had€not€had€the€preexisting€conditions.€€òòRogers€v.€Shawóó,€813€S.W.2d€397€(Tenn.€1991).€Ìà àThe€trial€court€is€justified€in€the€consideration€of€€factors€such€as€age,€job€skills,€education,Ítraining,€and€the€like,€in€addition€to€anatomical€impairment.€€òòWorthington€v.€Modine€Mfg.€Co.óó,€Ï798€S.W.2d€232,€234€(Tenn.€1990).€The€factors€this€panel€is€to€consider€in€determining€theÏamount€of€disability€are€the€claimantððs€age€(òòJackson€v.€Greyhound€Lines,€Inc.óó,€734€S.W.2d€617,Ï621€(Tenn.€1987));€his€job€skills,€education,€training,€and€length€of€disability€(òòEmployers€Ins.€v.ÏHeathóó,€536€S.W.2d€341,€342„43€(Tenn.€1977));€job€opportunities€in€the€marketplace€(òòHinson€v.ÏWalmartóó,€654€S.W.2d€675,€677€(Tenn.€1983));€whether€the€claimant€has€returned€to€workÏ(òòCorcoran€v.€Foster€Auto€GMCóó,€746€S.W.2d€452,€459€(Tenn.€1987));€the€claimantððs€ownÏassessment€of€his€or€her€physical€condition€and€resulting€disability€(òòCorcoranóó,€746€S.W.2d€atÏ458);€and€whether,€despite€returning€to€work,€the€claimantððs€ability€to€earn€wages€in€any€form€ofÏemployment€(that€would€have€been€available€to€him€in€an€uninjured€condition)€is€diminished€by€anÏinjury)€òòProst€v.€City€of€Clarksvilleóó,€688€S.W.2d€425,€427€(Tenn.€1984)).€Ìà àIn€the€instant€case,€Plaintiffððs€congenital€condition€makes€him€more€susceptible€to€the€injuryÏhe€sustained.€€However,€Champion€Homes€Builders€gave€Mr.€McFarland€a€pre„employmentÏphysical€and€€subsequently€hired€him.€€The€trial€court€found€that€Plaintiff€ð ðsuffers€the€somewhatÏclassic€symptoms€for€an€injury€of€this€nature.€€He€wears€a€brace€and€he€takes€pain€medication.€€HeÏhas€lifting€limitations€and€he€avoids€those€instances€where€pain€arise...€This€man€is€the€classicÏpatient€who€has€come€to€live€with€the€injury€he€has€got€and€to€do€the€best€he€can€under€theÏcircumstances.ðð€€€The€trial€court€carefully€considered€all€the€evidence€including€the€resultingÏsymptoms€plaintiff€lives€with€and€chose€Dr.€Barnettððs€opinion.€€€The€trial€court€correctly€found€thatÏunder€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„241(a)(1)€(1996€Supp.)€the€cap€of€2.5€times€the€impairment€ratingÏapplies,€as€plaintiff€returned€to€the€same€employer€and€continued€to€do€similar€work€withÏassistance.€€As€a€result€the€2.5€times€the€20%€impairment€rating,€Ô  ÔÔ  Ôgiving€plaintiff€a€total€impairmentÏrating€of€50%€to€the€body€as€a€whole,€is€appropriate.€€From€our€independent€review€of€the€record,Ïthe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€findings€of€the€trial€court€on€the€award€of€disability.€€Ìà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€accordingly€affirmed.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€taxed€to€theÍdefendant„appellant.à àÌÌÌÓÿÿÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àDon€R.€Ash,€Special€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:à àÌÌÌ____________________________________ÌJanice€M.€Holder,€Associate€JusticeÌÌÌ____________________________________ÌRobert€Lanier,€Special€JudgeÔ€&ÔÇÑ ` ÑÔ€0Ôà@ àÔ€0¼ÔIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€JACKSONÔ€0XÔÌÌÌÓ#` p…X LÐ X#ÓRICKY€MCFARLAND,à àà à)à àHENRY€CIRCUITÌÓ#` p` LÐ X#Óà à)à àNO.€336ÌÓ` p` ¸ ’XÓà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à à)à àÌÓ#` p` ¸ LÐ X#Óà àà à)à àHon.€Julian€P.€Guinn,Ìvs.à àà à)à àJudgeÌà àà à)ÌCHAMPION€HOME€BUILDERS,à à)à àNO.€02S01„9702„CV„00011ÌßJ€/3;+'b|E†` Å `€@ÿJßà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€0¼ÔJUDGMENT€ORDERÔ€0XÔÌÌÓ  ÓÓÓÌÓ` p`  ’XÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€the€entire€record,€including€the€orderÏof€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€whichÏare€incorporated€herein€by€reference.Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€Memorandum€Opinion€of€theÏPanel€should€be€accepted€and€approved;€andÌà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€ofÏlaw€are€adopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€ofÏthe€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Appellant,€and€surety,€for€which€execution€mayÏissue€if€necessary.Ìà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€7th€day€of€January,€1998.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌ(Holder,€J.,€not€participating)ÌÌÌÌÔ€ÔÔ€&Ô