ÿWPCV 2U:Ì % n­ 04Éýw@ý4=Q 0JQ 0T› 0^ï 0hM 0rµ 0|' 0†£ 0) 1u¹ 0d.U6’B)È AQñÆB 0P 0@X 0D˜ DCÜ D/ BN Bk D3ˆ AM» U* 2 f8 U>ž )Ü v~vÓƒ<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x «<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó PPPP¿ÀDDP Dujý"2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó7Border 1dd(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd!#%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial üÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌAugust€19,€1997ÌÌCecil€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€+XÔÌÌAugust€19,€1997ÌÌCecil€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  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ Ð ÒÙ€!ÙÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€*,%A1-j|âÿ3` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌRONALD€GRANT€MERRIMAN,€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant€€€€€€)€€No.€01S01„9610„CH„00221€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€DEKALB€COUNTY€CHANCERY€€€€€€€Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€HON.€VERNON€NEAL,€CHANCELLORÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌDEKALB€COUNTY€HIGHWAY€DEPARTMENT€)€€Ìand€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌAETNA€CASUALTY€INSURANCE€COMPANY€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellee€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€THE€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€THE€APPELLEEóó:ÌÌCHRISTOPHER€L.€CANTRELL€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€WILLIAM€B.€JAKES,€III€Ì301€North€Public€Square€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ALICE€MARGARET€ESSARY€€€€€ÌSmithville,€Tennessee€37166€€€€€€€€€€€HOWELL€&€FISHER€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€300€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Court€Square€BuildingÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TN€37201ÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌà@ àLYLE€REID,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€SP.€J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€rKXXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€CourtÏin€accordance€with€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225Ï(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findingsÏof€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.Ìà@ àÌà àThis€claim€arises€out€of€an€alleged€back€injury€to€RonaldÏGrant€Merriman,€an€employee€of€the€DeKalb€County€HighwayÏDepartment,€which€is€claimed€to€have€occurred€from€operating€aÏjack„hammer€on€April€10,€1991.€€Suit€was€not€filed€until€OctoberÏ18,€1994.€€The€statute€of€limitations€was€relied€upon€as€aÏdefense,€and€the€suit€was€dismissed€upon€that€ground.€€ThereÏapparently€was€no€notice€of€the€claimed€injury€until€this€suitÏwas€filed,€but€because€that€fact€was€not€set€out€as€a€defense€inÏthe€Answer€the€trial€court€did€not€predicate€dismissal€on€thatÏground.€€€Ìà àThe€appellant€seeks€to€avoid€the€bar€of€the€statute€ofÏlimitations€with€the€contention€that€the€insurance€carrier€forÏthe€employer€paid€medical€bills€growing€out€of€his€back€injury€inÏApril€of€1991.€€Mr.€Merriman€says€that€his€back€became€sore€fromÏoperating€a€jack„hammer,€and€that€he€submitted€the€resultantÏmedical€bills€"within€24€hours€of€his€injury".ÌÌà àMerriman€was€injured€on€the€job€in€1988;€suffering€hip,€kneeÏand€ankle€injuries€when€he€fell€from€his€tractor€while€bush„hogging€and€was€run€over.€€He€settled€that€case€by€court€decreeÏon€October€31,€1990,€receiving,€òòinteróó€òòaliaóó,€"that€medicals€willÏremain€open€pursuant€to€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„101Ïòòetóó€òòseqóó".€€Subsequent€medical€bills€have€been€paid€under€the€1988Ïinjury€claim€number.ÌÌà àMerriman€was€under€the€care€of€Dr.€Francisca€V.G.€Lytle,ÏM.D.,€an€orthopaedic€surgeon,€both€for€the€1988€injuries€andÏthereafter.€€Dr.€Lytle's€record€concerning€a€treatment€to€theÏemployee€on€April€30,€1991,€reflects€that€at€that€time€(€20€daysÏafter€the€claimed€injury€at€issue)€Mr.€Merriman€was€complainingÏof€lower€back€pain,€spinal€bone;€and€cited€as€the€cause€the€1988Ïtractor€accident€in€his€description€of€the€injury€(making€noÏreference€to€having€hurt€his€back€while€operating€a€jack„hammer).€ÏHe€also€recorded€that€he€had€pulled€a€muscle€in€his€back€in€1985„1986.ÌÌ€€€€€To€further€support€the€thesis€that€the€claim€for€backÏproblems€caused€by€jack„hammer€use€is€time€barred€we€note€theseÏentries€by€Dr.€Lytle€upon€his€visit€on€April€30,€1991:€€Ìà àÓÓà8 àPatient€complains€of€about€a€years€durationÏof€low€back€pain€and€he€points€to€theÏlumbosacral€junction.€€The€pain€is€there€whenÏhe€wakes€up€in€the€morning€and€it€is€madeÏworse€by€his€work€which€involves€working€aÏjack„hammer€on€the€road.€€Recently€he€hasÏchanged€back€to€running€a€bushhog.ÌÌà@ à*€*€*€*€*€*€ÌÌà8 àà8 àI€suspect€patient€has€a€chronic€lumbar€sprainÏbecause€of€the€type€of€work€that€he€doesÏwhich€requires€him€to€stand€using€a€jack„hammer€during€the€day.ÌÌAgain,€Dr.€Lytle's€record€entry€on€this€patient€dated€April€30,€ÌÌ1991€reads:à@ àÌÌà8 àà8 àReferred€by:€[Dr.]€Hooper€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏComplaint:€back€„€per€Dr.€Hooper€his€problemÏstems€from€the€tractor€accident.€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÓÓAetna€claims€people€paid€Mr.€Merriman's€medical€bills€in€1991„1993€upon€the€premise€that€they€were€for€treatments€growing€outÏof€the€1988€accident€and€had€been€decreed€in€the€settlement€ofÏthat€case.€€The€exact€dates€of€the€payment€do€not€appear€in€theÏevidence.€€Mr.€Merriman€ceased€working€for€this€employer€inÏFebruary€of€1993.€€The€complaint€was€filed€on€October€18,€1994.€ÏThere€is€no€evidence€that€a€medical€bill€of€Mr.€Merriman€for€theÏalleged€back€injury€on€April€10,€1991€was€paid€during€the€yearÏimmediately€before€this€suit€was€filed.ÌÌà àTennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„203€reads:€ÌÓÓòòà8 àà8 àLimitation€of€timeóó.€„€The€right€toÏcompensation€under€the€Workers'€CompensationÏLaw€shall€be€forever€barred,€unless€withinÏone€(1)€year€after€the€accident€resulting€inÏinjury€or€death€occurred€the€notice€requiredÏby€Sec.€50„6„202€is€given€the€employer€and€aÏclaim€for€compensation€under€the€provisionsÏof€this€chapter€is€filed€with€the€tribunalÏhaving€jurisdiction€to€hear€and€determine€theÏmatter;€provided,€that€if€within€the€one€(1)Ïyear€period€voluntary€payments€ofÏcompensation€are€paid€to€the€injured€personÏor€the€injured€person's€dependents,€an€actionÏto€recover€any€unpaid€portion€of€theÏcompensation,€payable€under€this€chapter,€mayÏbe€instituted€within€one€(1)€year€from€theÏtime€the€employer€shall€cease€making€suchÏpayments,€*€*€*.ÌÌÓÓNo€payment€was€made€within€the€critical€year,€by€mistake€orÏotherwise.€€A€payment€was€made€by€mistake€after€this€suit€wasÏfiled€and€the€statue€of€limitations€plead;€but€we€do€not€need€toÏanalyze€that€action€to€determine€its€legal€effect€because€it€isÏestablished€law€that€the€voluntary€payment€of€benefits€after€theÏstatute€of€limitations€has€expired€does€not€revive€the€employee'sÏcause€of€action€òòOlden€v.€Matrix€Vision€of€Williamson€County,ÏInc.óó,€838€S.W.€d€528€(Tenn.€1992).ÌÌà àThe€evidence€in€this€case€clearly€supports€the€judgment€ofÏthe€trial€court€that€this€suit€is€time€barred,€and€we€affirm€thatÏjudgment.€€Costs€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóLYLE€REID,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ìà àÌÌÌÑ€-ÑÇÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€.ÔÔ€.¼Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€*/;+'b|¯5` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌRONALD€GRANT€MERRIMAN,à à}à àDEKALB€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€94„135€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€Vernon€Neal,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àChancellorÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌDEKALB€COUNTY€HIGHWAYà à}à àNo.€01S01„9610„CH„00221ÌDEPARTMENT€and€AETNAà àà à}ÌCASUALTY€INSURANCE€CO.,à àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendants/Appelleesà 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€Ronald€Grant€Merriman,€Principal,€and€hisÏSurety,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€August€19,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÔ€ÔÔ€XÔ