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YYY FILED.XOctober31,1997CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerk    !#d#-    H \RA'\.#d#   $       ݀Beinganursingtechnicianinvolveslifting,bathing,feeding,anddressingpatients.  !#d#-    H \RA'\.#d#   $       ݀TheplaintiffwenttotheERonMay14,1994becauseherknee lockedup.TheERpersonnelmadeanotationontheirrecordsthattheplaintiff fellwhenleavinghouse,and knee,itgavewaysteppingoutofhouse.Theplaintiffdeniedthatshefellathome;thisissuewasresolvedfavorablytoher,andsincetheultimatetestiscredibility,therethematterends.  !#d#-    H \RA'\.#d#  ""  .   YYY FILED.XOctober31,1997CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerk  PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'`Styl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   ion-F Geneva  ion-F Geneva ! . -    H \RA'\.#//Xd##//Xd#  ݛ   X   ќ%  !  R231A1-j|P` 81 `@Rߛ @ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE@ SPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL@ ATNASHVILLE   ROXIEMOOREHEAD,   ) LINCOLNCIRCUIT      )  Plaintiff/Appellee   ) NO.01S019703CV00049      ) v.      ) HON.LEERUSSELL,      ) JUDGELINCOLN&DONALSONCARE  )CENTER,     )      ) Defendant/Appellant  ) FortheAppellant:    FortheAppellee: HelenSfikasRogers   FloydDonDavisSunTrustBankBuilding,Suite1550 FloydDonDavis,P.C.201FourthAvenueNorth   201FirstAvenue,N.W.Nashville,TN37219   Winchester,TN37398   MEMORANDUMOPINIONMembersofPanel: JusticeFrankF.Drowota,IIISeniorJudgeWilliamH.InmanSpecialJudgeJoeC.Loser,Jr.  AFFIRMED.       INMAN,SeniorJudge  Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw. Theissueisthiscaseiswhetherthereplacementoftheplaintiffsrightkneewascausallyrelatedtoacompensableaccidentwithinthepurviewofapplicablelaw.Thetrialjudgefoundtheissueinfavoroftheplaintiffandawardedbenefitsbaseduponadeterminationthatshehadan85percentpermanentpartialdisabilitytoherrightleg.Theemployerappeals,insistingthatthejudgmentiscontrarytothepreponderanceoftheevidence. Ourreviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefinding,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2);Stonev.CityofMcMinnville,896S.W.2d584(Tenn.1991). Theplaintiffisa62yearoldwomanoflimitededucationandskills.Shewasemployedasanursingtechnician 4   ׀attheCareCenterwhereshebeganworkin1991. OnApril17,1994,apatientwhomshewasattendingkickedherrightknee,whichcausedmomentarypain.Shecontinuedtoworkforthreeweeksduringwhichtimeherkneebecamestiffandpainful.ShewasseenbyDr.MichaelSiaw,anorthopedicspecialistwhorecommendedconservativetreatment.Shedidnotrespond,andDr.SiawscheduledherforaMRIwhichrevealedanobliquetearofthelateralmeniscus.Dr.Siawbelievedthisinjurywasconsonantwiththehistorytheplaintiffgavehimofhavingbeenkickedonthekneebyapatientatthenursinghome. Eventually,itbecamenecessarytocorrecttheteararthroscopically.ThisprocedurewasperformedonJuly5,1994,andsuccessfullyso,althoughpreexistingosteoarthritiscontinuedtocausetheplaintiffconsiderablepain.Theplaintiffreturnedtowork,andthearthriticconditionworsened,accordingtoher.Dr.SiawsawheronJune21,1996anddiscoveredthatshehadatotalkneereplacementarthroplastywhichhehadnotrecommended.Shewascomplainingofpainandinabilitytowalkonasustainedbasis.Heassignednoanatomicalimpairment. Intheinterim,andwithoutconsultingDr.Siaw,theplaintiffsoughttheservicesofDr.EslickDaniel,anorthopedistwhospecializesinjointreplacements,onJanuary18,1995. ThehistoryobtainedbyDr.DanielwasessentiallythesameasthehistoryrecitedbyDr.Siaw,whichwasthatakickonherrightkneeprecipitatedtheproblem.Dr.Danielfoundcrepitationandfluidwithseveredegenerativediseasecoupledwithlossofjointspaceandspurformation.Herecommendedtotalkneereplacement,whichwasaccomplishedonFebruary20,1995.Heopinedthat,basedontheAmericanMedicalAssociationGuidestotheEvaluationofPermanentImpairment,4thEd.,theplaintiffhadaphysicalimpairmentof50percenttotherightlegor20percenttothewholeperson.Dr.Danielfurtheropinedthatthehistorygiventotheplaintiffwascompatiblewithhisdiagnosis. 5    Proofwasofferedconcerningtheplaintiffslonghistoryofarthritis,accompaniedpainandswellinginbothknees.Thishistoryformsthebasisofthedefensethattheplaintiffskneereplacementwasoccasionedbyosteoarthritisoflongduration,andthuswasnotjobrelated,superimposeduponanaccidentathome,allstrengthenedbythetestimonyofDr.Siawthatthearthroscopicprocedureheperformedwassuccessfulandresultedinnoimpairment. Howeverthatmaybe,thetrialjudgechosetoaccredittheplaintiff,whotestifiedthatthearthroscopicproceduredidnotalleviatethepainanddiscomfortinherknee,andforthisreasonshesoughtfurthertreatmentwiththeknowledgeandconsentofthedefendant.Dr.Danielwasoftheopinionthattheinjurytotheplaintiffskneewascompatiblewiththehistorysherecited;thistestimonyissufficienttoprovecausation.Absolutemedicalcertaintyisnotrequiredtoprovecausation,andanyreasonabledoubtabouttheissueshouldberesolvedinfavoroftheemployee.Whitev.WerthanIndus.,824S.W.2d158(Tenn.1992).Wecannotfindthattheevidencepreponderatesagainstthefindingofthetrialcourtthattheplaintiffsultimateconditionwasprecipitatedbyajobrelatedinjury. Inthereplybrief,theappellantraisestheissueofwhetherthetrialcourterredinawardingtheplaintiffadditionaltemporarytotalbenefits.Weareunabletodeterminefromtherecordwhethertheissuehasmerit. Thejudgmentisaffirmedatthecostsoftheappellantandthecaseisremanded.      ___________________________________      WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudgeCONCUR:_______________________________FrankF.Drowota,III,Justice_______________________________JoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge̜    .J26;+'b|U` 81 `@J@ INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE@ ATNASHVILLEROXIEMOOREHEAD,  } LINCOLNCIRCUIT      } No.03995Below Plaintiff/Appellee   }      } Hon.F.LeeRussell,vs.      } Judge      }LINCOLN&DONALSONCARE }CENTER,     } No.01S019703CV00049      } Defendant/Appellant  } AFFIRMED.@ JUDGMENTORDER  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference.  Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and  Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. ` ` X  CostswillbepaidbyDefendant/AppellantandSurety,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary.  ITISSOORDEREDonOctober31,1997.       PERCURIAM.Xԛ