ÿWPCê 3# ÚUNå %3 0(9w@a4¡µÄ AQÌ 0l 0D‰Í 0JÍ 0T 0^k 0hÉ 0r1 0|£ 0† 0¥ 1u5 0dª B Æ+ 0Dñ 0@5 0Du D/¹ Bè D3 U>8 B)v DCŸ AMâ U*/  Y  yv~™vÓ˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ ¿ÀÁÂBeÃÓ€ÍÐUÑ îÒDÓDÏeH#¹3|xÓ!"#$&Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 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 dƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó(('÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd 'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d++++7Border 1dd!#,Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€*ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌNovember€13,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€*ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌNovember€13,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó 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€*ÔÝ  Ý›ò òÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€ üXdðdÈ7ќـ!ÙßR€-/,A1-j|` ç `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERSðð€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌó óÌÌWILLIE€M.€NUTT,à@ à)à àà àWAYNE€CHANCERYÌà@ à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellantà@ à)à àà àNo.€01S01„9609„CH„00195Ìà@ à)Ìv.à@ à)à àà àHON.€WILLIAM€B.€CAINÌà@ à)à àà àÌANGELICA€UNIFORM€GROUP,à@ à)Ìà@ à)Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà@ à)Ìà@ à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòÒ€X€ÒFor€the€Appellantóó:ÌÌWm.€Landis€TurnerÌKEATON,€TURNER€&€SPITZERÌHohenwald,€TennesseeÉòòFor€the€Appellee:óóÌÌPaul€C.€Ney,€Jr.ÌDORAMUS€&€TRAUGERÌNashville,€TennesseeÉÒÒÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òMEMORANDUM€OPINIONÌÌÌÌó óà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANELÌÌà@ àLYLE€REID,€ASSOCIATE€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌà@ àW.€MICHAEL€MALOAN,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMEDà àà àà àà àà àà àMALOAN,€SPECIAL€JUDGEÇÓÓà àThis€Workersðð€Compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€Special€WorkersððÏCompensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€with€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏðð50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law.Ìà àThe€plaintiff,€Willie€M.€Nutt,€appeals€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€dismissing€herÏcomplaint€as€being€barred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.€€For€the€reasons€stated€in€this€opinion,€weÏaffirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.Ìà àWillie€M.€Nutt€worked€for€the€defendant,€Angelica€Uniform€Group,€from€1982€to€1989Ïwhen€she€quit€due€to€pain€in€her€shoulders€and€back.€€She€then€worked€for€Tennessee€River€forÏseveral€months,€but€again€had€to€quit€due€to€the€physical€inability€to€do€her€job.€€In€NovemberÏ1989,€she€was€advised€by€Dr.€Howard€Fuchs€that€her€shoulder€problems€were€work„related.€€WithÏthe€encouragement€of€the€plant€manager,€and€the€assurance€of€light€duty,€Ms.€Nutt€returned€toÏwork€for€Angelica€Uniform€in€July,€1990.€€She€was€able€to€handle€small€parts€for€a€few€days,€butÏher€shoulder€symptoms€returned€when€she€was€assigned€to€heavier€work.€€She€was€terminatedÏbecause€she€was€unable€to€perform€her€job.Ìà àPlaintiff€filed€suit€on€January€28,€1991,€and€alleged€on€or€about€July€31,€1990,€she€becameÏaware€she€had€suffered€an€injury€to€her€shoulders.€€The€defendant€answered€and€pled€the€statute€ofÏlimitations€as€a€defense.€€After€a€trial€on€October€20,€1994,€the€trial€court€took€the€matter€underÏadvisement€and€entered€judgment€on€December€16,€1994,€dismissing€plaintiffððs€cause€of€action.€ÏThe€trial€court€found:ÌÓÓà8 àThe€shoulder€problems€suffered€by€Ms.€Nutt,€however,€were€long€standingÏproblems€and€were€not€caused€by€a€work„related€injury€during€her€brief€period€ofÏemployment€at€Angelicaððs€plant€in€July€of€1990.€€The€Court€further€finds€thatÏMs.Nutt€was€aware€of€her€shoulder€problems€and€aware€that€those€shoulderÏproblems€were€work€related€several€years€before€the€complaint€in€this€action€filed.€ÏThe€statute€of€limitations€applicable€to€her€claims,€therefore,€expired€prior€to€theÏfiling€of€this€action€on€January€28,€1991,€and€Ms.€Nuttððs€action€was€untimely€andÏbarred€by€the€statute€of€limitations.ÌÌÓÓà àThe€scope€of€review€of€issues€of€fact€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€the€record€of€the€trial€court,Íaccompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€findings,€unless€the€preponderance€ofÏevidence€is€otherwise.€€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).€€òòLollar€v.€Wal„Mart€Stores,ÏInc.óó,€767€S.W.2d€143€(Tenn.€1989).€€When€a€trial€court€has€seen€and€heard€witnesses,€especiallyÏwhere€issues€of€credibility€and€weight€of€oral€testimony€are€involved,€considerable€deference€mustÏbe€accorded€the€trial€courtððs€factual€findings.€€òòHumphrey€v.€David€Witherspoon,€Inc.óó,€734€S.W.2dÏ315€(Tenn.€1987).€€However,€where€the€issues€involve€expert€medical€testimony€which€isÏcontained€in€the€record€by€deposition,€as€it€is€in€this€case,€then€all€impressions€of€weight€andÏcredibility€must€be€drawn€from€the€contents€of€the€depositions,€and€the€reviewing€court€may€drawÏits€own€impression€as€to€weight€and€credibility€from€the€contents€of€the€depositions.€€òòOverman€v.ÏWilliams€Sonoma,€Inc.óó,€803€S.W.2d€672,€676„77€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àPlaintiff€contends€her€brief€employment€of€July€1990€aggravated€her€pre„existing€shoulderÏproblems€and€she€suffered€a€compensable€injury.€€Defendant€insists€no€new€injury€occurred€andÏthe€trial€court€was€correct€in€dismissing€her€complaint€as€being€time€barred.Ìà àAn€employeeððs€work€that€aggravates€a€pre„existing€injury€or€condition€by€increasing€theÏamount€of€pain,€but€does€not€otherwise€ð ðinjure€or€advance€the€severityðð€of€the€employeeððs€injury€orÏcondition€is€not€compensable.€€òòCunningham€v.€Goodyear€Tire€&€Rubber€Co.óó,€811€S.W.2d€888Ï(Tenn.€1991).€€However,€increased€pain€may€be€disabling€and€compensable€when€medical€andÏclaimantððs€testimony€establish€an€advancement€of€the€severity€of€the€pre„existing€condition€whichÏincreases€the€percentage€of€permanent€impairment.€€òòFink€v.€Caudleóó,€856€S.W.2d€952€(Tenn.Ï1993).€€Medical€evidence€must€establish€the€manifestation€of€increased€pain€and€a€permanentÏanatomical€change€in€the€pre„existing€injury€or€condition.€€òòTalley€v.€Virginia€Insurance€Reciprocalóó,Ï775€S.W.2d€587€(Tenn.€1989).€€Further,€medical€testimony€must€establish€a€causal€relationshipÏbetween€the€anatomical€change€and€the€work„related€aggravation€to€the€pre„existing€injury€orÏcondition.€€òòBoling€v.€Raytheon€Corporationóó,€448€S.W.2d€405€(Tenn.€1969).Ìà àDr.€Howard€Fuchs€testified€by€deposition€he€first€saw€plaintiff€in€October,€1989,€for€jointÏtrouble.€€On€November,€1989,€he€diagnosed€her€condition€as€tendinitis€and€told€her€the€conditionÍwas€work€related.€Dr.€Fuchs€continued€to€treat€her€through€April€of€1991,€when€she€was€seen€byÏDr.€Emilio€Rodriguez.€€Dr.€Fuchs€was€not€asked€to€give€any€medical€opinion€as€to€the€existence,€Ïcausation,€or€extent€of€permanent€impairment€of€any€increased€pain,€anatomical€change,€orÏadvancement€of€the€severity€of€the€pre„existing€condition€caused€by€her€July,€1990,€employment.ÏThe€record€is,€therefore,€devoid€of€the€necessary€medical€evidence€to€determine€whether€plaintiffððsÏcondition€is€compensable.€€Having€found€no€new€compensable€injury€or€aggravation€in€July,Ï1990,€the€trial€court€correctly€found€plaintiffððs€pre„existing€work„related€condition€was€time€barred,Ïas€no€suit€had€been€filed€within€one€year€of€the€date€plaintiff€became€aware€she€had€a€work„relatedÏinjury.€€Tennessee€Code€Annotated,€ðð50„6„224.Ìà àPlaintiff€further€argues€on€appeal€the€actions€of€the€employer€in€encouraging€her€to€return€toÏwork€at€lighter€duty€and€then€terminating€her€when€she€was€unable€to€perform€heavier€dutiesÏprecludes€the€employer€from€relying€on€the€statute€of€limitation€on€the€basis€of€waiver€and/orÏestoppel.€€This€issue€was€not€raised€at€trial,€but€presented€as€a€post„trial€motion€to€alter€or€amendÏjudgment€which€was€denied€by€the€trial€court.€€Plaintiff€ððs€reliance€on€cases€where€the€employerÏmisled€the€employee€regarding€the€statute€of€limitations,€òòAmerican€Mutual€Liability€Insurance€Co.Ïv.€Baxteróó,€357€S.W.2d€825€(1962)€and€òòHumphreys€v.€Allstateóó,€627€S.W.2d€933€(Tenn.€1982)€isÏmisplaced.€€There€is€no€evidence€in€the€record€Angelica€Uniform€misled€Ms.€Nutt€regarding€herÏrights€under€the€Workersðð€Compensation€Act.€€This€issue€is€without€merit.Ìà àThe€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€and€is,€therefore,Ïaffirmed.€€This€appeal€is€dismissed€at€plaintiffððs€costs.€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àW.€Michael€Maloan,€Special€JudgeÌÌÌConcur:ÌÌÌÌ_______________________________________ÌLyle€Reid,€JusticeÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌWilliam€S.€Russell,€Senior€œJudgeÌÇÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ £ ÒòòÔ€*¼Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌßJ€-0;+'b|}1` ç `€@ÿJßÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌWILLIE€M.€NUTT,à àà àà à}à àWAYNE€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àNo.€8492€BelowÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà à}Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}à àHon.€William€B.€Cain,Ìvs.à àà àà àà àà àà à}à àJudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à}ÌANGELICA€UNIFORM€GROUP,à à}à àNo.€01S01„9609„CH„00195Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à}Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà 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€Willie€M.€Nutt,€Principal,€and€Surety,€forÏwhich€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÓÓà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€on€November€13,€1997.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌóóÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÔ€*XÔ›