ÿWPC•  …# VUNa %¯ 0ûµU:° 4ê þ   w@ 0?[ 0Dš U<Þ 0J 0Td 0^¸ 0h 0r~ 0|ð 0†l 0ò 1u‚ 0d÷U>[ B™U *¶U*àB) DC3 AMv D3úö¯° 0@_v~ŸvÓ AOðÆ? 0D D/I Bx ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ÓH=$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal[  AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ Legal AØ'ÿ LegalTÑÔ€XÎ_XXXÔÑ7€¾úXXdðXXdð7Ñ, øð AZ‹"Arial RegularƒL$3|xt"H k"l"Em"Pn"o"Up" q"Pr"Ps"Dt"D(ï(3~$¤¤Ý ƒH=!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€X˜ÆXXXÔÑ7€åXXdìdì7ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó.èB' Z‹$Arrus BT Roman2 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`(&Times New Roman d< Œ 9p`(Arial< Œ 9p`(Times% Line 7 d''''7Border 1dd€-(Cþÿ << Gÿÿ$$$$'ÿÿdxd °Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€%ÔÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌò òAprilÏ27,Ï1998ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€%ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó ¥Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€%ÔÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌò òAprilÏ27,Ï1998ÌÌCecilÏCrowson,ÏJr.ÌÔ€%ôÔAppellateÏCourtÏClerkó ó("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒPtPtHHØ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€#ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€%ÔÑ#€&&Xd#ÑÑ#€&&Xd#ÑÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÑ À ÑÑ X Ñò ò›œÞ ÞÌà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€FILED€APRIL€27,€1998Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏFOR€PUBLICATIONÌ›Ìó óà@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÙ€€ÙœßR€)+(A1-j|` 81 `€€@ÿRßà àà à›à@ àAT€KNOXVILLEó óÌÓ  Óœà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà à›ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌPAM€OGREN,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àPlaintiff/Appelleeà àà àà à)à àMEIGS€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNO.€€03S01„9706„CH„00078Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌHOUSECALL€HEALTH€CARE,à àà à)à àHON.€FRANK€V.€WILLIAMS,ÌINC.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àCHANCELLORÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellantà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òòòÌFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:ÌÌó óóóLinda€J.€Hamilton€Mowles,€Esq.à àà àConrad€FinnellÌLewis,€King,€Krieg,€Waldropà àà àP.O.€Box€1476Ì€&€Catron,€P.C.à àà àà àà àCleveland,€TN€€37364„1476ÌOne€Centre€Square,€Fifth€FloorÌ620€Market€StreetÌP.O.€Box€2425ÌKnoxville,€TN€€37901ò òòòÌÌÌÌÌóóó óÌÌÓ  Óò òòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌò òòòMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóChief€Justice€E.€Riley€AndersonÌSenior€Judge€John€K.€ByersÌSpecial€Judge€Roger€E.€ThayerÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÔ% € ÔÌÌÌÌÌÌœ›ÌAFFIRMED€à àà àà àà àà àà àà àBYERS,€Senior€JudgeÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓÓòòò òœ›OPINIONó óóóÌÓ  Óà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€in€accordance€withÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€CourtÏof€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€Ìà àThe€trial€judge€found€the€plaintiff€had€sustained€a€70€percent€permanentÏvocational€impairment€as€a€result€of€an€on„the„job€injury.Ìà àThe€defendant€says€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€award€of€70Ïpercent€and€says€the€trial€judge€should€have€limited€the€award€to€2.5€times€theÏmedical€impairment€rating€because€the€plaintiff€failed€to€return€to€work€when€sheÏwas€afforded€a€job€within€her€medical€limitations.Ìà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court.Ìà àThe€undisputed€evidence€shows€the€plaintiff€was€injured€on€December€16,Ï1994€as€she€performed€her€duties€as€a€certified€nursing€assistant€for€the€defendant.ÌThe€plaintiff€was€assisting€a€paraplegic€patient€to€dress€at€the€time€of€the€injury.€€TheÏpatient€had€raised€himself€on€a€trapeze€bar€by€his€arms€and€the€plaintiff€wasÏattempting€to€dress€his€lower€body.€€The€base€of€the€bar€moved€onto€the€plaintiffððsÏleft€shoe.€€The€plaintiff€pushed€on€the€bar€to€free€her€foot.€€The€plaintiff€heard€a€ð ðpopððÏin€her€left€shoulder€and€began€to€experience€pain€in€her€neck,€shoulder,€arm,€andÏhand.Ìà àIt€appears€the€plaintiff€had€some€medical€care€at€Athens€Community€Hospital;Ïhowever,€there€is€little€in€the€record€concerning€this€treatment.€€On€March€27,€1995,Ïthe€plaintiff€was€seen€by€Joel€B.€Ragland,€a€neurosurgeon€in€Knoxville.€€Dr.€RaglandÏconducted€examination€and€testing€and€found€the€plaintiff€had€a€rather€large€discÏrupture€at€C5„6€and€C6„7.€€Dr.€Ragland€concluded€surgery€was€required€for€theÏplaintiffððs€injury€and€this€was€done€on€April€21,€1995.€€Dr.€Ragland€did€an€anteriorÏcervical€diskectomy€and€fusion€on€the€effected€vertebrae.Ìà àDr.€Ragland€continued€to€see€the€plaintiff€until€October€1995€at€which€time€heÏreleased€her€and€found€she€had€suffered€a€ten€percent€medical€impairment€to€theÏbody€as€a€whole.€€Dr.€Ragland€was€of€the€opinion€the€plaintiff€could€return€to€workÏwith€a€ten€pound€lifting€restriction.Ìà àThe€ten€pound€weight€restriction€Dr.€Ragland€assessed€was€based€on€theÏrecommendation€of€Peak€Performance,€Inc.,€an€industrial€health€and€rehabilitationÏcompany€which€reached€this€conclusion€after€a€functional€capacity€evaluation€wasÏdone€on€the€plaintiff.€€The€evaluation€asserts€that€there€is€a€minimum€50€poundÏlifting€restriction€for€a€person€working€as€a€certified€nursing€assistant.Ìà àDr.€Donald€B.€Gibson€examined€the€plaintiff€on€February€20,€1996€for€theÏpurpose€of€evaluation.€€Dr.€Gibson€found€the€plaintiff€had€suffered€a€20€percentÏpermanent€medical€impairment€to€the€body€as€a€whole.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€testified€that€she€continued€to€suffer€pain€in€her€shoulder,€neck,Ïleft€arm,€and€left€hand€and€that€her€ability€to€perform€meaningful€work€was€limited.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€was€37€years€of€age€at€the€time€of€trial,€she€had€a€high€schoolÏeducation,€and€she€was€trained€and€licensed€as€a€certified€nursing€assistant.€€TheÏplaintiff€had€worked€as€a€nursing€assistant€for€13€years€prior€to€her€injury,€and€thereÏis€no€showing€she€had€any€experience€or€training€for€any€other€employment.€€Ì€à àThe€trial€judgeððs€findings€in€this€case€were€based€upon€the€medical€evidenceÏpresented,€which€consisted€not€only€of€the€testimony€of€Dr.€Ragland€and€Dr.€GibsonÏbut€also€included€various€medical€reports€from€various€sources.€€The€trial€judge€alsoÏconsidered€the€testimony€of€the€plaintiff€concerning€her€physical€condition.Ìà àWe€do€not€find€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€finding€of€the€trialÏjudge.€€Further,€we€do€not€find€the€award€in€this€case€should€be€limited€by€the€2.5Ïlimitation€in€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„241(a)(1)€as€the€defendant€asserts.Ìà àThe€defendant€contends€the€plaintiff€was€afforded€work€in€the€nature€ofÏclerical€work€which€included€filing€papers,€etc.€and€which€was€within€the€ten€poundÏmedical€restriction.€€The€plaintiff€testified€she€was€unable€to€do€this€work€when€sheÏreturned.€€Further,€the€plaintiff€says€the€work€was€part€time€and€there€was€noÏassurance€she€would€be€retained€by€the€defendant€to€do€this€work.Ìà àThe€only€evidence€on€this€issue€from€the€defendant€is€that€the€plaintiff€wasÏafforded€work€within€the€restrictions€placed€on€the€plaintiff€by€Dr.€Ragland.€€ThereÏwas€no€evidence€presented€to€show€the€rate€of€pay€the€plaintiff€would€receive€forÏthis€work€or€any€evidence€concerning€the€nature€of€the€work,€etc.€€The€defendantÏsays€the€plaintiffððs€refusal€to€accept€the€work€offered€is€unreasonable€within€theÏmeaning€of€òòNewton€v.€Scott€Health€Care€Center,óó€914€S.W.2d€884€(Tenn.€1995),€andÏthus€the€defendant€asserts€she€should€be€limited€to€the€2.5€cap€on€the€award.Ìà àThe€determination€of€whether€or€not€there€has€been€a€meaningful€offer€of€aÏreturn€to€work€or€whether€a€plaintiff€has€unreasonably€refused€to€return€to€workÏdepends,€of€course,€upon€the€facts€shown€in€the€evidence€at€trial.Ìà àIn€our€view,€when€an€employer€wishes€to€limit€the€award€to€the€2.5€limitationÏof€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„241(a)(1),€the€burden€is€upon€the€employer€to€show,€byÏa€preponderance€of€the€evidence,€that€an€offer€of€a€return€to€work€is€at€a€wage€equalÏto€or€greater€than€the€pre„injury€employment€and€that€the€work€is€within€the€medicalÏrestrictions€which€the€medical€evidence€shows€are€appropriate€for€the€returningÏemployee.€€In€this€case,€the€defendant€has€failed€to€show€these€conditions€exist€inÏits€offer€of€employment.Ìà à€We€conclude€therefore€the€multiplier€of€six€times€the€medical€impairmentÏrating€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„241(a)(1)€applies.€€The€medical€impairment€ratingÏfrom€the€two€physicians€varied€from€Dr.€Raglandððs€10€percent€to€Dr.€Gibsonððs€20Ïpercent.€€The€award€of€70€percent€vocational€disability€is€supported€by€theÏevidence.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à_____________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ________________________________ÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌÌ________________________________ÌRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€Judge€ÌœÇÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÑ ` ÑÔ€Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÌPAM€OGREN,à àà àà àà à)à àMEIGS€COURTÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€3497€BelowÌà àAppellee,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€Frank€V.€Williams,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellor.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌßJ€),;+'b|]Ê` 81 `€@ÿJßà àà àà àà àà àà à)€à àNo.€€03S01„9706„CH„00078ÌHOUSECALL€HEALTHCARE,€INC.,à à)à àà àà àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àà àÌà àAppellant.à àà àà àà à)à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌà@ àòòJUDGMENT€ORDERóóÌÌÓÓà àà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€review€pursuantÏto€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€theÏorder€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€andÏthe€Panel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€andÏconclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€reviewÏis€not€well„taken€and€should€be€denied;€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.€€The€Court€hereby€orders€the€opinion€of€theÏPanel€be€published.ò òÌó óà àà àCosts€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.Ìà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€____€day€of€April,€1998.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌAnderson,€J.€€„€Not€participating.Ô€%Ô›