ÿWPCÔ /U:¢ %Üân­ò 04ŸÓw"Ó4õ 0J  0TS 0^§ 0h 0rm 0|ß 0†[ 0á 1uq 0dæU6JB)€DC© AMì AQ9 ÆŠ 0PP 0@  0Dà U*$ D/N B} Bš D3· ê fò +X v~ƒvÓ<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x«<þ6X9`("Courier 10cpiXÂxþ6X@É“8õ X@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ€ D D Vî QL"ú¶ïDd2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d7Border 1dd!#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3Þ¸$¢¢Ý ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó< Œ 9p`(Arial(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd þÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÔ€%ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌFebruary€26,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó ó \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ !Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÔ€%ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌFebruary€26,€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|` ç `€€@ÿRßÞ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌGLORIA€PERKINS,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€RUTHERFORD€CHANCERY€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏPlaintiff/Appellee€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€NO.€01S01„9603„CH„00053€Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï)€€€ÌWHIRLPOOL€CORPORATION,€€€€€€€€)€€€HON.€DON€R.€ASH,€JUDGEÌ€€€€€€€€Defendant/Appellant€€€)€€Ìòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óó)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌòòFOR€APPELLANTóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFOR€APPELLEEóó:ÌÌDAVID€T.€HOOPER€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€R.€STEVEN€WALDRON€€€€€€Ì109€Westpark€Drive,€Suite€410€€€€€€€€€€€202€West€Main€Street€€€ÌBrentwood,€TN€37027€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Murfreesboro,€TN€37130€€ÌNashville,€TN€37219„1782€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÌÌÌÌÌà@ àMEMBERS€OF€PANEL:ÌÌÌà@ àADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,€CHIEF€JUSTICE,€SUPREME€COURTÌ€€€à@ à€€€€WILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€€€€Ìà@ àWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÓÓÑ7€‚XXdÈXXdÈ7Ñà àThis€appeal€from€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€in€aÏworkers'€compensation€case€has€been€referred€to€the€SpecialÏWorkers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(3)Ïfor€hearing€and€reporting€to€the€Supreme€Court€of€findings€ofÏfact€and€conclusions€of€law.ÌÌà@ àòòTHE€CASEÌóóà àGloria€Perkins€began€working€for€the€defendant€in€itsÏmanufacturing€plant€in€1985.€€€In€1993€she€was€elected€to€work€asÏa€group€leader.€€This€required€her€to€see€that€the€workers€in€herÏgroup€were€timely€supplied€with€parts,€and€she€also€personallyÏsubstituted€for€workers€who€had€to€temporarily€leave€their€jobsÏto€go€to€a€rest€room€or€first€aid€station.ÌÌ€€€€€On€May€7,€1993,€an€employee€in€her€group,€working€on€theÍopposite€side€of€a€moving€conveyor€line,€needed€to€leave€herÏstation€and€go€to€first€aid.€€Responding€to€this€summons,€theÏplaintiff€crossed€the€moving€conveyor€line€and€fell€off€of€it.€ÏShe€severely€injured€her€right€shoulder€and€has€been€unable€toÏreturn€to€work.ÌÌà àThe€trial€court€judged€that€the€plaintiff€sustained€a€95%Ïpermanent€partial€disability€to€the€body€as€a€whole,€and€enteredÏjudgment€accordingly.€€€€€€€€€ÌÌà àà àà@ àòòTHE€ISSUEÌóóà àThe€sole€dispositive€issue€before€this€court€is€whether€orÏnot€plaintiff€is€barred€from€compensation€benefits€by€reason€ofÏan€alleged€violation€of€Tennessee€Code€Annotation€Section€50„6„110,€which€at€the€time€of€the€injury€provided:€€ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à50„6„110.€òòInjuries€not€covered.ó󀄀(a)€NoÏcompensation€shall€be€allowed€for€an€injuryÏor€death€due€to€the€employee's€willfulÏmisconduct€or€intentional€self„inflictedÏinjury,€or€due€to€intoxication,€or€willfulÏfailure€or€refusal€to€use€a€safety€applianceÏor€perform€a€duty€required€by€law.ÌÌà8 àà8 à(b)€If€the€employer€defends€on€the€groundÏthat€the€injury€arose€in€any€or€all€of€theÏabove€state€ways,€the€burden€of€proof€shallÏbe€on€the€employer€to€establish€such€defense.ÌÌÓÓÌà àThe€employer€alleges€that€the€plaintiff's€crossing€theÏmoving€conveyor€line€was€such€a€conscious€violation€of€theÏcompany€rules€as€to€constitute€the€willful€misconduct€proscribedÍby€the€foregoing€statute.Ìà àThe€trial€court€explicitly€held€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àThe€next€issue€is€whether€or€not€Ms.€PerkinsÏis€entitled€to€permanent€partial€disability.€ÏTennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„110Ïprovides€that€no€compensation€shall€beÏallowed€for€an€injury€due€to€an€employee'sÏwillful€misconduct€or€willful€failure€orÏrefusal€to€use€a€safety€appliance.€€The€CourtÏhas€considered€the€case€of€òòInsurance€CompanyÏof€America€v.€Hogsettóó,€488€S.W.€2d€730€(Tenn.Ï1972).€€In€this€case,€the€Court€held€thatÏthree€elements€are€needed€to€constituteÏwillful€misconduct€for€the€purpose€of€theÏstatute:ÌÌà8 àà8 à(1)€An€intention€to€do€the€act.€€ObviouslyÏMs.€Perkins€intended€to€climb€onto€theÏconveyor€belt;ÌÌà8 àà8 à(2)€The€purposeful€violation€of€the€orders.€ÏThere€can€be€no€questions€that€the€ordersÏwere€that€employees€were€not€to€climb€on€aÏmoving€conveyor€belt.€€Ms.€Perkins,€in€herÏposition€as€a€group€leader€was€in€betterÏposition€than€anyone€to€be€aware€[sic]€thoseÏrules€and€also€aware€of€her€violation€ofÏthose€rules;ÌÌà8 àà8 à(3)€An€element€of€perverseness.€€The€CourtÏfinds€in€this€case€that€the€Plaintiff€was€notÏshown€to€have€been€perverse.€€Instead,€weÏthink€the€evidence€revealed€only€that€she€wasÏimpulsively€careless€in€her€zeal€to€help€oneÏof€her€fellow€employees€take€a€break.€€ToÏbrand€her€action€as€willful€misconduct€is€toÏpaint€with€too€broad€a€stroke.€€She€was€aboutÏher€master's€business,€even€though€tooÏeagerly€so€and€not€on€a€lark€of€her€own.ÌÌà8 àà8 àIn€òòBryan€v.€Paramount€Packaging€Corporationóó,Ï677€S.W.€2d€453,€(Tenn.€1984)€"we€have€heldÏthat€where€an€employee€is€performing€theÏduties€assigned€to€him€by€his€employmentÏcontract€and€is€acting€in€furtherance€of€hisÏemployer's€interest,€regardless€of€the€factÏthat€he€performs€those€duties€in€anÏunnecessarily€dangerous€or€rash€manner,€itÏcannot€be€said€that€his€resulting€injury€didÍnot€arise€out€of€employment,€provided€thatÏhis€conduct€would€be€reasonablyÏcontemplated."€See€òòWright€v.€Gunther€NashÏMin.€Const.€Co.óó,€614€S.W.€2d€796€(Tenn.Ï1981).Ìà àÌÌà8 àà8 àIt€is€also€important€to€note€in€òòBryanóó,€it€wasÏheld€that€disobedience€of€a€work€rule€is€notÏwillful€misconduct€within€the€meaning€of€theÏstatute€where€the€"rule€is€habituallyÏdisregarded€with€knowledge€and€acquiescenceÏof€the€employer.€€In€such€case,€the€employerÏwaives€the€rule"€or€is€estopped€to€invoke€itÏagainst€employees.€€There€can€be€littleÏquestion€that€there€is€a€continuing€problem,Ïeven€after€the€signs€were€posted,€with€peopleÏclimbing€over€the€line.€€The€testimonyÏclearly€showed€that€the€group€leaders€wereÏaware€of€this€and€in€fact,€even€theÏsupervisor€had€been€aware€that€this€was€aÏcontinuing€problem,€even€though€it€had€easedÏup€some€after€the€signs€were€posted.ÌÌÓÓÌà@ àòòTHE€EVIDENCEÌóóà àThe€plaintiff,€her€supervisor,€another€group€leader€and€twoÏco„workers€all€testified€that€a€message€had€come€from€theÏsupervisor€through€the€group€leaders€to€the€line€employees€thatÏno€one€was€to€cross€the€conveyor€line.€€However,€the€plaintiffÏand€a€co„worker€in€her€group€testified€that€later€there€was€aÏmessage€that€they€could€cross€over€the€areas€of€the€conveyor€beltÏthat€did€not€have€the€electricity€overlay€above€it.€€The€otherÏthree€aforesaid€witnesses€denied€that€there€had€been€a€secondÏmessage.€€The€plaintiff€testified€that€she€crossed€at€a€placeÏwhere€there€was€no€electricity€overlay.€€Another€worker€disputedÏthis.€€The€testimony,€for€the€most€part,€indicated€that€it€wasÏnot€uncommon€for€employees€to€cross€the€conveyor€line,€and€theyÍfor€this€were€not€consistently€"written€up"€or€reprimanded.ÌÌà@ àòòCONCLUSIONÌóóà àWe€review€the€case€òòdeóó€òònovoóó€with€a€presumption€ofÏcorrectness.€€Tennessee€Code€Annotated€Section€50„6„225€(e)(2).ÌÌà àThe€key€factual€issue€is€whether€or€not€the€perversenessÏnecessary€to€willful€misconduct€was€present.€€The€trial€judgeÏfound€that€it€was€not.€€The€evidence€does€not€preponderateÏagainst€that€finding.ÌÌà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€onÏappeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÓÓóó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÏWILLIAM€S.€RUSSELL,€RETIRED€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóADOLPHO€A.€BIRCH,€JR.,ÌCHIEF€JUSTICE€Ì€ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGE€€€€Ì€Ìà àÌÌÌÑ€+ÑÇÒ 4 ÒÒ Ð ÒÒ 4 ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€%ÔßJ€,;+'b|` ç `€@ÿJ߀à@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌGLORIA€PERKINS,à àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àRutherford€ChanceryÌà àà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà à)€à àTrial€Court€No.€€94WC„309Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€€Don€R.€Ash,€JudgeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌWHIRLPOOL€CORPORATIONà àà à)à àNo.€€01S01„9603„CH„00053Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àDefendant/Appellant.à à)à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòò òJUDGMENT€ORDERóóó óÌÌÓÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€a€motion€for€review€pursuant€to€Tenn.ÏCode€Ann.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€the€order€of€referralÏto€the€Special€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel'sÏMemorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,Ïwhich€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€not€well„taken€and€should€be€denied;€and€€Ìà 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€theÏjudgment€of€the€Court.Ìà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€the€defendant/appelllant€and€its€surety,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€26th€day€of€February,€1997.ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌÔ€Ô