WPC ^ќ]QH' fh{e{ Ie'hz=#nJ+(  :D-u#2BHnvY j!ՌK/crx3+N2:3e5n̟-d7w<[V dmXp"X5=Fv!rAsۗ )e2oTCll3,@M1Js,bͧ vicGe3Ho,.?ZRi FV-MW}m<:} f?d;XNԕߣOD1UzLO6 @@QVD{6эKňz#/ZYmS,<A*xFSXfiNj{ =Dg(MsUKCPGwI#{5=PҽLTb#\ % ^ # 0/ U$N w 4 z  i x mz U@   ] #N 0DESUVNlNn zpb 0 B  0 D3p D- 0K ASn 04 0D AHP LaserJet 40500h&+ (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularyG* C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt3|xU(@ Z(Times New Roman Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5   R{$      2  XX  __Ԁ XX   Seefootnote1supra.#   Ͳ#('$  2    R{$      1  XX  _Ԁ XX   Theplaintifforiginallyfiledsuitforanallegedinjuryreceivedinafallonthedayheattemptedtoreturnto  workfollowingtheformaldehydeexposure.Thesuitwasdismissedandtheonlyclaimatissueistheformaldehyde  expsosure.#   ͟#   C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt- -(|G2{$ !..8JUdd8         0  XX d(|3$ !..8JUdd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !..8JUdd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8JUdd8     _JU8XXdd8  BJU BBOa@@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL & @@ATKNOXVILLE# JU B# L March15,2001Session "r  XX JU # JUX XI#DAVIS_REECE_,JR.v.LIBERTYMUTUALINSURANCECO.,etal. XX JU   p @@ DirectAppealfromtheChanceryCourtforClaiborneCounty  p @@No.10,465BillyJ.White,Chancellor  \ @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No.E199700276_WC_ԄR3CVMailedMay22,2001   # JUX X# XX JUFILED:SEPTEMBER6,2001   AV) ` dE<` A       This_workers_ԀcompensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkersCompensation  AppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTennesseeCodeAnnotated# JUX X# XX JUԀ# JUX X# XX JU506225(e)(3) v forhearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Thetrial b courtfoundtheplaintiff_sustained_Ԁa40percentvocationaldisabilitytothebodyasawholeasaresult N ofexposuretoformaldehydewhichcausedpermanentrespiratoryinjury.Thetrialjudgefoundthe : plaintifffailedtoshowbyapreponderanceoftheevidencethathesustainedanypsychiatricinjury &v asaresultoftheaccident.Weaffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourt. b # JUX X# XX JUԀ# JUX X # XX JU  N    Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(1999)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheChanceryCourt & isAffirmed.       JohnK.Byers,Sr.J.# JU X # XX. JU,_delivered_Ԁtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichE.RileyAnderson,C.J.,and  RogerE.Thayer,Sp.J.,_joined_.   JamesT.Shea,IV,Knoxville,Tennessee,fortheappellants,LibertyMutualInsuranceCo.,et._al_. ^"! DavidH._Dunaway_,_LaFollette_,Tennessee,fortheappellee,Davis_Reece_,Jr. 6$#    MEMORANDUMOPINION # JUX X+ # XX JU &^!%   # JUX X # XX JU  Reviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovoupontherecordofthetrial '6#' court,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefindings,unlessthepreponderance ("$( oftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2).Stonev.Cityof_McMinnville_,896 )%) S.W.2d548,550(Tenn.1995).TheapplicationofthisstandardrequiresthisCourttoweighinmore *%* depththefactualfindingsandconclusionsofthetrialcourtsinworkerscompensationcases.See +&+ Corcoran_v._ԀFosterAuto_GMC_,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,456(Tenn.1988). ,',  n-(- _ԇ@))% Discussion     Thetrialcourtfoundtheplaintiffsustaineda40percentvocationaldisabilitytothebodyas  awholeasaresultofexposuretoformaldehydewhichcausedpermanentrespiratoryinjury.Thetrial t judgefoundtheplaintifffailedtoshowbyapreponderanceoftheevidencethathesustainedany ` psychiatricinjuryasaresultoftheaccident. '  1       L    Thedefendantarguestheevidenceshowstheplaintiffsinjuryoccurredbecausetheplaintiff $ t willfullyfailedtousearespirator!asafetydevicerequiredbytheOccupationalHealthandSafety  ` Standardsof49C.F.R.1048.  L    Theplaintiffclaimstheevidenceshowshesustainedpsychiatricimpairmentasaresultof $  theaccident.     Weaffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourt.      Facts  p )  OnDecember24,1993,theplaintiff,whoisthepresidentandprincipalshareholderofReece H FuneralHome,wenttotheUniversityofTennesseeHospitaltopickupabodyforembalming. 4   Theplaintiffbegantheembalmingprocessbypumpingformaldehydeintothebody.The  \ processisintendedtocausethebodyto firmup.Inthisinstance,theprocesswasnotoccurring H asexpectedsotheplaintiffincreasedtheconcentrationofformaldehydebeingpumpedintothebody 4 to"almoststraightfluid"andincreasedthepumpingpressureaswell.Whentheconcentrationand   pressurewasincreased,formaldehydebegantoescapefromthebodycausingtheplaintiffsfifteen   totwentyfiveminute#XXX X # XXXXԀexposuretoformaldehyde.Theplaintiffbecameill,hadtoshutofftheprocess  andleavetheembalmingroom.    Latertheplaintifflearnedtherewereincisionsinthebodyduetotubesthathadbeeninserted l duringmedicaltreatmentatthehospital.Theformaldehydeescapedfromtheincisionsites. X  Accordingtotheplaintiff,aftertheincreaseinconcentrationandpressure,theformaldehydeseeped D! andsquirtedfromthebody. 0"     MedicalEvidence  $X" E  Thedefendantdoesnotcontesttheamountoftheawardgivenbythetrialcourt,nordoesthe %0!$ defendantdenytheplaintiffsustainedaninjuryasfoundbythetrialcourt._Therefore,weseeno &"% reasontodetailthemedicalevidenceconcerningthephysicalinjurytotheplaintiffexcepttonote '#& themedicaltestimonyshowstheplaintiffsustaineda10percentpermanentpartialdisabilitytothe  bodyasawholeasaresultoftheaccident.     PsychiatricEvidence  t   Dr.KelleyWalkersawtheplaintiffonJanuary17,1995,athisrequestforanevaluationof L  hispsychiatriccondition.Dr.Walkerdiagnosedtheplaintiffwithmajordepressionandpersonality 8  disorder.ShefoundthisoccurredasaresultoftheaccidentofDecember24,1993,exposureto $ t formaldehydeandaninjurythatoccurredonFebruary10,1994. '  2      ׀Noseparationofimpairmentwas  ` madeforthetwoevents!the_exposure_ԀtoformaldehydeandtheFebruaryfall.  L    Dr.Walkerwasunawareoftheplaintiffspreviousdiagnosisofthesamepsychiatric $  conditionshehaddiagnosedpriortoherevaluationbecauseshewasunawareoftheprevious   psychiatrictreatmentoftheplaintiff.     Dr.Jerry_Lemler_ԀsawtheplaintiffonApril2,1996,forevaluationattherequestofthe   plaintiff.Hefoundtheplaintiffsufferedmajordepressionalso. p   Dr._Lemler_Ԁwasnotawareoforwellversedinthepreviouspsychiatrictreatmentofthe H plaintiff. 4   Dr._Lemler_stestimony,forthemostpart,dealtwiththeilleffectsthatlongtermexposure  \ toformaldehydecouldhaveonaperson:itwouldresultinawidescopeofproblems,primarily H physicalasopposedtopsychiatric.ItseemsDr.Lemlersdiagnosiswasbaseduponthefactthatthe 4 plaintiffappearedanxiousaboutthegeneralcontactmorticianshavewithformaldehydeoveran   extendedperiod.     Dr.DonaldCatronhadtreatedtheplaintiffforpsychiatricproblemsstartingonApril28,  1992.Hefoundtheplaintiffsufferedfromdepressionandanxiety.    Onthewhole,thegeneralityofDr._Catron_stestimonygavelittleguidanceontheissueof X  theplaintiffspsychiatricproblems. D!  Discussion  #l!   Thedefendantarguestheplaintiffshouldnotbeallowedtorecoverasaresultofthe $D # accidentalexposuretoformaldehydebecausehefailedtouseasafetydevicethatwasavailableto %0!$ himatthetimeoftheaccident. &"%   TennesseeCodeAnnotated506110providesinpartthataplaintiffmaynotrecoverfor (#' anaccidentalinjurywhentheinjuryoccurredbecauseofthewillfulfailureorrefusaltouseasafety )$( Oa    applianceorperformadutyrequiredbylaw.    TheCodeofFederalRegulationssetoutundertheOccupationalSafetyandHealth  Administrationregulationsrequiretheuseofarespiratorwhentherewillbeexposuretoasignificant t amountofformaldehyde. `   Forthepurposeofthiscase,theAppendix_A_Ԁtotheprovisionisapplicable.Theprovision 8  dealswiththenecessityoftheemployertomakerespiratorsavailableincaseofanaccidentalrelease $ t offormaldehyde.  `   Thefuneralhomewasequippedwithrespiratorsasrequiredbytheregulation.  8    Inordertobararecoveryforfailuretouseasafetydevice,theemployer,uponwhomthe   _burdenofproofonthisissue_Ԁlies,mustshowtheconductoftheplaintiffwas(1)anintentiontodo   theact,(2)purposefulviolationoforders,(3)anelementofperverseness.Rogers_v._ԀKrogerCo.,   832S.W.2d538(Tenn.1992).     InColemanv._Coker_,310S.W.2d540(Tenn.1959),theCourtheldthat (_i_)_nadvertance_, \ mistakeofjudgment,negligenceorevengrossnegligencedoesnotconstitutewillfulmisconduct. H   ThetrialjudgefoundthattheincidentofDecember24,1994,wastheresultofan unforseen  p spillingincident,anaccidentnotforeseeable,thatitsnotaviolationofthesafetyrule,not  \ intentional,notgross. H   Whetherwillfulfailuretouseasafetydeviceispresentinaparticularcaseisafactualissue.   Thetrialjudgeheardtheevidenceandfoundtheplaintiffdid_notactwillfullyinnot_Ԁusingthe   respiratoratthetimeoftheoccurrence.Theevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthefinding.    Wefindfurtherthattheevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthetrialcourtsfindingthat  theplaintiffwasnotentitledtorecoverforanallegedpsychiatricinjury. l   Thetrialjudgefoundthatthetestimonyontheissuewas sobackandforththatthecourt D! [had]greatdifficultyinassessingwhat,ifany,_problem_Ԁcamefromtheinjury.Furtherthetrialcourt 0"  found: #l! 8  Therewereconsiderableproblemsbefore.Itperhapswasaggravated,perhapsmade $D # somewhatworse,butthecourtcantmakeanyclearfindingsonthatbasedonthe %0!$ evidenceinthiscase.&"%     Theburdenisupontheplaintifftoshowcausationbyapreponderanceoftheevidence.The (#' medicalevidenceonanallegedpsychiatricinjuryis,asthetrialjudgestated,notclear.Theevidence )$( doesnotpreponderateagainsttherefusalofthetrialjudgetoawardrecoverytotheplaintiffinan |*%) allegedpsychiatricinjury. h+&* Ї  Weaffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourt.Thecostoftheappealistaxedequallytothe  plaintiffanddefendant.     `     h     ___________________________________ 8     `     h     JOHNK.BYERS,SENIORJUDGE#XXX X#  $ t JUXX   @ #XXJU:#BXXINTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @WW$ATKNOXVILLE & #XXB9;#JUXX#XXJU;# JUXX  DAVIS_REECE_,JR.v.LIBERTYMUTUALINSURANCECO.,etal.#XXJU,<#  8 K<@* @*AV) ` dE< ` A߈  $ @No.E199700276_WC_ԄR3CV      `  FILED:SEPTEMBER5,2001    AV) ` dE< ` A     JUXX#XXJU>#@&JUXX#XXJU># JUDGMENT    JUXX#XXJUg?#JUXX#XXJU?#  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtuponLibertyMutualInsuranceCompanysmotionforreview f  pursuanttoTenn.CodeAnn.50-6-225(e)(5)(B),theentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferral R  totheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel'sMemorandumOpinionsetting > forthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; *z   Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthemotionforreviewisnotwelltakenandshould R bedenied;and >   Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadopted  andaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt.    Costswillbepaidequallybyplaintiffanddefendant,forwhichexecution_mayissue_Ԁif  necessary. v   ITISSOORDERED.JUXX#XXJU!D# N    `     h      p PER_CURIAM_ !N! ANDERSON,J.,NOTPARTICIPATING