ÿWPC %# UN! %o 0ûuU:p4ª¾U<Í  w@ 0?W 0D– 0JÚ 0T$ 0^x 0hÖ 0r> 0|° 0†, 0² 1uB 0d· U> U*Y U*ƒ v~­ vÓ+ Bþ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLJÎ(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$3|xI).èB' Z‹$Arrus BT RomanH @)A)DB)C)ED)E)DF)UG)eH)VI)î(ï(3`ò$¤¤Ý ƒH=!ÝÑ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÔ€X˜—XXXÔÑ7€%XXdìdì7ÑÝ  Ýà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$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< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial< Œ 9p`(TimesPtPtHHØ(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 dÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€ ÔÑ#€!!Xd#ÑÑ#€!!Xd#ÑÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÑ À ÑÑ X Ñò ò›Þ ÞÌÌÌó óà@ àò òIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌWORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌKNOXVILLE,€DECEMBER€1997€SESSIONó óÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌBENJAMIN€K.€REEDà àà àà à)à àHAMILTON€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà àà à)à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌV.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€R.€Vann€Owens,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellorÌMUELLER€COMPANYà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àÌà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à)à àNO.€03S01„9708„CH„00093Ìò òòòÌÌÌÌÌFor€the€Appellant:à àà àà àà àà àFor€the€Appellee:Ìó óóóÌCharles€J.€Gearhiserà àà àà àà àJoseph€C.€Wilson€IIIÌWade€K.€Cannonà àà àà àà àà àSixth€Floor,€Pioneer€Bank€Bldg.Ì320€McCallie€Avenueà àà àà àà à801€Broad€StreetÌChattanooga,€Tenn.€€37402à àà àà àP.O.€Box€1749à àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àChattanooga,€Tenn.€€37401„1749ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  Óò òòòM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌò òòòMembers€of€Panel:ÌÌó óóóE.€Riley€Anderson,€Chief€JusticeÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€JudgeÌRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌAFFIRMED.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àTHAYER,€Special€JudgeÌÌÓÓà 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€employee,€Benjamin€K.€Reed,€has€appealed€from€a€ruling€of€the€trialÏcourt€dismissing€his€claim€for€benefits€as€a€result€of€an€accident€while€working€forÏdefendant,€Mueller€Company.€€The€trial€court€found€the€employee€had€failed€toÏestablish€that€his€back€injury€was€caused€by€the€accident€at€work€on€July€26,€1994.€ÏSince€the€case€was€dismissed,€there€was€no€ruling€on€the€employerððs€defenses€ofÏlack€of€proper€notice€and€the€expiration€of€the€one€year€statute€of€limitations.Ìà àEmployee€Reed€was€44€years€of€age€at€the€time€of€the€trial€and€hadÏcompleted€the€12th€grade.€€He€had€some€trade€school€education€and€wasÏemployed€by€defendant€as€an€industrial€maintenance€technician.€€On€the€day€inÏquestion,€he€was€carrying€a€ð ðhulk€gunðð€when€he€stepped€on€a€metal€grate€andÍreceived€an€electrical€shock.€€He€stated€it€threw€him€into€a€beam€causing€an€injury€toÏhis€back.€€A€co„worker,€Dennis€Disney,€was€nearby€and€saw€the€accident.Ìà àPlaintiff€testified€he€notified€his€supervisor€about€the€accident€and€alsoÏdiscussed€it€with€the€company€nurse.€€He€continued€to€work€and€later€saw€Dr.ÏCeleste€Long;€he€did€not€improve€and€went€to€see€his€family€doctor,€David€C.ÏConner;€Dr.€Conner€eventually€referred€him€to€Dr.€Paul€A.€Blackstone;€he€remainedÏoff€work€from€sometime€in€January€1995€to€March€1995;€Dr.€Blackstone€diagnosedÏhis€problem€as€a€ruptured€disc;€he€did€not€improve€and€ceased€working€duringÏSeptember€1995.Ìà àPlaintiff€has€seen€numerous€doctors€during€1994„1996.€€Surgery€wasÏperformed€on€October€14,€1995€by€Dr.€Scott€D.€Hodges€to€remove€the€rupturedÏportion€of€the€disc.€€He€did€not€get€much€relief€from€this€surgical€procedure€and€wasÏoperated€on€again€by€Dr.€Blackstone€on€May€30,€1996€to€remove€the€whole€disc.€€AtÏthe€trial€below,€he€stated€he€was€still€having€a€lot€of€pain.€€During€his€examination,Ïhe€admitted€he€was€drawing€company€related€disability€benefits€while€he€was€offÏfrom€work.€€He€admitted€that€he€had€never€requested€his€employer€to€furnish€him€aÏdoctor€and€that€the€first€time€his€employer€was€aware€he€was€insisting€his€claim€wasÏwork„related€was€when€the€suit€was€instituted€on€January€24,€1996.€€He€also€statedÏhe€had€been€involved€in€several€prior€workersðð€compensation€claims€where€he€hadÏreceived€benefits.Ìà àIn€dismissing€the€case,€the€trial€judge€specifically€found€plaintiffððs€credibilityÏwas€doubtful€and€his€testimony€was€entitled€to€little€weight€because€of€variousÏconflicting€medical€histories€and€because€of€other€evidence€in€the€case.Ìà àAll€of€the€expert€medical€testimony€was€introduced€by€deposition.Ìà àDr.€Celeste€Long,€an€internal€medical€physician,€first€saw€plaintiff€on€AugustÏ31,€1994,€which€was€about€five€weeks€after€the€July€26th€incident€at€work.€€SheÏtestified€he€told€her€about€receiving€an€electrical€shock€at€work;€that€his€complaintÏwas€abdominal€pain;€she€thought€it€could€be€coming€from€his€back€and€obtained€anÏx„ray€of€the€lumbar€spine;€the€x„ray€indicated€there€was€no€disc€injury;€that€she€sawÏhim€a€second€and€last€time€on€September€28,€1994€and€he€was€still€complaining€ofÏpain;€he€said€he€felt€full€and€did€not€have€an€appetite;€that€her€records€indicated€theÏincident€was€not€work„related€and€his€group€medical€insurance€carrier€was€billed€forÏthe€visits;€her€conclusion€was:€ð ðabdominal€pain;€etiology€uncertain.ððÌà àDr.€David€C.€Conner,€an€osteopathic€physician,€testified€he€had€seen€plaintiffÏprior€to€the€day€in€question€but€not€for€any€back€complaints.€€He€first€saw€him€afterÏthe€July€26th€incident€on€October€31,€1994,€when€he€appeared€to€have€an€upperÏrespiratory€infection.€€He€saw€him€again€on€November€2,€1994,€for€a€follow„up€visitÏand€prescribed€an€antibiotic.€€On€December€30th€visit,€he€was€complaining€of€aÏsinus€problem€and€ear€aches.€€On€January€3,€1995,€plaintiff€called€his€officeÏcomplaining€of€low€back€pain.€€He€came€to€the€office€the€next€day,€January€4th,Ïsaying€he€had€low€back€pain€and€that€the€pain€was€going€down€both€legs.€€HeÏrelated€it€had€been€like€that€for€about€five€days.Ìà àDr.€Conner€obtained€an€x„ray€of€the€low€back€which€only€indicated€anÏcongenital€problem.€€The€x„ray€did€not€indicate€an€injury€had€occurred.€€The€doctorÏstated€he€saw€him€on€other€visits€during€January€and€also€several€visits€from€JulyÏ1995€to€September€1995.€€The€doctor€stated€that€nothing€was€ever€mentioned€toÏhim€about€his€receiving€an€electrical€shock€or€sustaining€a€back€injury€on€any€of€theÏmany€visits€to€his€office.€€He€was€of€the€opinion€that€if€he€had€injured€his€back€onÍJuly€26th,€he€would€have€expected€complaints€about€the€injury€sooner€than€JanuaryÏ1995.Ìà àDr.€Howell€B.€Dalton,€an€internal€medicine€physician,€testified€he€saw€plaintiffÏon€November€15,€1994€when€he€complained€of€a€cough;€again€on€April€17,€1995€forÏsinus€infection;€on€September€15,€1995€visit,€he€complained€of€low€back€pain€butÏgave€no€history€of€trauma;€on€September€19,€1995,€his€back€was€worse€and€heÏreferred€him€to€a€Dr.€Moses,€an€orthopedic€surgeon;€he€later€received€a€report€fromÏDr.€Moses€indicating€he€had€given€a€history€of€being€involved€in€an€accident€onÏJanuary€1,€1995.€€The€doctor€stated€he€also€received€a€report€from€a€Dr.€GibsonÏwhich€indicated€the€results€of€a€nerve€conduction€study€and€it€contained€a€history€ofÏhaving€received€an€electrical€shock.€€Dr.€Dalton€stated€that€during€the€numerousÏvisits€to€his€office,€plaintiff€never€mentioned€anything€about€an€injury€at€work.Ìà àDr.€Paul€A.€Broadstone,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€first€saw€plaintiff€on€JanuaryÏ25,€1995.€€He€testified€plaintiff€told€him€of€receiving€an€electrical€shock€whichÏcaused€him€to€be€thrown€against€a€piece€of€equipment;€he€said€plaintiff€indicated€hisÏback€and€leg€pain€started€about€two€months€later.€€An€M.R.I.€report€indicated€aÏbulging€disc.€€He€saw€him€again€after€he€had€ceased€working€and€another€M.R.I.Ïreport€showed€it€had€progressed€to€a€ruptured€disc;€the€doctorððs€records€alsoÏindicated€plaintiff€revealed€during€a€visit€in€July€1996,€he€had€been€involved€in€aÏmotor€vehicle€accident€on€July€15th€when€his€vehicle€was€struck€and€turned€aboutÏseveral€times.€€The€doctor€billed€his€group€medical€insurance€for€the€variousÏservices€rendered;€Dr.€Broadstone€performed€the€second€surgical€procedure€onÏMay€30,€1996.Ìà àDr.€Scott€D.€Hodges,€an€orthopedic€surgeon,€testified€he€first€saw€plaintiffÏduring€October€1995.€€He€said€plaintiff€initially€did€not€indicate€his€complaints€wereÍwork„related;€that€he€performed€surgery€on€October€10,€1995,€and€that€he€did€notÏseem€to€get€the€relief€he€had€expected;€that€on€a€later€visit€during€March€1996,€heÏtold€the€doctor€he€believed€his€problem€with€his€back€was€work„related€and€he€gaveÏa€history€of€having€received€the€electrical€shock.Ìà àDr.€Roger€W.€Catlin,€an€anesthesiologist€who€specialized€in€painÏmanagement,€saw€plaintiff€on€April€23,€1996,€and€stated€plaintiff€gave€him€a€historyÏof€having€been€involved€in€an€accident€at€work€where€he€received€the€injury.Ìà àIn€addition€to€this€medical€testimony,€the€trial€court€heard€the€oral€testimony€ofÏRachel€Tolliver,€an€LPN€nurse€for€defendant€employer.€€She€said€her€recordsÏindicated€plaintiff€had€called€on€January€12,€1995,€at€9:20€p.m.€and€said€he€couldÏnot€work€as€he€slipped€and€fell€at€home€and€had€hurt€his€back.€€She€testified€he€didÏreport€having€received€an€electrical€shock€but€never€reported€an€on„the„job€backÏinjury.€€On€one€occasion€he€said€his€back€was€hurting€but€he€was€going€to€try€toÏwork.Ìà àOur€review€of€the€case€is€de€novo€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€theÏcorrectness€of€the€findings€of€fact€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„6„225(e)(2).Ìà àAn€employee€has€the€burden€of€proving€every€element€of€the€case,€includingÏcausation€by€a€preponderance€of€the€evidence.€€òòTindall€v.€Waring€Park€Assððn,óó€725ÏS.W.2d€935,€937€(Tenn.€1987).Ìà àIf€there€is€conflicting€medical€testimony€on€causation€of€any€injury,€the€trialÏjudge€has€discretion€to€conclude€that€the€opinion€of€a€particular€expert€should€beÏaccepted€over€that€of€another€expert€and€that€one€expertððs€testimony€contains€aÏmore€probable€explanation€than€another€expertððs€testimony.€€òòThomas€v.€Aetna€LifeÏ&€Cas.€Co.,óó€812€S.W.2d€278€(Tenn.€1991).Ìà àThe€primary€issue€on€appeal€is€whether€the€evidence€preponderates€againstÏthe€conclusion€of€the€trial€court€that€plaintiff€did€not€injure€his€back€as€a€result€of€theÏelectrical€shock€he€received€on€July€26,€1994.Ìà àPlaintiff€contends€the€history€given€to€Dr.€Broadstone€and€Dr.€Catlin€supportsÏhis€contention€he€was€injured€on€July€26th€when€he€received€the€electrical€shock.Ìà àDefendant€argues€the€testimony€of€Dr.€Long,€Dr.€Conner,€Dr.€Dalton€and€Dr.ÏHodges€supports€its€theory€that€plaintiff€was€injured€sometime€early€in€JanuaryÏ1995,€while€off€from€work.Ìà àFrom€our€independent€review€of€the€case,€we€find€there€is€considerableÏevidence€supporting€the€trial€courtððs€conclusion,€and€we€do€not€find€the€evidenceÏpreponderates€against€the€trial€courtððs€findings.Ìà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€the€appeal€are€taxed€to€plaintiff.ÌÓÓÔ% € ÔÌà àà àà àà àà àà à___________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àRoger€E.€Thayer,€Special€JudgeÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ________________________________ÌE.€Riley€Anderson,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌ________________________________ÌJohn€K.€Byers,€Senior€Judge€œÇÒ € ÒÒ À ÒÑ ` ÑÔ€ Ôà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLEÌÌÌBENJAMIN€K.€REED,à àà àà à)à àHAMILTON€CHANCERYÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€90„0079€BelowÌà àAppellant,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àHon.€R.€Vann€Owens,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àChancellor.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€à àNo.€€03S01„9708„CH„00093ÌMUELLER€COMPANY,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àAppellee.à àà àà àà à)à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌà@ 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.€€ò òÌó óà àà àCosts€on€appeal€are€assessed€to€the€appellant.Ìà àà àIT€IS€SO€ORDERED€this€____€day€April,€1998.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌAnderson,€J.€€„€Not€participating.Ô€ Ô›