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D3 D- 0KCC AS 0 0DK A ؋+ (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularHE*$'3|x 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.wptU(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5HP LaserJet 8000 Series PS03#37=CIQYag1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)(;3$2#  0  .3  0  (hH  Z 6Times New Roman Regular(#$  0  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(9 Z(Times New Roman - -(|G2_$ !.8 d d 8         0  XuX d(|3E$ !.8 d d 8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3E$ !.8 d d 8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8 ,d d8     _ 'o 8slXXdd 8   2v 'o@@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL & @@ATJACKSON# 'o 2v# L May16,2001Session "r  Xp[X 'o # 'oX Xp[#LINDAROWLANDv.NORTHBROOKHEALTHCARECENTER Xp[X 'o   p @@ DirectAppealfromtheChanceryCourtforMadisonCounty  p @@No.56428JoeC.Morris,Chancellor  \ @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No.W200002562_WC_ԄR3CVMailedJune26,2001;FiledJuly30,2001   # 'oX Xp[# Xp[X 'oAV) ` dE<` A       Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppeals  PaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingand v reportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Inthisappeal,# 'oX Xp[# Xp[X 'oԀthe b employer,Northbrook,insiststheawardofpermanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsbasedon70percent N tothebodyasawholeisexcessive.# 'oX Xp[# Xp[X 'oԀAsdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcludedthejudgment : shouldbeaffirmed. &v    Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2000)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheChanceryCourt N Affirmed.  :     JoeC.Loser,Jr.,Sp.J.# 'o Xp[|# Xp[X. 'o,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichJaniceM.Holder,J.,and  RobertL.Childers,Sp.J.,joined.  P.AllenPhillipsandJayDustinKing,Jackson,Tennessee,fortheappellant,NorthbrookHealth   CareCenter. r!  _Ricky_ԀL.Boren,Jackson,Tennessee,fortheappellee,LindaRowland. J#"   MEMORANDUMOPINION # 'oX Xp[ # Xp[X 'o "%r $   # 'oX Xp[E # Xp[X 'o  Theemployeeorclaimant,LindaRowland,is49yearsoldwithaneleventhgradeeducation &J"& andexperienceasacertifiednurse'sassistant.HerdutiesatNorthbrookincludedfeedingand '6#' bathingpatients.SheinjuredherlowbackliftingapatientonJune6,1999.Shecontinuedworking ("$( withpainfortwoweeks,thensoughtmedicalattention.ShewaseventuallyreferredtoDr.John )%) _Neblett_. *%*   Dr._Neblett_ԀdiagnosedaherniateddiscandperformedcorrectivesurgeryonSeptember9, ,', _1999.Whilerecuperating,theclaimantdevelopedastaphinfection.Thedoctorreleasedherto n-(- returntoworkonJanuary17,2000withpermanentrestrictionsofnoliftingmorethan50pounds  andnorepetitivebendingatthewaist.Shetriedtoreturntoworkbutwasunabletoworkbecause  ofresidualpain.ShereturnedtoDr.Neblett,whoorderedasecondMRI.Thetestshowed  postoperativescarringandrecurringdischerniation.Afterrehabilitation,shewasrestrictedfrom t prolongedstandingorwalkingorliftingmorethan10to15pounds.Theemployerattemptedto ` returntheclaimanttolightdutywork,buttheclaimantresignedbecauseofdisablingpaineven L  thoughtheemployerwaswillingtomakeaccommodationsforher. 8    Dr.Neblettassignedapermanentimpairmentrating,basedonappropriateguidelines,of12  ` percenttothewholebody.Theclaimanttestifiedshecannotwork.  L    Upontheabovesummarizedevidence,thetrialcourtfoundthattheclaimantsrefusalto $  returntoworkwasreasonableandawarded,interalia,permanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsbasedon   70percenttothebodyasawhole.Appellatereviewisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,   accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderanceof   theevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2).Thistribunalisnotboundbythetrial   court'sfindingsbutinsteadconductsanindependentexaminationoftherecordtodeterminewhere p thepreponderancelies.Gallowayv.MemphisDrumServ.,822S.W.2d584,586(Tenn.1991). \ Wherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweight H tobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccordedthose 4 circumstancesonreview,becauseitisthetrialcourtwhichhadtheopportunitytoobservethe  p witnessesdemeanorandtoheartheincourttestimony.Longv.TriConInd.,Ltd.,996S.W.2d  \ 173,178(Tenn.1999).Theappellatetribunal,however,isaswellsituatedtogaugetheweight, H worthandsignificanceofdepositiontestimonyasthetrialjudge.Walkerv.SaturnCorp.,986 4 S.W.2d204,207(Tenn.1998).Theextentofaninjuredworkersvocationaldisabilityisaquestion   offact.Storyv.LegionIns.Co.,3S.W.3d450,456(Tenn.1999).     Theappellantcontendsthepermanentpartialdisabilityawardshouldnotexceedtwoand  onehalftimesthemedicalimpairmentratingbecausetheclaimantfailedtomakeareasonable  attempttoreturntowork.ForinjuriesarisingafterAugust1,1992,incaseswhereaninjuredworker l isentitledtopermanentpartialdisabilitybenefitstothebodyasawholeandthepreinjuryemployer X  returnstheemployeetoemploymentatawageequaltoorgreaterthanthewagetheemployeewas D! receivingatthetimeoftheinjury,themaximumpermanentpartialdisabilityawardthatthe 0"  employeemayreceiveistwoandonehalftimesthemedicalimpairmentratingpursuanttothe #l! provisionsoftheAmericanMedicalAssociationGuidestotheEvaluationofPermanentImpairment $X" ortheManualforOrthopedicSurgeonsinEvaluatingPermanentPhysicalImpairment.Tenn.Code $D # Ann.506241(a)(1).Iftheofferfromtheemployerisnotreasonableinlightofthecircumstances %0!$ oftheemployeesphysicaldisabilitytoperformtheofferedemployment,thentheofferof &"% employmentisnotmeaningfulandtheinjuredemployeemayreceivedisabilitybenefitsuptosix '#& timesthemedicalimpairment.SeeNelsonv.WalMartStores,Inc.,8S.W.3d625(Tenn.1999) (#' Ontheotherhand,anemployeewillbelimitedtodisabilitybenefitsofnotmorethantwoandone_Ԅ )$( halftimesthemedicalimpairmentifhisrefusaltoreturntoofferedworkisunreasonable.Newton |*%) v.ScottHealthCareCenter,914S.W.2d884,886(Tenn.1995).Theresolutionofwhatis h+&* reasonablemustrestonthefactsofeachcaseandbedeterminedthereby.Idat886.    Thetrialjudgeaccreditedtheclaimantstestimonythatsheisunabletoperformherassigned  dutiesbecauseofherinjuries.Fromourindependentexaminationoftherecord,wecannotsaythe t preponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Aninjuredemployeeiscompetenttotestifyastoher ` ownassessmentofherphysicalconditionandsuchtestimonyshouldnotbedisregarded.Walkerat L  208(Tenn.1998). 8    Whilethisappealwaspending,theclaimantfiledandservedamotionforanawardof  ` interestonpaymentsmadesincethejudgmentwasfiledinthetrialcourt.Theemployercannotand  L  doesnotdisputetheclaimantsentitlementtointerest.However,theapplicationshouldbemadeto  8  thetrialcourt. $    Fortheabovereasons,theevidencefailstopreponderateagainstthefindingsofthetrial   court.Thejudgmentisaccordinglyaffirmedandthecauseremandedtothetrialcourtforanaward   ofanyinterestduetheclaimantandallotherpurposes.Costsaretaxedtotheappellant,Northbrook   HealthCareCenter. p    `     h     ___________________________________ H    `     h     JOEC.LOSER,JR.,SPECIALJUDGE 4    \ @7 7  'oX Xp[INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @??SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  @''%ATJACKSON $ @AA$May16,2001 6    LINDAROWLANDv.NORTHBROOKHEALTHCARECENTER   Z m)@  ChanceryCourtforMadisonCounty 0  @%No.56428 D  @*AV) ` dE<k` A߈ l  @ No.W200002562_WC_ԄR3CVFiledJuly30,_2001_Ԉ   AV) ` dE<` A   @PP& JUDGMENT  ( 'o 'o   ` ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorder ` ofreferraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel's "r MemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,which 4 areincorporatedhereinbyreference; F    ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthe j Panelshouldbeacceptedandapproved;and |    ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusions  oflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgment   oftheCourt. ! Ѐ "&    ` CostsonappealaretaxedtotheAppellant,NorthbrookHealthCare #8 Center,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. $J     ` ITISSOORDERED. 'n"" # 'o'o+# , 'o   `     h     PER_CURIAM_ N*%% # 'o ,j0## Xp[X 'oV(#