WPC  GNX3vfѷD"k{2[ JM/jGaHӞ k3N?C~lD j꒡Yy;dxOt`Dp(Ȱ+D?C>CMgu fHd BI-O3eswall:z=$TZxiXouGRV-Su | 7d+SxnK~ TG,~rWN;{q:id N ͙^YB3CXlP .ok%ݪ(bsC.qzЃ028?2چا wDDWjűݕ%]\MO#A%~=ԵPĂE m_4T"f\L1뚏?,ͅspG<>Ʉc )o[&z?b#\ % ^ # 0/ UN w 4 z  i x mz   _ %  zN+ 0D-U(@qEN z/////////////////////b 0     B  0 D3 D- 0K AS` 0y 0D AaHP LaserJet 4050 Seri (Copy 2)0ڐ) (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regularք^)Lաk10 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 Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 p RS$      1  X YX  _Ԁ XX Y   Avocationalexperttestifiedinthecasebutwedonotfindhertestimonyaffectedtheoutcomeofthecase.#   ##X YX  #(#$  0  (@ Z(Times New Roman 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- -(|G2S$ !.8PUdd8         0  XIX d(|3~$ !.8PUdd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3~$ !.8PUdd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8G%dd8     _G%8 YXXdd8  LG%LL@@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL & @@ATKNOXVILLE#G%L# L August30,2000Session "r X YXG% #G%XX Y9#RITAM.RUSSELLv._MODINE_ԀMANUFACTURINGCOMPANY,INC.X YXG%   p @@ DirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforAndersonCounty  p @@No.98LA0323JamesB.Scott,Jr.,Judge  \ @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No._E2000_00176_WC_ԄR3CVMailedNovember8,2000   FILED:DECEMBER14,2000   #G%XX Y#X YXG%AV) ` dE<z` A {        Thetrialjudgefoundtheplaintiffhadsufferedacompensableinjuryandthathermedical v impairmentratingwastenpercenttothebodyasawhole.Theplaintiffcontinuedtoworkforthe b defendant,andthetrialcourtenteredajudgmentawardingtheplaintifftwentyfivepercent N vocationalimpairmentbasedonthetenpercentmedicalimpairmenttimestwoandonehalfpercent. :   Thedefendantarguestheevidencepreponderatesagainstthefinding.#G%XX Y#X YXG% b #G%XX Y#X YXG%   Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(1999)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourtis & Affirmed.       JohnK.Byers,Sr.J#G%X YI#X YX.G%.#G%X Yn #X YX.G%,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichE.RileyAnderson,C.J.and  RogerE.Thayer,Sp.J#G%XX Y #X YXG%,joined.   RobertW._Knolton_,OakRidge,Tennessee,fortheappellant,_Modine_ԀManufacturingCompany,Inc. ^"! BruceD.Fox,Clinton,Tennessee,fortheappellee,RitaM.Russell. 6$# +   OPINION #G%XX Yz #X YXG% &^!%   #G%XX Y #X YXG%  Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'Compensation '6#' AppealsPaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTennesseeCodeAnnotated506225(e)(3) ("$( forhearingandreportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.#G%XX Yv #X YXG%ԀReview )%) ofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialcourtisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt, *%* accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefinding,unlessthepreponderanceofthe +&+ evidenceisotherwise.Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2).Stonev.Cityof_McMinnville_,896 ,', S.W.2d548,550(Tenn.1995).TheapplicationofthisstandardrequiresthisCourttoweighinmore n-(- depththefactualfindingsandconclusionsofthetrialcourtsinworkerscompensationcases.See  Corcoranv.FosterAuto_GMC_,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,456(Tenn.1988).#G%XX Y#X YXG%  #G%XX YQ#@*   Facts    X YXG%  OnApril14,1998,theplaintiffliftedanautomotivepartatworkandinjuredherneckand   upperback.      MedicalEvidence       ThemedicalevidencewaspresentedbythedepositionofDr.GilbertHyde,anorthopedic `  surgeon;bythemedicalrecordsofDr.RandallRobbins,anorthopedicsurgeonandtreating L  physician;byDr.HowardBrown,anorthopedicsurgeon;andbyDr.Jeffrey_Uzzle_,aphysical 8  medicinephysician,towhomthedefendantreferredtheplaintiffforevaluation. $t    Also,theplaintiffwasseenbyDr.Alan_Weems_,aneurosurgeon,towhomtheplaintiffs L doctorreferredher. 8   Dr.Robbinsdiagnosedtheplaintiffashavingsustainedacervicalandthoracicsprainasa  resultoftheinjury.HefoundcentralbulgingoftheC3C4,C4C5andC5C6discs.Hedidnot  relatethistotheinjury.Dr.RobbinsrecordsreflecthetreatedtheplaintifffromAprilof1998until  September11,1998.Dr.Robbinsreleasedtheplaintiffforreturntoworkwithnorestrictions.He  did,however,prescribeandrecommendtheuseofaTENSUnitasneeded. p     Dr.BrownfoundthesamediscprotrusionsasdidDr.Robbins.Healsowasoftheopinion H theplaintiffcouldreturntoworkwithoutrestrictions. 4   Dr._Uzzle_Ԁevaluatedtheplaintiff,foundnoobjectivesignsofimprovementandwasofthe  \ opinionthatnoworkrestrictionsfortheplaintiffwereneeded. H   Dr.Allen_Weems_,theplaintiffsdoctor,evaluatedherandobservedthesamecervical   problemsfoundbytheotherphysicians.Dr._Weems_Ԁdidnotmakeadeterminationastocausation !  oftheplaintiffscomplaints,nordidhemakeanystatementconcerningdisability. "    Dr.GilbertHydetestifiedbydepositionthattheplaintiffhadreceivedaninjuryonApril14, $" 1998,thataggravatedapreexistingbackproblem.Hewasoftheopiniontheplaintiffsustainedaten l% # percentwholebodyimpairmentasaresultoftheworkinjury. #  1       X&!$    Discussion  0(#&  )l$'      ThetrialjudgeacceptedthetestimonyofDr.Hydeinthiscaseovertheevidenceaspresented  bytherecordsoftheotherphysicians.Thetrialjudgemaydoso._Kellerman_Ԁv.FoodLionInc.,929  S.W.2d333(Tenn.1996);Johnsonv._Midwesco_ԀInc.,801S.W.2d804(Tenn.1990).     `     h     Whenthemedicalevidenceispresentedbydepositionorrecords,theCourtmaymakeits ` owndeterminationoftheprooftodeterminewherethepreponderanceoftheevidencelies.Cooper L  v._INA_,884S.W.2d446,451(Tenn.1994);Landersv.FiremansFundIns.Co.,775S.W.2d355, 8  356(Tenn.1989). $ t   ThedefendantbasesitsmostinsistentargumentontheweightofDr.Robbinsrecordsand  L  arguesthatasthetreatingphysicianhistestimonyshouldbegivenmoreweightthanisgiventothe  8  testimonyofevaluatingphysiciansperOrmanv.Williams_Sonoma_,Inc.,803S.W.2d672(Tenn. $  1991).However,Ormandoesnotrequirethetrialjudgetogivemoreweighttothetestimonyofa   treatingphysicianthanthatofanevaluatingphysician.TheOrmanopinionstandsonlyforthe   propositionthatitseemsreasonablesuchphysicianscouldgivemoreaccurateandindepthdetail   ofaninjury.Therearecases,almostlegioninnumber,holdingthatthisasserted shouldruleisnot   compellinguponthetrialcourt,andabsentanysignificantreasonintherecordtocompelsuch p action,thereviewingcourtwillnotreverseajudgmentonthatbasisalone.Wefindnoreasoninthis \ casetooverturnthejudgmentofthetrialcourt,whichisaffirmed. H a  Thecostofthisappealischargedtothedefendant.  p    `     h     ___________________________________      `     h     JOHNK.BYERS,SENIORJUDGE    G%XX Y@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @ ATKNOXVILLE,TENNESSEE   #X YXG%V'# G%XX Y  RITAM.RUSSELLV._MODINE_ԀMANUFACTURINGCOMPANY,INC. " #X YXG%+(# J(@  CircuitCourtforAndersonCounty  4 @$No.98LA0323   @*AV) ` dE< ` A߈   @ No.E200000176_WC_ԄR3CVFiledDecember14,2000       `     h AV) ` dE<z` A {   G%XX Y#X YXG%*#@& JUDGMENT G%XX Y#X YXG%a+#Ԉ v     ` ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferral : totheSpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsmemorandumOpinion &v settingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinby b reference; N    ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthememorandumOpinionofthePanel : shouldbeacceptedandapproved;and &    ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanelsfindingsoffactsandconclusionsoflaw  areadoptedandaffirmedandthedecisionofthePanelismadetheJudgementoftheCourt.     ` CostsonappealaretaxedtotheDefendant,_Modine_ԀManufacturingCompany,Inc.  AndRobertW._Knolton_,forwhichexecutionissueifnecessary.  G%XX Y#X YXG%/#12/14/00 ^ G%XX Y#X YXG%W0#  " r