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INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERS'COMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  ATKNOXVILLE X _lY_6&"h 8 `EC Ztt0rB #l_ ##(March16,1999Session) B    ?+ ` hp x (#` X?VIVIANL.RUSSELL, h     ) p ANDERSON  $  CIRCUIT    ## `     h     )    ` PlaintiffAppellee,     p )  Hon.JamesB.Scott,Jr.,    `     h     ) p Judge. |  v. `     h     ) f   `     h     ) p No.03S019808CV00077 P ADVANCETRANSFORMER    ) : COMPANY,   h     ) $t  `     h     ) ^  ` DefendantAppellant.    ) H ForAppellant:   h      p ForAppellee:  ArthurG.Seymour,Jr. h      p RogerL._Ridenour_ ^ RobertL.Kahn   h      p _Ridenour_,_Ridenour_Ԁ&Fox H Knoxville,Tennessee h      p Clinton,Tennessee 2   <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION #" MembersofPanel: V(#' WilliamM.Barker,AssociateJustice **z%) HowellN.Peoples,SpecialJudge +d&* JoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge +N'+   ?+ ` hp x (#` X?  <( ` hp x (#X<  ?+ ` hp x (#` X?   AFFIRMED   h      p      x  Loser, N3.3 Judge'r0  84/4   <( ` hp x (#X<MEMORANDUMOPINION b    ?+ ` hp x (#` X? ` Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecial d Workers'CompensationAppealsPanelinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.XVhX[?[?XXVh s  506225(e)(3)forhearingandreportingoffindingsoffactandconclusionsof  " law.Inthisappeal,theemployercontends(1)theemployeefailedtogive 1  noticeofherinjury,(2)theclaimant'sinjurydidnotariseoutoftheemployment    relationshipand(3)theawardofpermanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsis ?  excessive.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcludedthejudgmentshould N  beaffirmed.    `  ` TheclaimantinitiatedthisactiononMay23,1997torecoverworkers' k compensationbenefitsforherinjuries.Byitsanswer,theemployeradmittedthe  claimanthad,inDecemberof1995,"complainedofaninjurytoherrightarm," )y butdenied"thatshecomplainedofaninjurytoherleftarm."Itaffirmatively  averredthatitprovidedherwithapanelofthreephysicians,fromwhichshe 7 choseDr.RandallRobbins;andthatDr.Robbinstreatedher,referredherto F otherspecialists,andperformedsurgeryonherinAprilof1996.Theemployer   didnotraisetheissueoflackofwrittennoticeinitsanswer. T"  `  ` ThecasewastriedonMay29,1998,when,accordingtothejudgment,  & theonlyissuessubmittedtothetrialcourtwere"theextentofpermanent,partial !"q( disabilitytobeawardedtotheplaintiff'srightarmandwhethertheplaintiffis #* entitledtoajudgmentforapermanent,partialdisabilitytotheleftarm,and $/ , whetherthedefendantshouldreimburseuntotheplaintiffandherattorneya >&!. portionofthepretrialexpensesincurredinpreparingthismatterfortrial,and '"0 whetherRogerL._Ridenour_Ԁshouldreceivehisattorneysfeesinalumpsum." (L$2 Afteratrial,thecourtawarded,interalia,permanentpartialdisabilitybenefits [*%4 basedoneightyfivepercenttotherightarmandsixtypercenttotheleftarm, + '6 whichequatestoorseventytwoandonehalfpercenttobotharms.Wehave -i(8 reviewedthecasedenovo,upontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedby x.): apresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderance /'+< oftheevidenceisotherwise,asrequiredbyTenn.CodeAnn.XVhX[?[?XXVhԀ506225(e)(2). 61,>  `  ` Theemployeeorclaimant,Ms.Russell,isfiftytwoyearsoldwithatenth 3D/B gradeeducationandexperienceasafactoryassembler,firstatBurlington S50D Hosiery,thenRobbinsSeatBeltCompany,thenatOliverSpringsAppareland 62F finallywiththisemployer,AdvanceTransformerCompany.Shegradually 8a3H developeddisablingpaininbotharms,buthascontinuedtowork. p94J  `  ` OnDecember1,1995,shebeganexperiencingpainandnumbnessinboth _ armsand,accordingtoherowntestimony,soreportedtotheemployer. n However,thereportpreparedbytheemployerreflectedonlythatshe  complainedofpainintherightelbow.Dr.Robbinsinjectedcortisoneand , | temporarilyrestrictedherfromliftingandusingherrighthandatwork.She    firstimproved,thenworsened,andthedoctorrestrictedtheuseofherleftarm.  :  Unsuccessfulsurgerywasperformedontherightarmandpostsurgical I  restrictionstotherightarmcausedhertodevelopoverusesyndromeintheleft   arm.Theclaimantcontinuestoworkwithbilateralelbowpain,diagnosedas W  chronictenniselbow.Shecontinuestoworkforthesameemployer. f   `  ` Immediatelyupontheoccurrenceofaninjury,orassoonthereafterasis $t reasonableandpracticable,aninjuredemployeemust,unlesstheemployerhas  actualknowledgeoftheaccident,givewrittennoticeoftheinjurytohis 2 employer.Tenn.CodeAnn.XVhX[?[?XXVhԀ506201.Wheretheemployerdeniesthata A claimanthasgiventherequiredwrittennotice,theclaimanthastheburdenof   showingthattheemployerhadactualnotice,orthattheemployeehaseither O" compliedwiththerequirementorhasareasonableexcuseforhisfailuretodo ^$ so,fornoticeisanessentialelementofhisclaim.Jonesv.SterlingLastCorp.,  & 962S.W.2d469(Tenn.1998).Thereasonsforthethirtydaystatutorynotice  l( requirementare(1)togivetheemployeranopportunitytomakean {!* investigationwhilethefactsareaccessible,and(2)toenabletheemployerto "*, providetimelyandpropertreatmentfortheinjuredemployee.Id.Itis 9$. significantthatwrittennoticeisunnecessaryinthosesituationswherethe % 0 employerhasactualknowledgeoftheinjury._Raines_Ԁv.ShelbyWilliams &G"2 Industries,814S.W.2d346(Tenn.1991).Thepresenceorabsenceof V(#4 prejudicetotheemployerisaproperconsideration._McCaleb_Ԁv.SaturnCorp., )%6 910S.W.2d412(Tenn.1995). +d&8  `  ` Althoughthetrialjudgedidnotmakespecificfindingsconcerningthe -")< noticeissue,probablybecauseitwasnotanissuesubmittedtohim,hedid 1/*> accredittheclaimant'stestimony,whichwasthattheemployerhadactualnotice 0+@ ofbothinjuries.Moreover,eveniftheemployer'swrittenreportisaccurate,it 1?-B appearsthattheemployerwasabletocontroltheclaimant'smedicalcareand N3.D wasnotprejudicedbythelackofwrittennotice.Thefirstissueisresolvedin 4/F favoroftheplaintiff.  6\1H  `  ` Unlessadmittedbytheemployer,theemployeeorclaimanthasthe 84L _burdenofproving,bycompetentevidence,everyessentialelementofhisclaim.  _Oster_Ԁv._Yates_,845S.W.2d215(Tenn.1992).Inordertoestablishthatan _ injurywasonearisingoutoftheemployment,thecauseofthedeathorinjury n mustbeproved;andiftheclaimisforpermanentdisabilitybenefits,  permanencymustbeproved.Hillv.RoyalIns.Co.,937S.W.2d873(Tenn. , | 1996).Inallbutthemostobviouscases,causationandpermanencymayonly    beestablishedthroughexpertmedicaltestimony;Thomasv.AetnaLifeand_Cas_.  :  Ins.Co.,812S.W.2d278(1991);butaninjuredemployeeiscompetentto I  testifyastohisownassessmentofhisphysicalconditionandsuchtestimony   shouldnotbedisregarded._Uptain_ԀConstructionCo.v._McClain_,526S.W.2d W  458(Tenn.1975). f   `  ` Thetreatingphysiciantestifiedunequivocallyandwithoutcontradiction $t thattheclaimant'sinjurieswerecausedbyherwork.Heopinedthatherright  armwasfourteenpercentpermanentlyimpairedandhepermanentlyrestricted 2 herfromliftingmorethanfivepoundswitheitherarm.Weareawareofnorule A orauthoritywhichprohibitsanawardofpermanentdisabilitybenefitsforthe   lossofuseofascheduledmemberunlessaclinicalimpairmentratingisgiven, O" particularlywherepermanentrestrictionsareprescribed;andnonehasbeen ^$ cited.Thus,theevidencefailstopreponderateagainstthetrialcourt'sfinding  & thattheclaimanthasapermanentdisabilitytobotharms,arisingoutofher  l( employmentbythedefendant.Thesecondissueisresolvedinfavorofthe {!* plaintiff. "*,  `  ` Oncethecausationandpermanencyofaninjuryhavebeenestablishedby % 0 experttestimony,thetrialjudgemayconsidermanypertinentfactors,including &G"2 age,jobskills,education,training,durationofdisability,andjobopportunities V(#4 forthedisabled,inadditiontoanatomicalimpairment,forthepurposeof )%6 evaluatingtheextentofaclaimant'spermanentdisability.Tenn.CodeAnn.XVhX[?[?XXVh +d&8 506241(a)(2).Avocationalexperttestified,withoutcontradictionthatMs. s,': Russellreadsatabelowaveragelevelandperformsarithmeticfunctionsatthe -")< lowendofaverage;andheassessedhervocationaldisabilityatninetytoninety 1/*> fourpercent.Fromacarefulconsiderationofalloftheabovefactsand 0+@ circumstances,wecannotfairlysaytheevidencepreponderatesthetrialcourt's 1?-B findingastotheextentoftheclaimant'spermanentdisability. N3.D  ` X ` Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisconsequentlyaffirmed.Costsonappeal  6\1H aretaxedtothedefendantandthecauseisremandedtothetrialcourtforan k72J awardofinterestonaccruedbutunpaidbenefitsandanyotherfurther 84L proceedings.   X  <( ` hp x (#X<_______________________________ g   ӀJoeC.Loser,Jr.,SpecialJudge     ?+ ` hp x (#` X?CONCUR: % u _________________________________   WilliamM.Barker,AssociateJustice P  _________________________________ | HowellN.Peoples,SpecialJudge  + 8` TR[A'Legal Manual[A'*  A' Legal A' LegalT@5 5 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE `  _lY_6&"h 8 `E< Ztt0rt (l_ ttT$T$@""!zATKNOXVILLE  _ VIVIANL.RUSSELL,@SS'z)  ANDERSON Q COUNTY ;   T$T$tt@.) p NO.97LA0217 %   ` PLAINTIFF/APPELLEE,@.)   @.) p HON.JAMESB.SCOTT,JR.,   v.@.) p   JUDGE   @.) m  ADVANCETRANSFORMER@.) p S.CT.NO.03S019808CV W  00077 A  COMPANY,@.) + @.) u  ` DEFENDANT/APPELLANT.@.)0 p AFFIRMED_pT$pT$ @* JUDGMENT T$T$MT$   ` ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtuponmotionforreviewpursuanttoTenn.   CodeAnn.506225(e)(5)(B),theentirerecord,includingtheorderof  } referraltotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanel's "Q MemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsof $% law,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference; Y&!  ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthatthemotionforreviewisnotwell -(# takenandshouldbedenied;and * %  ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanel'sfindingsoffactandconclusions +u"' oflawareadoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethe -I$) judgmentoftheCourt. }/&+  ` CostswillbepaidbyDefendant/Appellant,forwhichexecutionmay Q1'- issueifnecessary. %3)/  ` ITISSOORDERED. 4+1  `     h      p PER_CURIAM_ 8A/5 ЇBARKER,J.NOTPARTICIPATING `  0`  x (#X0