ÿWPCs 5U1Bö %8U .>rl 0Þkn{ 0r ñ w@ñ 41 0JE 0T 0^ã 0hA 0r© 0| 0†— 0 1u­ 0d" AQ†Æ× 0Ž 0@+ 0Dk D/¯ BÞ Bû D3K$dB)ˆDC± AMô<Af}?ãv~"vÓ ô\  `*Times New RomanTTô"ÝÆÿA€ArialTT'    0 .   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ÔÔ€ÔÔ€ôÔÔ€XÔÔ€ÔÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ 8 ÒÖ€+ÖÑ  ÑÔ&  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÖ€,ÖÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€¼ÔÔ€ÔÞ ÞÌIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌSPECIAL€WORKERS'€COMPENSATION€APPEALS€PANELÌÌAT€NASHVILLEÌ(June€9,€1997€Session)ÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓJOHN€SCHULTZ,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€)€€€€€LAWRENCE€CIRCUITÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Plaintiff„Appellee,€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€)€€€€€Hon.€Jim€T.€Hamilton,Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€)€€€€€Judge.Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)€€€€€No.€01S01„9701„CV„00017ÌÙ€!ÙßR€/0.A1-j|ºÿa` ç `€€@ÿRßCITY€OF€LAWRENCEBURG,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€Ô€Ô€¼Ô€Ô€XÔ€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Defendant„Appellant,€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô€ôÔ€Ô€¼Ô€€€)Ìv.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌTENNESSEE€SECOND€INJURY€FUND,€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Third€Party€Defendant.€€€€€€Ô€,Ô€Ô€¼Ô€€)ÌÌÌòòFor€Appellantóó:€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€Schultz:óóÌÌJames€A.€Hopper€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ben€BostonÌSavannah,€Tennessee€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Christopher€V.€SockwellÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Lawrenceburg,€TennesseeÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òòFor€Appellee,€Second€InjuryÏFund:óóÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€John€Knox€WalkupÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Attorney€General€&ÏReporterÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Diane€Stamey€DycusÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Senior€CounselÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Nashville,€TennesseeÌÌÔ'  ÔÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓM€E€M€O€R€A€N€D€U€M€€€€O€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌòòMembers€of€Panelóó:ÌÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€Justice,€Supreme€CourtÌRobert€S.€Brandt,€Senior€JudgeÌJoe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓAFFIRMED€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Loser,ÏJudgeÓ ¹ ÓÌòòÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓMEMORANDUM€OPINIONóóÓ rAÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àThis€workers'€compensation€appeal€has€been€referred€to€theÏSpecial€Workers'€Compensation€Appeals€Panel€of€the€Supreme€Court€inÏaccordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(3)€for€hearing€andÏreporting€of€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law.€€In€this€appeal,€theÏemployer,€City€of€Lawrenceburg,€contends€(1)€the€evidence€preponderatesÏagainst€the€trial€court's€finding€of€a€compensable€injury€by€accident€arisingÏout€of€and€in€the€course€of€employment,€(2)€the€evidence€preponderatesÏagainst€the€trial€court's€finding€that€the€employee's€compensation€rate€isÏ$308.08,€(3)€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€court's€award€ofÏtemporary€total€disability€benefits€from€August€5,€1994€through€October€ofÏ1995€and€(4)€the€trial€court€erred€in€commuting€permanent€partial€disabilityÏbenefits€to€a€lump€sum.€€As€discussed€below,€the€panel€has€concluded€theÏjudgment€should€be€affirmed.Ìà àà àThe€employee€or€claimant,€John€Schultz,€was€forty„nine€yearsÏold€at€the€time€of€the€injury.€€He€has€an€eighth€grade€education€and€a€GED.€ÏHe€has€worked€as€a€heavy€equipment€operator€since€1968.Ìà àà àOn€January€21,€1994,€while€working€for€the€employer,€heÏinjured€his€neck€and€back€while€operating€a€backhoe€as€a€jackhammer€onÏfrozen€ground.€€He€injured€his€left€shoulder€again€on€August€5,€1994€whileÍworking€for€the€employer€and€running€out€of€a€hole€filling€with€water.€€HeÏattempted€to€work€the€next€day€before€going€to€a€doctor's€appointment,€thenÏwas€totally€disabled€until€October€18,€1995,€when€he€reached€maximumÏmedical€improvement.Ìà àà àThe€claimant€was€treated€or€evaluated€by€a€number€ofÏphysicians€and€assigned€permanent€impairment€ratings€of€from€six€to€tenÏpercent€from€the€injuries€which€the€physicians€related€to€the€work€he€wasÏperforming.€€He€continues€to€have€neck€and€shoulder€problems.Ìà àà àThe€record€contains€conflicting€documentary€evidence€as€to€theÏemployee's€average€weekly€wage,€but€the€employer€had€actually€paidÏbenefits€of€$308.08€from€the€August€injury€until€the€date€of€maximumÏmedical€improvement,€for€his€temporary€total€disability.Ìà àà àThe€trial€court€awarded€no€additional€temporary€total€disabilityÏbenefits,€but€did€award€the€claimant's€reasonable€and€necessary€medicalÏexpenses€and€permanent€partial€disability€benefits€based€on€thirty„twoÏpercent€to€the€body€as€a€whole,€payable€in€a€lump€sum.€€The€claim€againstÏthe€Second€Injury€Fund€was€dismissed.€€Appellate€review€is€de€novo€uponÏthe€record€of€the€trial€court,€accompanied€by€a€presumption€of€correctnessÏof€the€findings€of€fact,€unless€the€preponderance€of€the€evidence€isÏotherwise.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„225(e)(2).ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(1)ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àUnder€the€Tennessee€Workers'€Compensation€Law,€injuries€byÏaccident€arising€out€of€and€in€the€course€of€employment€which€cause€eitherÏdisablement€or€death€of€the€employee€are€compensable.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.Ïsection€50„6„102(a)(5).Ìà àà àAn€accidental€injury€is€one€which€cannot€be€reasonablyÍanticipated,€is€unexpected€and€is€precipitated€by€unusual€combinations€ofÏfortuitous€circumstances.€€òòFink€v.€Caudleóó,€856€€S.W.2d€€952€(Tenn.€1993).€ÏAn€accidental€injury€arises€out€of€one's€employment€when€there€is€apparentÏto€the€rational€mind,€upon€a€consideration€of€all€the€circumstances,€a€causalÏconnection€between€the€conditions€under€which€the€work€is€required€to€beÏperformed€and€the€resulting€injury,€and€occurs€in€the€course€of€employmentÏif€it€occurs€while€an€employee€is€performing€a€duty€he€was€employed€to€do.€ÏòòIdóó.€€The€evidence€fails€to€preponderate€against€the€trial€court's€finding€thatÏthe€employee€suffered€a€compensable€injury.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(2)ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àIn€most€cases,€where€there€is€a€dispute€over€the€employee'sÏcompensation€rate,€there€is€consistent€evidence€upon€which€that€can€beÏmathematically€determined.€€In€this€case,€however,€the€most€persuasiveÏevidence€is€the€rate€which€the€employer€has€determined€to€be€the€proper€oneÏby€paying€it€as€temporary€total€disability€benefits,€accompanied€by€theÏpresumption€of€correctness€of€the€trial€court's€finding.€€Consequently,€theÏevidence€fails€to€preponderate€against€the€trial€court's€finding€as€to€theÏemployee's€compensation€rate.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(3)ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àTemporary€total€disability€refers€to€the€injured€employee'sÏcondition€while€disabled€to€work€because€of€his€injury€and€until€he€recoversÏas€far€as€the€nature€of€his€injury€permits.€€òòRedmond€v.€McMinn€Countyóó,€Ï209€€Tenn.€€463,€354€€S.W.2d€€435€(1962).€€Benefits€for€temporary€totalÏdisability€are€payable€until€the€injured€employee€is€able€to€return€to€work€orÏuntil€he€attains€maximum€medical€recovery,€at€which€time€his€entitlement€toÏsuch€benefits€terminates.€€òòPrince€v.€Sentry€Ins.€Co.óó,€908€€S.W.2d€€937Ï(Tenn.€1995).€€Consequently,€the€evidence€fails€to€preponderate€against€theÏtrial€court's€finding€with€respect€to€temporary€total€disability€benefits.ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ(4)ÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓà àà àPermanent€disability€benefits€that€are€payable€periodically€mayÏbe€commuted€to€a€lump€sum.€€In€determining€whether€to€commute€an€award,Ïthe€trial€court€must€consider€whether€the€commutation€will€be€in€the€bestÏinterest€of€the€employee€and€the€ability€of€the€employee€to€wisely€manageÏand€control€the€commuted€award.€€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€section€50„6„229(a).€€InÏthis€case,€it€is€in€the€employee's€best€interest€to€obtain€his€benefits€in€a€lumpÏsum€to€satisfy€debts€that€have€resulted€from€problems€beyond€his€control.€ÏMoreover,€there€is€evidence€that€he€and€his€wife€have€the€ability€to€wiselyÏmanage€and€control€a€lump€sum.€€Accordingly,€the€panel€finds€no€error€inÏthe€trial€court's€commutation€of€the€award€to€a€lump€sum.Ìà àà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€are€taxed€toÏthe€defendant„appellant.Ó *bÓÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ` ‹XÓ_______________________________Ó ÓÌÓ  Ó€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Joe€C.€Loser,€Jr.,€Special€JudgeÌÓ  ÓÓ ` ŒXÓCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌAdolpho€A.€Birch,€Jr.,€Chief€JusticeÌÌÌÌ_________________________________ÌRobert€S.€Brandt,€Senior€JudgeÌÑ€1ÑÇÒ € ÒÒ 8 ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÔ€XÔà@ àIN€THE€SUPREME€COURT€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌÌJOHN€SCHULTZ,à@ à)à àLAWRENCE€CIRCUIT€NO.€14093Ìà@ à)Ìà àPLAINTIFF/APPELLEE,à@ à)Ìà@ à)ÌV.à@ à)Ìà@ à)à àHON.€JIM€T.€HAMILTON,€JUDGEÌCITY€OF€LAWRENCEBURG,à@ à)ÌßJ€/2;+'b|` ç `€@ÿJßà@ à)Ìà àDEFENDANT/APPELLANT,à@ à)Ìà@ à)ÌV.à@ à)à àS.€CT.€NO.€01S01„9701„CV„00017Ìà@ à)ÌTENNESSEE€SECOND€INJURY€FUND,à@ à)Ìà@ à)Ìà àTHIRD„PARTYà@ à)Ìà àDEFENDANT/APPELLEE.à@ à)à àAFFIRMED.ÌÌÌÌà@ àòòò òJUDGMENT€ORDERó óóóÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€case€is€before€the€Court€upon€motion€for€review€pursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.Ïðð50„6„225(e)(5)(B),€the€entire€record,€including€the€order€of€referral€to€the€Special€Workers'ÏCompensation€appeals€Panel,€and€the€Panel's€Memorandum€Opinion€setting€forth€its€findingsÏof€fact€and€conclusions€of€law,€which€are€incorporated€herein€by€reference;Ìà àWhereupon,€it€appears€to€the€Court€that€the€motion€for€review€is€not€well€taken€andÏshould€be€denied;€and€Ìà àIt€is,€therefore,€ordered€that€the€Panel's€findings€of€fact€and€conclusions€of€law€areÏadopted€and€affirmed,€and€the€decision€of€the€Panel€is€made€the€judgment€of€the€Court.ÌÔ&  Ôà àCosts€will€be€paid€by€Appellant,€City€of€Lawrenceburg,€for€which€execution€may€issueÏif€necessary.Ìà àIt€is€so€ordered€this€7th€day€of€November,€1997.ÌÔ'  ÔÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àPER€CURIAMÌÌBirch,€Not€ParticipatingšÔ€¼Ô