WPC daK߄Nhr} |FzAH~n\ r2'hbVAKo8S<,&eop562( KrPz+l?m!㫙[_X]lbBVwH${ YA9O@[ E\Hʹ@J#7yÑW?=&qBp-+Zt]al: Пj<~raL7;J^(vWQWn_+~#Fu@ `x;L A`PP\F@_o\,tUmS@Հ 0726p|?AcL=EVsO~ u#ue[A@Ʉ^ ˟ZڗKJ ~7s$np2U@Hp0 ;6uLb %\^ b 0nUANwD4H\ zk m UN #   k 1NN zE}UNQQ 0Db 0 B  0 D3 D- 0K ASB 0[ 0D ACt- (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regulardb,xck33|x C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptU(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularHP LJ 4000/4050 PCL 5e,,,,0Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt(9 Z 6Times New Roman Regular(#$  0  - -(|G2$ !..8 edd8         0  X[IX d(|3~$ !..8 edd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3~$ !..8 edd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8 edd8     _ e8[IXXdd8  T e@@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL & @@ATNASHVILLE# eT# L August26,2002Session "r X[IX e # eXX[I#T.V._SWAW_v._TRANE_ԀUNITARYPRODUCTSCOMMERCIAL,A/K/A  p _TRANE_ԀCO.,etal.X[IX e  4  @@ DirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforMontgomeryCounty 4  @@No.50000450JohnH._Gassaway_,Judge  p  @@*AV) ` dE<` A 4  No.M200102793_WC_ԄR3CVMailedNovember1,2002 /  # eXX[I(#X[IX eFiledDecember9,2002  AV) ` dE<` A       Thisworkers'compensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers'CompensationAppeals  PaneloftheSupremeCourtinaccordancewithTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)forhearingand  reportingtotheSupremeCourtoffindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Inthisappeal,# eXX[I,#X[IX eԀthe v employeranditsinsurerquestiontheawardofpermanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsbasedon75 b percenttothebodyasawholeandinsistthepreponderanceoftheevidencesupportsonlyalesser N awardofpermanentdisabilitybenefitstotheleftknee.Asdiscussedbelow,thepanelhasconcluded : thejudgmentshouldbeaffirmed. &v    Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2001Supp.)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuit N Court Affirmed  :     # eX[IT#X[IX. eJoeC.Loser,Jr.,Sp.J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhich_Adolpho_ԀA.Birch,Jr.,J.,and  WilliamH._Inman_,Sr.J.,joined.   _Wm_.G._McCaskill_,Jr.,Taylor,_Pigue_,_Marchetti_Ԁ&_McCaskill_,Nashville,Tennessee,forthe "! appellants,_Trane_ԀUnitaryProductsCommerciala/k/a_Trane_ԀCompany,andTravelersIndemnity v#" CompanyofIllinois b$# JuliaSmith,Clarksville,Tennessee,fortheappellee,T.V._Swaw_ :&!%    MEMORANDUMOPINION # eXX[I #X[IX e (b#'   # eXX[I #X[IX e  Theemployeeorclaimant,Mr._Swaw_,initiatedthiscivilactiontorecoverworkers ):%) compensationbenefitsforanallegedworkrelatedinjurytobothlegsoccurringonSeptember29, *&&* 1997.Theemployer,_Trane_,anditsinsurer,Travelers,admittedliabilityfortheinjurytothe +'+ claimantsleftknee,butdeniedanyotherliability.FollowingatrialonFebruary5,2001,thetrial ,', courtawarded,amongotherthings,futuremedicalbenefitsandpermanentpartialdisabilitybenefits -(- _basedon75percenttothebodyasawhole.Theemployeranditsinsurerhaveappealed.       X[IXXX[IForinjuriesoccurringonorafterJuly1,1985,appellatereviewisdenovoupontherecord  ofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthe t preponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.#X[IXX X[I#Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(2)(2001Supp.). X[IXXX[IԀThe ` reviewingcourtisrequiredtoconductanindependentexaminationoftherecordtodeterminewhere L  thepreponderanceoftheevidencelies.#X[IXX X[I4# X[IXXX[IԀWingertv.GovernmentofSumnerCounty,908S.W.2d921, 8  922(Tenn.1995).#X[IXX X[I.# X[IXXX[IThestandardgoverningappellatereviewoffindingsoffactbyatrialcourt $ t requirestheSpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPaneltoexamineindepthatrialcourts  ` factualfindingsandconclusions.#X[IXX X[I# X[IXXX[IԀGAFBldg.Materialsv.George,47S.W.3d430,432(Tenn.2001).  L  #X[IXX X[I# X[IXXX[IWherethetrialjudgehasseenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweight  8  tobegivenoraltestimonyareinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccordedthose $  circumstancesonreview,becauseitisthetrialcourtwhichhadtheopportunitytoobservethe   witnessesdemeanorandtoheartheincourttestimony.#X[IXX X[I# X[IXXX[ILongv.TriConInd.,Ltd.,996S.W.2d   173,177(Tenn.1999).#X[IXX X[I# X[IXXX[IԀThetrialcourtsfindingswithrespecttocredibilityandweightofthe   evidencemaygenerallybeinferredfromthemannerinwhichthecourtresolvesconflictsinthe   testimonyanddecidesthecase.#X[IXX X[I"# X[IXXX[ITobittv.Bridgestone/Firestone,Inc.,59S.W.3d57,61(Tenn. p 2001).#X[IXX X[I^# X[IXXX[IԀ#X[IXX X[I# X[IXXX[ITheextentofaninjuredworkersvocationaldisabilityisaquestionoffact.#X[IXX X[I@# X[IXXX[ISealsv. \ England/CorsairUpholsteryMfg.,984S.W.2d912,915(Tenn.1999).#X[IXX X[I# X[IXXX[IԀWherethemedicaltestimony H inaworkerscompensationcaseispresentedbydeposition,thereviewingcourtmaymakean 4 independentassessmentofthemedicalprooftodeterminewherethepreponderanceoftheprooflies.  p #X[IXX X[I|# X[IXXX[IWhirlpoolCorp.v.Nakhoneinh,69S.W.3d164,167(Tenn.2002).#X[IXX X[I#Ԁ X[IXXX[IConclusionsoflawaresubject  \ todenovoreviewonappealwithoutanypresumptionofcorrectness.#X[IXX X[Ie#ԀNuttv.ChampionIntern. H Corp.,980S.W.2d365,367(Tenn.1998). 4   Theclaimantisapproximatelyfiftyeightyearsoldandahighschoolgraduatewithsome   vocationaltrainingasanautomobilemechanic.Hehasworkedfortheemployer,Trane,formore  thanthirtyfiveyears.Forthepasttenyearsorso,hehasoperatedatowmotor.OnSeptember29,  1997,heslippedandfellstrikinghisleftkneeonthefloorofthetowmotor.Hepromptlyreported  theinjurytotheemployer,butcontinuedworking. l   Throughaseriesofreferrals,hearrivedattheofficeofanorthopedicsurgeon,Dr.Keith D! Starkweather,whotreatedhimfromSeptember2,1998throughDecember7,2000.Thedoctor 0"  diagnosedatornlateralmeniscus,whichherepairedarthroscopically.Whenthatsurgerydidnot #l! relievetheclaimantssymptoms,Dr.Starkweatherperformedasecondarthroscopicprocedureand $X" foundandrepairedaconditionoverlookedduringthefirstsurgery.Mr.Swawcontinuedtohave $D # painand,becausehispainforcedhimtowalkwithanabnormalgait,developedchondromalaciain %0!$ therightknee.OnJune30,1999,thedoctorreleasedtheclaimantwithpermanentrestrictionsfrom &"% squatting,kneeling,prolongedstandingorwalkingorliftingmorethanthirtypoundsfromfloorto '#& waist.Theemployerputtheclaimantonlightduty.Becauseofcontinuingpain,Dr.Starkweather (#' referredtheclaimanttoDr.VidyaBethi,apainmanagementspecialist. )$(   Dr.Bethiperformednerveblockingshotsanddiagnosedreflexsympatheticdystrophy_(_RSD_) h+&* intheleftleg.Althoughtheclaimantcontinuestoworkwithrestrictions,heisseverelylimitedin  hisabilitytodothings.Hecannotstandorwalkforanyperiodoftime.Heisdepressed,haslost  fortypoundsandplanstotakeearlyretirement.Dr._Bethi_Ԁtieshis_RSD_,whichshesaysispermanent,  tothebodyasawhole,becauseoftheeffectsofthenecessarymedication,aswellastheleftleg,and t estimateshispermanentimpairmenttobe38percenttothewholeperson,usingthemostrecent ` editionoftheAMAGuides.Dr.Keith_Nichols_,anotherpainspecialist,examinedtheclaimantat L  therequestoftheappellants.Dr._Nichols_Ԁdisagreedwiththediagnosisof_RSD_Ԁbasedontheresults 8  ofadiagnostictestwhichheconcededtobeonlyabout50percentaccurate. $ t    X[IXXX[IThepurposesoftheTennesseeWorkersCompensationAct(theAct)aretogivetheinjured  L  employeecompensationforlostearningcapacity,#X[IXX X[IE+#LibertyMut.Ins.Co.v._Starnes_,563S.W.2d178,  8  179(Tenn.1978), X[IXXX[IԀwithoutimposingupontheemployeetheburdenofestablishingliabilityunder $  traditionalprinciplesofnegligence,toprovideforthepromptpaymentofsuchbenefits,#X[IXX X[I,#CraneCo.   v.Jamieson,192Tenn.41,46,237S.W.2d546,548(1951), X[IXXX[IԀtoplaceuponindustry,ratherthan   society,theultimatecostofrisksincidentto,andinjuriesanddeathresultingfromtheproduction   anddistributionofgoodsandservices,#X[IXX X[I.#Franklinv.StoneandWebsterEngineeringCorp.,183Tenn.   155,159,191S.W.2d431,432(1946), X[IXXX[IԀandtogivetheinjuredworkerperiodicpaymentsasa p substituteforregularwages.#X[IXX X[I/#Williamsv._Delvan_ԀDelta,Inc.,753S.W.2d344,349(Tenn.1988). X[IXXX[IԀ \ Workerscompensationlawsinvolveaquidproquointhattheworkersgiveupcertaincommonlaw H rightsagainsttheiremployersinreturnforasystemprovidingmorecertaincompensation,totally 4 independentofanyfaultonthepartoftheemployer.#X[IXX X[I0#Davisv._Alexsis_,Inc.,2S.W.3d228(Tenn.  p Ct.App.1999). X[IXXX[I  \ #X[IXX X[I2#   X[IXXX[IWhenaninjuredemployeespartialdisabilityisadjudgedtobepermanent,theemployeeis 4 entitledtobenefitsbasedonapercentageofdisabilityratherthantheamounttheemployeeisable   toearninhispartiallydisabledcondition.#X[IXX X[I3#Corcoranv.FosterAuto_GMC_,Inc.,746S.W.2d452,   459,(Tenn.1988). X[IXXX[IInallbutthemostobviouscases,bothcausationandpermanencymustbe  establishedbyexpertmedicaltestimony.#X[IXX X[I4#ԀWadev.Aetna_Cas_.andSur.Co.,735S.W.2d215,217  (Tenn.1987).     X[IXXX[IWhenthemedicaltestimonydiffers,thetrialcourtmustchoosewhichviewtobelieve.In l doingso,thecourtisallowed,amongotherthings,toconsiderthequalificationsoftheexperts,the X  circumstancesoftheirexamination,theinformationavailabletothem,andtheevaluationofthe D! importanceofthatinformationbyotherexperts.#X[IXX X[IL6#Ormanv.Williams_Sonoma_,Inc.,803S.W.2d672, 0"  676(Tenn.1991). X[IXXX[IԀMoreover,itiswithinthediscretionofthetrialcourttoconcludethattheopinion #l! ofcertainexpertsshouldbeacceptedoverthatofotherexpertsandthatitcontainsthemoreprobable $X" explanation.#X[IXX X[I8#Hinsonv.WalMartStores,Inc.,654S.W.2d675,6767(Tenn.1983) X[IXXX[I.Anyreasonable $D # doubtconcerningthecauseoftheinjuryshouldberesolvedinfavoroftheemployee.#X[IXX X[I:#Whirlpool %0!$ Corp.v._Nakhoneinh_,69S.W.3d164,168(Tenn.2002). X[IXXX[IԀInthepresentcase,thetrialcourtdidnot &"% abuseitsdiscretioninacceptingtheopinionsofDrs._Bethi_Ԁand_Starkweather_ԀoverthoseofDr. '#& _Nichols_Ԁastocausation,permanencyandextentofmedicalimpairment. (#'   ForinjuriesarisingafterAugust1,1992,incaseswhereaninjuredworkerisentitledto |*%) permanentpartialdisabilitybenefitstothebodyasawholeandthepreinjuryemployerreturnsthe h+&* employeetoemploymentatawageequaltoorgreaterthanthewagetheemployeewasreceivingat  thetimeoftheinjury,themaximumpermanentpartialdisabilityawardthattheemployeemay  receiveistwoandonehalftimesthemedicalimpairmentratingpursuanttotheprovisionsofthe  AmericanMedicalAssociationGuidestotheEvaluationofPermanentImpairmentortheManual t forOrthopedicSurgeonsinEvaluatingPermanentPhysicalImpairment.Inmakingdeterminations, ` thetrialcourtsaretoconsiderallpertinentfactors,includinglayandexperttestimony,the L  employeesage,education,skillsandtraining,localjobopportunitiesforthedisabled,andcapacity 8  toworkattypesofemploymentavailableintheclaimantsdisabledcondition.#X[IXX X[IS;#Tenn.CodeAnn. $ t 506241(a)(1). X[IXXX[IԀThetrialcourtsawardofpermanentdisabilitybenefitsiswithinthoselimits.From  ` ourindependentexaminationoftherecord,wecannotsaythepreponderanceoftheevidencefavors  L  alesseraward.  8    Forthosereasons,thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsaretaxedtothe   appellants.   #X[IXX X[IA#   `     h     ___________________________________ 4    `     h     JOEC.LOSER,JR.   p  eXX[I  @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  #X[IX eD#  eXX[IT.V._SWAW_v._TRANE_ԀUNITARYPRODUCTSCOMMERCIAL,A/K/A " _TRANE_ԀCO.,etal.#X[IX eE#   6 @@ CircuitCourtforMontgomeryCounty  6 @@No.50000450  " @@*AV) ` dE<` A   No.M200102793_WC_ԄR3CVFiledDecember9,2002   AV) ` dE<h` A i        eXX[I#X[IX e{H#oH  JUDGMENT  eXX[I#X[IX eH# <    eXX[I#X[IX eMI# eXX[I#X[IX eI#X[IXXX[I  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltothe d SpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsMemorandumOpinionsettingforth P itsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference. <   Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbe  acceptedandapproved;and    Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadopted  andaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. t   Costswillbepaidbytheappellants,_Trane_ԀUnitaryProductsCommerciala/k/a_Trane_ L  CompanyandTravelersIndemnityCompanyofIllinoisforwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. 8!    ITISSOORDERED. #`"    `     h     PER_CURIAM_ &"&   #X[IXXX[II#