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RichardT.Matthews,Columbia,Tennessee,attorneyfortheappellant,MarkEdward_Warf_. r!  LutherE._Cantrell_,Jr.,Nashville,Tennessee,attorneyfortheappellees,ZionChristianAcademyand J#" ChurchMutualInsuranceCompany. 6$#    MEMORANDUMOPINION #_XX #XX_ &^!%   #_XXe #XX_  TheplaintiffhasaBachelorsofSciencedegree,wasbornSeptember13,1959,ismarried '6#' andthefatherofthreechildren.Theplaintiffwasateacher,coachandathleticdirectoratZion ("$( ChristianAcademy(Zion).Hisworkhistoryisthatofateacherandcoach. )%)   OnMarch16,1999,astudentatZionwaselectrocuted.Theplaintiffwasthefirstadultto +&+ reachthestudentaftertheaccident.TheplaintiffgaveCPRtothestudent,however,thiswasnot ,', successfulandthestudentdiedinhisarms.DuringthecourseoftheCPR,thestudentregurgitated n-(- andthevomitwasprojectedintotheplaintiffsmouthandonhisclothesandonthestudent.After  theevent,theplaintiffandothersmetwiththeheadmasterandamemberoftheBoardofDirectors  ofZion.Theplaintiffwasemotionalandupsetatthetime.#_XX #XX_    Theschoolbroughtacounselor,apsychologist,totheacademytomeetwiththeteacher.The ` plaintiffwasveryupsetandexpressedhisgriefatseeingthestudentforthelasttimeashelaydead L  invomit.Thecounselor,withtheheadmaster,helpedarrangefortheplaintifftoseethestudentin 8  thecasketataprivateviewing. %  1       $ t   Theplaintifftestifiedthatwhenschoolresumedafewdaysaftertheeventhewasunableto  L  concentrateandperformhisduties.HewasadmittedtothehospitalonMay18,1999withchest  8  painswhichapparentlywerestressrelated. $    TheplaintiffresignedfromZionattheendoftheschoolyearinMay1999.Hetestifiedhis   mentalstatuswasnotthecauseofthisbutwasbecauseofchangesmadebytheheadmaster.The   headmastertestifiedtheplaintiffsworkperformancewasdeficientpriortothedeathofthestudent   andtheretentionoftheplaintiffwasnotlikelybecauseofthis. p   Theplaintiffattemptedtoteachatotherschoolsbutwasunabletodosobecauseofhis H mentalcondition.Ultimately,theplaintiffbegantoreceivemedicalcareforhiscondition. 4   Thetrialjudgemadethefollowingfindingoffactsconcerningtheplaintiffsinjury:  \ 8  8`   WORKRELATEDMENTALINJURY:󀀀TheCourtfindsthat 4 Plaintiffhassufferedapermanentmentalinjury,arisingoutofhis   employment,causedbyanidentifiable,stressfulworkrelatedevent   producingsuddenmentalstimulusoffright,shockandexcessive,  unexpectedanxiety;towit:theelectrocutiondeathofastudent.  Further,thatPlaintiffsstressisextraordinaryandunusualin  comparisontostressthatisordinarilyexpected.Asaresult,the l CourtfindsthatPlaintiffsvocationalabilityhasbeendiminished.X ` x` x   ThetrialcourtfurtherfoundthatplaintiffknewofhismentalillnessbyNovember30,1999 0"  andthatheshouldhavegivennoticetoZionwithinthirtydaysofthis.Theplaintiffdidnotgive #l! notice,writtenorotherwise,untilJuly6,2000whenhedeliveredamessagetotheheadmaster $X" concerninghismentalinjury.Thetrialjudgefoundtheplaintiffgavenoreasonableexcusefor $D # failuretodoso.Theinsurancecompanysentalettertotheplaintiffafterhedeliveredthemessage %0!$ totheheadmasterthattheplaintiffwouldreceivenocompensationbecausehesufferednophysical &"% injury. '#&     )$( Discussion   c  TennesseeCodeAnnotated506201requiresthatanemployeeoranemployee  representativeshall,immediatelyupontheoccurrenceofaninjury,orassoonthereafteraspractical, t giveorcausetobegiventotheemployerwhohasnoactualnotice,writtennoticeoftheinjury.This ` noticemustbegivenwithinthirtydaysaftertheoccurrenceoftheaccident,unlessreasonableexcuse L  forfailuretogivethenoticeisshown. 8    TennesseeCodeAnnotated506202dealswiththecontentofthenoticewhichistobe  ` givenandfurtherprovidesthatnotechnicaldeficitinthenoticeshallbarrecoveryofbenefitsunless  L  theemployercanshowprejudiceasaresultofthedeficit.  8    ThereisnoquestiontheplaintiffdidnotgivewrittennoticeinthiscasepriortoJuly6,2000,   somesixteenmonthsaftertheincidentatZion.Further,therecordindicatestheplaintiffdidnotgive   writtennoticewithinthirtydaysafterbeingdiagnosedwithamentalillnesscausedbytheincident   atZion.Theplaintiffsrighttorecoverinthiscase,ifatall,dependsonwhetherthedefendanthad   actualnoticeoftheinjuryorwhether,ifnot,theywereprejudicedbythefailuretoreceivethenotice. p   Whentheplaintiffdidgivenotice,thedefendantsinsurancecompanywrotehimletter H denyingbenefitsonthebasishedidnotsustainaphysicalinjury.Atthetrialarepresentativeofthe 4 insurancecompanygavetwo_conclusory_Ԁresponsestoshowtheywereprejudicedbythefailureof  p theplaintifftogivenotice!theywereunabletomanageanytemporarylossofwagesandtheywere  \ notabletoselectandfurnishmedicalcarefortheplaintiff.Thewitnessgavenodetailsofhowthey H wouldhavemitigatedthetemporarylossofemployment,ifany,bytheplaintifforwhatmedicalhelp 4 theywouldhavefurnished.     Itstrikesusthattheinsurancecompanywouldnotlikelyhavedoneeither,basedupontheir  claimofnoncompensabilitybecauseofthelackofanyphysicalinjury.    ThereisnodoubtintherecordthatZionhadactualnoticeofthetraumaticeventthat l precipitatedtheplaintiffsmentalillness.Further,theschoolwasawarethattheplaintiffhadbeen X  moreemotionallydisturbedbytheeventthanothers.Theschoolhelpedarrangeaprivateviewing D! ofthestudentsbody,onthesuggestionofthepsychologistwhomtheschoolfurnished,inaneffort 0"  torelievesomeoftheplaintiffsstress. #l!   Weconcludethatthedefendanthadactualknowledgeoftheaccidentwhichcausedtheinjury $D # aswellasactualnoticeofthementaldistresssufferedbytheplaintiff.Thusthefailuretogivethirty %0!$ dayswrittennoticeoftheinjuryisnotabartorecoveryinthiscase.See, _Gluck_ԀBros.v.Pollard , &"% 426S.W.2d763(Tenn.1968). '#&   Weconcludefurtherthatthelackofnoticeasadefenseisnotviablebecausethereisalack )$( ofshowingofprejudicetothedefendant.Thepurposeofthenoticeistogivetheemployeran |*%) opportunitytomakeaninvestigationwhilethefactsareknowandtofurnishmedicalcaretothe h+&* plaintiff. _McCaleb_Ԁv.SaturnCorp. ,910S.W.2d412(Tenn.1995).Aswesaidbefore,the  defendantknewthefactsandbasedontheclaimofnoncompensabilitythereisnoindicationthey  wouldhavefurnishedmedicalcare.    Wefindthefailureofnoticewithinthirtydaysoftheoccurrenceoftheaccidentandinjury ` doesnotbartheplaintifffromcompensation.Wethereforereversethejudgmentofthetrialcourt L  andremandthecasetotrialcourtforfurtherproceedings. 8    Thecostsofthisappealaretaxedtothedefendant.  `    `     h     ___________________________________      `     h     JOHNK.BYERS,SENIORJUDGE    _XX@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  @$ATNASHVILLE  #XX_1# _XX  MARKEDWARD_WARF_Ԁv.ZIONCHRISTIANACADEMYAND  CHURCHMUTUALINSURANCECOMPANY#XX_1#  $ 1@uu CircuitCourtforMauryCounty  $ @xx&No.9263   @*AV) ` dE<` A߈   @ No.M200101583SCWCMCVFiledSeptember9,2002   AV) ` dE<V` A W   _XX#XX_^4#@( ORDER _XX#XX_4#Ԉ R  _XX#XX_5#_XX#XX__5#XXXX  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtuponthemotionforreviewfiledbyZionChristianAcademy f andChurchMutualInsuranceCompany pursuanttoTenn.CodeAnn.50-6-225(e)(5)(B),the R entirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltotheSpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel, > andthePanelsMemorandumOpinionsettingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw. *   ItappearstotheCourtthatthemotionforreviewisnotwelltakenandisthereforedenied.  ThePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedbyreference,areadopted  andaffirmed.ThedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt.    CostsareassessedtoZionChristianAcademyandChurchMutualInsuranceCompany,for b whichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. N #XXXX5#_XX#XX_9#   `     h     PER_CURIAM_ #&# _DROWOTA_,J.NOTPARTICIPATING