WPC Kf&$=lR2 g{m8#mhr2MV.'_͠wز޲*%*   Appellatereviewisdenovoupontherecordofthetrialcourt,accompaniedbyapresumption ,`', ofcorrectnessofthefindingsoffact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn. ,I(-  -2). _CodeAnn.506225(e)(2).Thistribunalisnotboundbythetrialcourt'sfindingsbutinstead  conductsanindependentexaminationoftherecordtodeterminewherethepreponderancelies.  _Galloway_Ԁv.MemphisDrumServ.,822S.W.2d584,586(Tenn.1991).X`XXXWherethetrialjudgehas  seenandheardthewitnesses,especiallyifissuesofcredibilityandweighttobegivenoraltestimony k areinvolved,considerabledeferencemustbeaccordedthosecircumstancesonreview,becauseit T isthetrialcourtwhichhadtheopportunitytoobservethewitnessesdemeanorandtohearthein =  courttestimony.#XXXX`p#Longv.TriConInd.,Ltd.,996S.W.2d173,178(Tenn.1999).X`XXXԀTheappellate & v tribunal,however,isaswellsituatedtogaugetheweight,worthandsignificanceofdeposition  _ testimonyasthetrialjudge.#XXXX`#Walkerv.SaturnCorp.,986S.W.2d204,207(Tenn.1998).  H X`XXXConclusionsoflawaresubjecttodenovoreviewonappealwithoutanypresumptionofcorrectness.#XXXX`#Ԁ  1  _Nutt_Ԁv.ChampionIntern.Corp.,980S.W.2d365,367(Tenn.1998).#XX #XX      Theclaimantisthirtysevenyearsoldwithahighschooleducation.Shebeganworkingfor   theemployerin1996.OnJune26,2000,whileworkingontheemployersassemblyline,she   becameoverheated,faintedandfellfacefirst.Threeteeth,twoofthemfrontteeth,wereknocked n  out.Herupperlipwasbruisedandherbottomlipcut.Shewastakentotheemergencyroom,where W  adrugtestwasadministered.Theclaimantwasterminatedthenextdayforrefusingtobe @ catheterizedforanotherdrugtest. )y   Themissingteethwerereplacedwitharemovablebridge,buttheclaimanttestifiedthatthe K bridgeisuncomfortable.Shefurthertestifiedthatshefeelsuncomfortablebecauseofdifficulty 4 communicatingwiththepublicwithorwithoutthebridge,thattheconditionhasaffectedher  employabilityandthatsheisseekingcounselingtoaddressherlackofselfesteemandconfidence,  allbecauseofherinjury.Atthetimeofthetrial,shewasemployedinapositionwithanother  employer.Thejobdoesnotrequirehertointeractwiththepublic.    Whirlpoolconcedesitisliableforreasonablemedicalanddentalcaremadenecessarybythe Z injury,butcontendstheclaimantsclaimforseriousdisfigurementbenefitsisnotcompensable. C X`XXXSeriousdisfigurementtothehead,faceorhands,notresultingfromthelossofamemberorother ,| scheduledinjury,andsoalteringthepersonalappearanceofaninjuredemployeeastomaterially e affecttheinjuredworkersemployabilityintheemploymentinwhichheorshewasinjuredorany N otheremploymentforwhichtheworkerwasqualifiedatthetimeoftheinjury,iscompensableat  7 theemployeesweeklycompensationrateforuptotwohundredweeks.#XXXX`#Tenn.CodeAnn.506 !   207(3)(E).X`XXX#=` XX`4#X`X =`ԀInonecase,itwasheldthatwherethepresenceofascarhadcausedtheclaimantto " ! becomeselfconscioustothepointthatheattemptedtoconcealthescarwithabeardandtriednot #" tocallattentiontohimselfinmeetingsorgatheringsatwork,hewasentitledtoanawardof $# permanentpartialdisabilitybenefitsforthescar,thoughheretainednoanatomicimpairmentor t% $ physical#XXXX`3##XXu#XXԀX`XXXdysfunctionasaresultofthescarandwasregularlyemployed.#XXXX`!##XXϮ!#XXԀWilkesv.Resource ]&!% AuthorityofSumnerCounty,932S.W.2d458(Tenn.1996)#XXr"#XX.X`XXXThelossofpermanentteethmaybe F'"& acompensabledisfigurement.#XXXX`<###XX##XXԀ_Nichols_Ԁv._Armour_ԀandCo.,223Tenn.569,448S.W.2d423(1969).#XX##XX /(#'   ThefactsofthepresentcasearesimilartothoseinWilkesandinvolvesthelossof *Q%) permanentteeth.Givingduedeferencetothefindingsofthetrialcourt,andfortheabovereasons, *:&* theissueofcompensabilityisresolvedinfavoroftheclaimant. +#'+ Ї  Theemployerfurthercontendstheawardofbenefitsfor150weeks,fiftyfewerthanthe  maximumallowableunderthestatute,attheclaimantscompensationrateisexcessive.X`XXXTheextent  ofaninjuredworkersvocationaldisabilityisaquestionoffact.#XXXX`'##XXϾ$#XXStoryv.LegionIns.Co.,3S.W.3d  450,456(Tenn.1999)#XX'#XX.Fromourindependentexaminationoftherecord,wecannotsaythe k evidencepreponderatesagainstthetrialcourtsfindingwithrespecttotheextentoftheclaimants T permanentvocationaldisabilitycausedbyseriousdisfigurement. =    Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisthereforeaffirmed.Costsaretaxedtotheappellant.  _ #XXs(#XX   `     h     ___________________________________      `     h     JOEC.LOSER,JR.    __XX  @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  #XX+# XXWHIRLPOOLCORPORATIONv.SHERRYPRATT#XX,#   @@ ChanceryCourtforDavidsonCounty   @@No.002067I   @@*AV) ` dE<j` A k  No.M200202449WCR3CVFiledOctober28,2003 d  AV) ` dE<M` A N       XX#XX.#.  JUDGMENT XX#XX&/# h   XX#XX/#XX#XX/#X`XXX  ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferraltothe ; SpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsMemorandumOpinionsettingforth $ itsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinbyreference.     Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanelshouldbe  acceptedandapproved;and x   Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawareadopted J andaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt. 3   CostswillbepaidbytheAppellant,WhirlpoolCorporation,forwhichexecutionmayissue U ifnecessary. >   ITISSOORDERED.       `     h     PERCURIAM d$$   #XXXX`0#