Wesley Eddins, Sr. v. North American Rayon Corporation

This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The employer, North American Rayon Corporation, has appealed from the trial court's award of permanent disability benefits to plaintiff, Wesley Eddins, Sr. The Chancellor fixed the award at 45% to the body as a whole. Two issues are presented on appeal. First, the employer contends the trial court was in error in allowing temporary total disability benefits. Second, it is argued plaintiff did not incur any permanent disability as a result of the alleged work-related injury. Plaintiff is 29 years of age and is a high school graduate. He has been going to college for about two years attempting to rehabilitate himself for other types of employment. His college work would classify him as a sophomore. On about October 11, 1991, he was injured while at his work station when the floor gave away causing him to fall some distance below. He said the fall injured his back and he had immediate pain up and down his spinal cord and pain in his neck and legs. He continued to work for about two weeks until his condition became worse; at one point, he testified, he could not move his legs; the company doctor took him off work duties on about November 8, 1991, and he had not returned to work as of the date of the trial on September 25, 1995; his chief complaint has been massive muscle spasms; he told the court his condition did not improve much until August-September 1994. The record indicates he has seen many doctors, some have testified extensively in this proceeding and others appear in the record by medical reports, letters, etc., identified as collective exhibit #1. The review of the case is de novo accompanied by a presumption of the correctness of the findings of fact unless we find the preponderance is otherwise. T.C.A. _ 5-6-225(e)(2). 2