APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Tammy Kemp vs. Thomas Michael Hale

03A01-9809-PB-00284
Cumberland County Court of Appeals 08/24/99
Ronnie Bradfield vs. City of Memphis

02A01-9808-CV-00220

Originating Judge:Karen R. Williams
Shelby County Court of Appeals 08/24/99
State vs. Anthony Sanders

03C01-9811-CR-00392
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/24/99
Michael Paul Watson v. Plumley Rubber Co., Inc., Itt Hartford Ins. Grp.

02S01-9807-CV-00067
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 defendant, Plumley Rubber Company, Inc., and its workers' compensation insurance carrier, ITT Hartford Insurance Company, have appealed from a judgment of the trial court awarding plaintiff workers' compensation on the basis of twenty- five percent permanent partial vocational disability to both arms. On this appeal, the defendants present three issues: (1) whether the plaintiff sustained a compensable injury; (2) whether the trial court erred in ordering the employer to pay for unauthorized medical expenses when the plaintiff refused a panel of physicians offered him; and (3) whether the trial court's award is excessive. After a careful review of the record, we find that we must affirm the judgment of the trial court. The plaintiff testified that he was born August 2, 1955 and was the father of two minor children living at home. He had a high school education and, through Army training, was qualified as a biomedical repairman and in aircraft maintenance. He worked in maintenance for Plumley on two occasions: from 1987 to 199 and then from 1993 to June 12, 1996. He testif ied that, while working for Plumley, he did various types of work. He changed molds, as well as working on machines and setting up machines. He worked with lasers and robots. He testified that he worked "ten, twelve, sixteen hours" each day. He testified that he used wrenches constantly, loosened and tightened bolts. He tightened small bolts and large bolts, and much of this work was strenuous. He testified that he had no difficulty with his hands before he went to work for Plumley in 1993. Around June 15, 1995, while breaking a bolt loose, he felt his right wrist "give." The plaintiff testified that he reported this incident to his supervisor, and the supervisor sent him to Dr. Terry O. Harrison, a panel doctor for the defendant. Dr. Harrison diagnosed the plaintiff's condition as carpal tunnel syndrome and told him to use his left hand to perform his job. The plaintiff testified that he complied with Dr. Harrison's 2
Authoring Judge: F. Lloyd Tatum, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Julian P. Guinn,
Henry County Workers Compensation Panel 08/23/99
Ladonna Moore v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company

02S01-9806-CH-00056
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. This is an appeal by the employee/plaintiff, LaDonna Moore, from a decision of the Chancery Court of Madison County holding that plaintiff failed to prove that her carpal tunnel syndrome arose out of and in the course of her employment for defendant's insured, Latham's Meat Market. On this appeal, she presents two issues: (1) the preponderance of the evidence established that her carpal tunnel syndrome was causally related to her work for Latham's Meat Market, and (2) the last injury rule is applicable, in that the defendant is liable for the carpal tunnel injury, even if her injury may have begun at a former employment. After reviewing the record, we find that the judgment of the trial court must be affirmed. The plaintiff testified that she was 31 years of age and was working at that time for Pierce Distribution Company. She had a tenth grade education. She first had symptoms with her left arm in the early 199s while working for Ekco/Glaco, where she assembled bread pans that involved repetitive type work with her hands. She testified that her left hand went numb and that it felt like a sprain to her wrist. She went to her family doctor, Dr. Murphy, and missed about one week of work. She saw Dr. Murphy two or three times before he sent her to a nerve specialist. A brace was prescribed for her left arm. When she was released by her doctor to return to work, she left the employment of Ekco/Glaco "because [her] wrist was still bothering her," and she "felt she couldn't do the job" due to her wrist pain. After working at several other jobs without difficulty, she began working for Latham's Meat Market in 1993 as a "cashier, cook, just anything." She testified that she cooked, made and wrapped sandwiches, wrapped meat, washed dishes by hand, used a can opener, and sliced ten pounds of potatoes, two bags of carrots, and six or seven onions each day. She testified that she began having problems with her left hand after working at 2
Authoring Judge: F. Lloyd Tatum, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Joe C. Morris,
Moore County Workers Compensation Panel 08/23/99
James Wampler vs. State

03C01-9712-CR-00542

Originating Judge:Richard R. Baumgartner
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/23/99
Munford Bank vs. American Cas.

02A01-9810-CV-00297

Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III
Tipton County Court of Appeals 08/23/99
State vs. Robert Sission

W2001-01666-CCA-R3-CD
The appellant, Robert A. Sisson, pleaded guilty to third offense driving under the influence of an intoxicant and was sentenced to eleven months and twenty-nine days with actual incarceration for 120 days followed by probation. The appellant, pursuant to Tennessee Rule of Appellate Procedure 37(b)(2)(i), reserved a certified question of law for appeal to this court. That question is whether the 1998 amendments to Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-10-403(a)(1) regarding penalties for D.U.I. convictions violate the ex-post facto and/or due process clauses of the federal and state constitutions. Those amendments increase from ten to twenty years the age of prior D.U.I. convictions that may be used to enhance D.U.I. penalties. Because we find that the defendant committed the instant offense after the effective date of the amendments in question, we find no ex-post facto or due process violations occurred in this case. The judgment of conviction is therefore affirmed.
Authoring Judge: Judge Jerry Smith
Originating Judge:Carolyn Wade Blackett
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/22/99
Greeter Construction Co. vs. Tice

01A01-9808-CH-00427

Originating Judge:Claudia C. Bonnyman
Davidson County Court of Appeals 08/20/99
In the Matter of Wayne H.

01A01-9807-CV-00383

Originating Judge:Timothy L. Easter
Williamson County Court of Appeals 08/20/99
State vs. Jerry Crawford

03C01-9811-CR-00383
Hawkins County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/20/99
In the Matter of All Assessments

01A01-9812-BC-00642
Davidson County Court of Appeals 08/20/99
State vs. Joe Green

02C01-9711-CC-00429

Originating Judge:C. Creed Mcginley
Carroll County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/20/99
In the Matter of Wayne H.

01A01-9807-CV-00383
Court of Appeals 08/20/99
State vs. Derrick Sayles

02C01-9805-CR-00142
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
State vs. Douglas Boruff In Re: Hubert Patty

03C01-9812-CC-00430

Originating Judge:D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
Wayford Demonbreun, Jr. vs. State

01C01-9711-CR-00539

Originating Judge:Thomas H. Shriver
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
Yona Boyd, et al. v. Donald Bruce, M.D., et al.

M2000-03210-COA-R3-CV
This is an appeal of the trial court's order denying plaintiff's relief pursuant to Tenn.R.Civ.P. 60.01. We affirm the trial court.
Authoring Judge: Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Carol L. Mccoy
Davidson County Court of Appeals 08/19/99
State vs. Jason Eric Bradburn

01C01-9712-CC-00568
Maury County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
Garvin T. Shepherd vs. State

01C01-9710-CC-00452
Wayne County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
Glenda Johnson v. North Park Hospital

03S01-9803-CH-00031
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special W orkers' 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. Review of the findings of fact made by the trial court is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of the correctness of the findings, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6- 225(e)(2); Stone v. City of McMinnville, 896 S.W.2d 548, 55 (Tenn. 1995). The application of this standard requires this Court to weigh in more depth the factual findings and conclusions of the trial court in a workers' compensation case. See Corcoran v. Foster Auto GMC, Inc., 746 S.W.2d 452, 456 (Tenn. 1988). The trial judge found the plaintiff to be permanently disabled and ordered payments to be made until the plaintiff reaches the age of 65 years. This case has some convoluted proceedings in the trial court, as well as in the filing of the appeal. However, the essential matters for us to determine are whether the trial judge's finding that the plaintiff suffered permanent vocationaldisability and whether the trial court properly ordered the defendant to pay a medical bill in the amount of $7,84.6.1 We affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. R. Vann Owens,
Johnson County Workers Compensation Panel 08/19/99
State vs. Aaron Winters/Derwin Thomas

02C01-9802-CR-00053

Originating Judge:Bernie Weinman
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
State vs. Barry Davis

02C01-9902-CC-00063

Originating Judge:Joseph H. Walker, III
Lauderdale County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
State vs. Derrick Sayles

02C01-9805-CR-00142
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99
01C01-9708-CC-00326

01C01-9708-CC-00326

Originating Judge:Thomas W. Graham
Grundy County Court of Criminal Appeals 08/19/99