APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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State vs. James Mason a//k/a James Oscar Mason

01C01-9707-CC-00310

Originating Judge:Gary R. Wade
Bedford County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
State vs. Dishman

03C01-9610-CR-00361

Originating Judge:Frank L. Slaughter
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
State vs. Aaron Drummer

02C01-9710-CR-00382
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
State vs. Steven Cooper

02C01-9801-CR-00008
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
State vs. Thomas Congdon

01C01-9707-CR-00254

Originating Judge:L. Terry Lafferty
Wilson County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
Crawford vs. State

03C01-9604-CC-00172
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
Bacon vs. State

03C01-9605-CR-00203

Originating Judge:Douglas A. Meyer
Hamilton County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
Coleman v. State, No. 02C01-9505-Cc-00122 (Tenn. Crim. App., Apr. 17, 1996). On

02C01-9707-CR-00291
Gibson County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
Harris vs. State

03C01-9611-CR-00410

Originating Judge:R. Jerry Beck
Carter County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
Clinton W.Lynch vs. State

01C01-9705-CR-00187

Originating Judge:Seth W. Norman
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
State vs. James Carr

02C01-9802-CC-00037
Lake County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
State vs.Tracie Jenkins and David Ragsdale

01C01-9612-CC-00520
Williamson County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/23/98
George Goff v. City of Decherd v. Dina Tobin, Director

01S01-9611-CH-00232
This workers' compensation appeal from the Franklin County Chancery Court has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated _5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The defendant, City of Decherd, appeals the ju dgment of the trial court findin g the plaintiff, George Goff, suffered an occupational disease; awarding the plaintiff eighty- five percent (85%) permanent partial disability to th e body as a who le; and requiring the defen dant to pay certain medical expenses. For the reasons stated in this opinion, we affirm the trial court, as modified. George Goff wa s 41 at the time of this trial. He dropped out of high schoo l in the ninth grade to work on the farm, and he has been unable to pass his G ED on three or four attem pts. His work history is composed of manual labor. The City of Decherd hired him as a laborer in 1984 and made him a crew foreman in 1987. On May 11, 199 , during the course of his employment he was exposed to chlo rine gas and missed ap proximately one w eek of work. He wa s treated by his family physician, Dr. Dewey Hood, for complaints of shortness of breath, coughing and fatigue on 11 or 12 occas ions throu gh Septem ber, 1993 . Dr. Hood re ferred plaintiff to Dr. Eric Dye r, a pulmonologist, who first treated plaintiff on May 18, 1993. Dr. Dyer told plaintiff he became asthmatic due to the 199 chlorine exposure and advised him to avoid asthma triggers, such as chemicals, humidity , and temperature extremes . He continued to w ork for the City of Dech erd without significant pro blems until January 2 8, 1994, when he was exposed to paint fumes and h is condition deteriorated. After the 1994 exposure, Dr. Dyer added paint fumes to his list of asthma triggers to avoid. Dr. Dyer assessed his permanent impairment at forty percent (4%) to the body as a whole, described h is prognosis as poo r, and advised the plaintiff he sh ould not return to wo rk for the City of Decherd. Dr. Hood stated "he is somewhat limited with his education and things he can do, and it may be that he just could not find a job--a sedentary job or a light working condition that he could return to." Plaintiff has not worked since January 28, 1994. Betty Morris, a vocational expert for the plaintiff, testified plaintiff had a ninety-six percent (96%) loss of access to jobs and should be limited to sedentary work. The defendant presented Charles Randolph Thomas, also a vocational expert, who testified plaintiff suffered a sixty-two and one half percent (62.5%) loss of access to jobs due to the 199 and 1994 chemical exposures, but only a one and one half percent (1.5%) loss of access due to the January 28, 1994, paint fumes 2
Authoring Judge: William Michael Maloan, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Jeffrey F. Stewart,
Franklin County Workers Compensation Panel 04/22/98
Ralph D. West v. Sonic Drive-In, et al.

01S01-9704-CH-00099
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 case is here in a different position than most appeals. On October 31, 1995, a judgment awarding the plaintiff compensation was entered in the Chancery Court of Smith County. After review by a Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel and the Supreme Court, the judgment entered in Smith County was modified and affirmed. On December 4, 1996, an order in conformity with previous proceedings was entered in Smith County. Among other things, the final judgment provided that the defendants would furnish medical treatment for the plaintiff, required as a result of the injury subject to the proceedings hereafter had. On December 6, 1996, the plaintiff filed a motion for medical treatment and alleged the defendants had refused to furnish medical treatment as required. The plaintiff asked the trial court to order the defendants to furnish a list of three physicians from which he could select a physician for treatments. The defendants responded to the motion and say they are willing to furnish medical treatment to the plaintiff for treatments necessary to treat the plaintiff for residual problems from the November 27, 1991 accident which is the subject injury in this case. The defendants asked the court to order the plaintiff to produce his medical records and submit to an examination by a specialist to make an initial determination of whether the complaints of the plaintiff are related to the November 27, 1991 injury. In response to the pleadings, the trial judge entered the following order: This cause came on to be heard on this the 21st day of February, 1997, upon the motion of Plaintiff for a panel of three (3) physicians to treat the Plaintiff's injuries received at Sonic Drive-In, to-wit, ruptured disc at L5-S1. And after argument, the Court is of the opinion that Plaintiff should execute a release for Defendant to obtain any medical related to his back injury since November, 1991, within five (5) days and that Defendant shall furnish the panel of treating physicians to Plaintiff from Smith or contiguous counties. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the Defendant shall furnish to Plaintiff a panel of treating physicians from Smith or contiguous counties and Plaintiff shall furnish to Defendant a release 2
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. C. K. Smith,
Smith County Workers Compensation Panel 04/22/98
Linda Sue White v. Eaton Corp.

01S01-9709-CH-00203
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 only issue raised in this case is whether the award of 35 percent permanent disability to the plaintiff's right arm is excessive. We find that it is not and affirm the judgment of the trial court. 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). At the time of the trial, the plaintiff was 33 years of age; she had graduated from high school; she had two years of training as a nursing assistant; and she had served four years in the U.S. Navy, where she was trained and worked as a dental assistant. The plaintiff began work for the defendant on June 23, 1993, and on July 19, 1993, she began work on the production line. This work required considerable use of the hands and the use of tools. Soon after commencing this work, the plaintiff began to experience pain in her right wrist. On August 9, 1993, the defendant sent the plaintiff to Dr. Samuel Sells. Dr. Sells diagnosed the plaintiff's problem as carpal tunnel syndrome. The plaintiff was assigned another job and was sent or went again to see Dr. Sells on February 4, 1994 for pain in her left and right arms. Dr. Sells advised the plaintiff to stay off from work until February 27, 1994. On June 26, 1994, the plaintiff left work because, according to the record, she was unable to find a day care facility for her child.1 Dr. Sells referred the plaintiff to Dr. James K. Lanter, a hand surgeon. Dr. Lanter saw the plaintiff on March 17, 1994 and diagnosed her condition as DeQuervain's tenosynovitis in 1 The plaintiff testified she asked for that entry to be made on her discharge sheet rather than discharge for injury in order to help her in future job searches. 2
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Tyrus H. Cobb,
White County Workers Compensation Panel 04/22/98
Margaret Henry v. Cedar Creek Home Health Agency

01S01-9707-CV-00150
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. 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 dismissed the plaintiff's case and held there was no evidence that two vaginal prolapses suffered by the plaintiff were caused by her work. We affirm the judgment.
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. John A. Turnbull,
Henry County Workers Compensation Panel 04/22/98
State vs. Rockie Smith

02C01-9702-CR-00066
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/22/98
State vs. Danny Walker

02C01-9706-CC-00218

Originating Judge:Dick Jerman, Jr.
Crockett County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/22/98
State vs. Larry Pittman

02C01-9704-CC-00138
Madison County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/22/98
State vs. Charles Taylor

02C01-9704-CR-00153
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/22/98
Anthony Johnson v. The Travelers Ins. Co .

01S01-9706-CH-00125
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 issue in this case is whether the plaintiff forfeited the right to have the defendant pay for future medical expenses, if any are required, for a compensable injury for failure to have an annual physical examination as provided for in the settlement of the plaintiff's compensation claim against the defendant. Under the circumstances in this case, we find the plaintiff has not forfeited this right. The relevant part of the settlement order, which was entered on December 7, 1993 in the trial court provided: "The defendant has paid all of the plaintiff's medical bills to date, which total $63,298.23. In addition to the medical benefits heretofore provided to the plaintiff, the defendant shall continue to pay all reasonable and necessary medical and hospital expenses for medical care and treatment, which is directly related to the aforesaid work related accidental injury provided such medical treatment is performed by or prescribed by Dr. Thornton Perkins, an orthopaedic specialist in Chattanooga, Tennessee, or another physician mutually selected by the parties under the procedure set forth in the W orkers' Compensation Act. The duty of the defendant to continue to provide the aforesaid medical benefits to the plaintiff shall be contingent upon the plaintiff being examined at least one (1) time annually by Dr. Thornton Perkins or such other mutually selected physician. The failure of the plaintiff to undergo the annual examination by Dr. Perkins or such other physician as the parties may select under the procedure set forth in the W orkers' Compensation Act shall result in the plaintiff forfeiting his rights to receive such future medical treatment and shall terminate the defendant's obligation to provide the same." On December 9, 1995, the plaintiff filed a "petition to enforce settlement agreement" in which he alleged the defendant had refused to pay for medical treatment as required by the order of December 7, 1993. The trial court held a hearing on the petition on September 1, 1996 at which no testimony was taken. The matter was presented to the court on statement of counsel. The record is necessarily sparse on the proceeding and the relevant matters are contained in the pleadings. From this we find the order of settlement was filed December 7, 1993, that the petition to enforce the settlement agreement was filed on December 9, 1995, and that the trial judge held a hearing on the petition on September 1, 1996 and entered an order thereon on February 4, 1997. Further, we 2
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Anthony Johnson,
Johnson County Workers Compensation Panel 04/22/98
State vs. Larry Jones

02C01-9708-CR-00331
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/22/98
Gloria Benson v. Northern Telecom, et al.

01S01-9706-CH-00137
Authoring Judge: Hamilton V. Gayden, Jr., Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Irvin Kilcrease
Davidson County Workers Compensation Panel 04/22/98
State vs. Timmy Fulton

02C01-9706-CC-00223
Lauderdale County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/21/98
Dorothy O'Shea vs. Vet/Betty Conder

02A01-9704-CH-00083

Originating Judge:J. Walton West
Decatur County Court of Appeals 04/21/98