Timothy Crabtree v. Apac Tennessee, Inc.

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 trial judge found the plaintiff had sustained an injury to his knee and back arising out of and in the course of his employment with the defendant. The trial court awarded the plaintiff 3% permanent partial disability to the leg as a result of the knee injury and 25% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole as a result of the back injury. The defendant says the trial judge erroneously found the plaintiff had given notice of an accidental injury to his back and says, also, that the awards for the injuries were erroneous. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. Injury to the Knee During March 1992, the plaintiff injured his right knee. He was treated by Dr. Paul Naylor for this injury. Dr. Naylor performed surgery on the plaintiff's knee on October 13, 1992 to repair the damage sustained by the plaintiff. Dr. Naylor testified the plaintiff had a 12% medical impairment to his knee as a result of the accident, which the defendant does not dispute. We find the evidence does not preponderate against the evidence of 3% permanent partial disability to the leg found by the trial judge, and we affirm the judgment thereon. T.C.A. _ 5-6-225(e)(2). Injury to the Back The plaintiff testified he injured his back in April 1993 when he reached back to lock the tailgate of a truck he was driving in the course of his employment. He testified he gave notice of the injury to his supervisor, James Hawkins, and the safety director, Steve Bell. Hawkins and Bell testified the plaintiff did not give them notice of an accidental injury as he testified. They testified the plaintiff related that the back pain he was having was connected to, or was a result of, the knee injury. 2