Lumbermen's Mutual Underwriting Alliance v. Ramon

This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this case, the employer contends (1) the trial court erred in awarding, as medical benefits, the fees of an unapproved chiropractor and (2) the award of temporary total disability benefits is excessive. The employee insists the trial court erred in denying him any permanent partial disability benefits. As discussed herein, the panel has concluded the award should be modified by disallowing the unapproved medical benefits, by reducing the award of temporary total disability benefits from fifty-four weeks to two weeks and by awarding permanent partial disability benefits based on fifteen percent to the body as a whole. Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225(e)(3) Appeal as of Right; Judgment of the Circuit Court Modified LOSER, SP. J., in which DROWOTA, J., and CANTRELL, SP.J. joined. Richard C. Mangelsdorf, Jr., Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellant, Lumbermen's Mutual Underwriting Alliance, Appellant Martin S. Sir, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellee, Ramon Sanchez MEMORANDUM OPINION The employee or claimant, Sanchez, is forty-five years old and has a seventh or eighth grade education. He moved to the United States from Puerto Rico in 1969. He has experience in construction labor. He began working for the employer, Concrete Form Erectors, in March of 1995. On April 23, 1996, while working for the employer, the claimant and another worker, Robert Garst, were constructing forms for a wall when it began to sway because of high winds. As the wall was -2-