Kotouc v. Star Knitwear

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. Th e p la in tiff in ju re d h is le ft a rm in a n in d u s tria l a c c id e n t o n A ugus t 4, 1995. He w as t r ea t ed by N ei l H . Spi t al ny, or t hopedi c s ur geon, w ho di agnos ed t he pr obl em as a par t i al bi ceps m uscl e t ear . C on ser vat i ve t r eat m ent w as r ecom m end ed, w hi ch e s sent i al l y i nv ol ved bri ef i m m ob i l i t y o f t he arm . F urt her tre a tm e n t w as in d ic a te d bec aus e t he pl ai nt i f f cont i nued t o com pl ai n of pai n on ro ta tio n of hi s ar m . E xam i nat i ons by ot her s pec i al i s t s convi nce d D r . Spi t al ny t hat th e p la in tiff w a s s u ff e rin g f r om a c om pr es s i on of an ul nar ner ve, fo r th e c o rr e c tio n of w hi ch he per f or m ed a s ur gi ca l r el ea s e on A ugus t 27, 1996. Th e s ur gi ca l pr oce dur e w as onl y pa r t i al l y s ucc essfu l. T h e p la in tiff cont i nued t o ex peri ence p ai n ca u se d by c ont r ac t i ons of m us cl e, w i t h s om e di s com f or t at t rib u ta b l e t o a c er vi ca l pr obl em unr el at ed t o t he A ugus t 4, 1995 pr obl em . He r eached m axi m um m edi ca l i m pr ovem ent on Febr uar y 7, 1997, w i t h a m e d ica l i m p a irm e n t ratin g o f ten p e rc e n t t o h is a rm . Th e C h a n c e ll o r fo u n d th a t t h e p lain ti ff h a d a d is a b ility " w ith in th e m e a n in g of t he w or ker s ' com pens a tio n la w " o f 7 5 p e rc e n t to h is le ft a rm . T h e e m p lo y e r ap p ea l s, in s is tin g th a t th e a w a rd o f 7 .5 tim e s th e im p a irm e n t ra tin g is ex ce ssi v e and is not s uppor t ed by t he pr oof . E m pl oye r al s o com pl ai ns t hat t he C hanc el l or f ound th a t D r. S p ita ln y d id n o t c o rr e c tly in te rp re t th e A M A G u id e lin e s and r el i ed upo n hi s per sonal anal ysi s of t he G u id e lin e s . Our 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 2