APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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01C01-9505-CC-00153

01C01-9505-CC-00153

Originating Judge:W. Charles Lee
Bedford County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/26/96
01C01-9507-CC-00214

01C01-9507-CC-00214
Robertson County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/26/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 04/26/96
Nellie Myrtle Farley v. Liberty Mutual Insurance

01S01-9509-CV-00147
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 defendants below appeal the trial court's award of 75% permanent partial disability to each upper extremity. They challenge the amount of the award, its commutation to a lump sum, and the trial court's award of temporary total disability benefits from May 26, 1994 to December 1, 1994. We modify the trial court's award, finding that the evidence preponderates against an award of 75% permanent partial disability to each extremity and towards a finding of 45% permanent partial disability to each extremity. As modified, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. Plaintiff, 63 at the time of trial, has a sixth grade education. She worked for the defendant-employer for almost 26 years. In late October 1993, she was found to have bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. She continued to work until January 3, 1994, when she took an early retirement. She testified at trial that she retired early because her arms were "messed up." Carpal tunnel releases were performed in February and May 1994. At trial, she testified that she reached maximum medical improvement in early December 1994. She has not applied for any job since her retirement. Dr. Abbey, an orthopedic surgeon, treated the plaintiff and testified, by deposition, on behalf of the defendant. He testified that the plaintiff did well post- operatively and that he assigned her a zero percent impairment rating. He also testified that after he assigned her this rating, the plaintiff had problems with swelling and discomfort and, between the two surgeries, she developed triggering in her left long finger. He opined that the plaintiff reached maximum medical improvement on May 23, 1994 for her carpal tunnel syndrome, although she probably had not reached that stage for her triggering finger. He assigned no permanent restrictions. Dr. Robert Paul Landsberg, another orthopedist, examined the plaintiff at the request of her attorney and testified, also by deposition, on her behalf. He
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge John K. Byers
Originating Judge:Hon. Bobby H. Capers
Trousdale County Workers Compensation Panel 04/26/96
Linda May Kepley v. Yamakawa Manufacturing Company of America and Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance Company

01S01-9505-CV-00075
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 defendants appeal the trial court's award of 4% permanent partial disability to the right upper extremity. They contend that the plaintiff did not prove that she had suffered a permanent injury, that they are not liable for such injury, if it exists, due to the application of the last injurious injury rule and that, even if her injury is compensable and they are liable, the trial court's award is excessive. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. The plaintiff, 45 at the time of trial, has a G.E.D. She has worked almost exclusively in manufacturing facilities, performing mostly assembly and packing jobs. She began working for the defendant-employer in May 1991. In July 1992, she began experiencing problems with her wrists. She was eventually referred to Dr. Anderson, a neurologist, who took her off work for about three weeks. She returned to work after this respite but quit after a few months to move to Illinois to marry. She testified at trial that her arms improved while she was off work. She testified that, when she returned to work, she worked with pain and at a slower rate than she had before. She did not work for the first few months she lived in Illinois, and she testified that her arms improved over this time but that her pain never resolved, and she tried to use her left hand more often. Dr. Anderson testified that an E.M.G. performed on the plaintiff prior to her being taken off work indicated she had carpal tunnel syndrome in her left arm. This diagnosis was consistent with the plaintiff's subjective complaints and his objective findings, he testified. When she returned from Illinois to see him in November, he performed another E.M.G. on her, which indicated borderline carpal tunnel syndrome in her right arm. At the plaintiff's request, he released her to return to work. Plaintiff began working for R.G. Ray in Illinois at the end of January 1994. After about five weeks, she began experiencing pain in her wrists again, worse pain
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge John K. Byers
Originating Judge:Hon. Thomas E. Gray
Sumner County Workers Compensation Panel 04/26/96
01A01-9510-CV-00473

01A01-9510-CV-00473

Originating Judge:Barbara N. Haynes
Davidson County Court of Appeals 04/26/96
Linda May Kepley v. Yamakawa Manufacturing Company of America and Yasuda Fire & Marine Insurance Company

01S01-9505-CV-00075
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 defendants appeal the trial court's award of 4% permanent partial disability to the right upper extremity. They contend that the plaintiff did not prove that she had suffered a permanent injury, that they are not liable for such injury, if it exists, due to the application of the last injurious injury rule and that, even if her injury is compensable and they are liable, the trial court's award is excessive. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. The plaintiff, 45 at the time of trial, has a G.E.D. She has worked almost exclusively in manufacturing facilities, performing mostly assembly and packing jobs. She began working for the defendant-employer in May 1991. In July 1992, she began experiencing problems with her wrists. She was eventually referred to Dr. Anderson, a neurologist, who took her off work for about three weeks. She returned to work after this respite but quit after a few months to move to Illinois to marry. She testified at trial that her arms improved while she was off work. She testified that, when she returned to work, she worked with pain and at a slower rate than she had before. She did not work for the first few months she lived in Illinois, and she testified that her arms improved over this time but that her pain never resolved, and she tried to use her left hand more often. Dr. Anderson testified that an E.M.G. performed on the plaintiff prior to her being taken off work indicated she had carpal tunnel syndrome in her left arm. This diagnosis was consistent with the plaintiff's subjective complaints and his objective findings, he testified. When she returned from Illinois to see him in November, he performed another E.M.G. on her, which indicated borderline carpal tunnel syndrome in her right arm. At the plaintiff's request, he released her to return to work. Plaintiff began working for R.G. Ray in Illinois at the end of January 1994. After about five weeks, she began experiencing pain in her wrists again, worse pain
Authoring Judge: Senior Judge John K. Byers
Originating Judge:Hon. Thomas E. Gray
Sumner County Workers Compensation Panel 04/26/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Bradley County Court of Appeals 04/26/96
03C01-9410-CR-00391

03C01-9410-CR-00391

Originating Judge:Douglas A. Meyer
Hamilton County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/26/96
03C01-9508-CR-00235

03C01-9508-CR-00235
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/25/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 04/25/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Roane County Court of Appeals 04/25/96
03C01-9502-CR-00058

03C01-9502-CR-00058

Originating Judge:William R. Holt
Jefferson County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/25/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 04/25/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 04/25/96
03A01-9511-CV-00419

03A01-9511-CV-00419
Court of Appeals 04/25/96
03C01-9509-CC-00281

03C01-9509-CC-00281
Monroe County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/25/96
03C01-9509-CR-00263

03C01-9509-CR-00263

Originating Judge:Douglas A. Meyer
Hamilton County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/24/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Roane County Court of Appeals 04/24/96
03C01-9508-CC-00221

03C01-9508-CC-00221
Blount County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/24/96
03S01-9411-CR-00425

03S01-9411-CR-00425

Originating Judge:James E. Beckner
Hamblen County Court of Criminal Appeals 04/24/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 04/24/96
03A01-9503-CV-00109

03A01-9503-CV-00109
Hamilton County Court of Appeals 04/24/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 04/24/96
03A01-9511-GS-00392

03A01-9511-GS-00392
Roane County Court of Appeals 04/24/96