Hubert M. Hurd v. General Shale Products Corporation, et al.

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. Defendants, General Shale Products Corporation and CNA Insurance Compa ny, have appealed from the action of the trial court in awarding plaintiff, Hubert M. Hurd, 3% permanent partial disability benefits to the body as a whole. The only issue on appeal is whether the evidence preponderates against the award of benefits. Plaintiff Hurd was injured in the course and scope of his employment on August 2, 199, while manually rolling up a truck cover. The equipment did not work properly, and plaintiff was pushing with his right arm when he tore a biceps tendon. Plaintiff was 63 years of age at the time of the trial. He completed the 8th grade and later received a G.E.D. certificate. He had been employed by General Shale for 41 years and at the time of the accident was operating a dump truck. During his entire employment, he had worked at different positions such as a grinding machine operator, a brick machine operator, a fireman on the kiln, a forklift operator and a front-end loader operator. He continued to work after the accident at the same job as his employer installed an electric motor on the vehicle which would roll up the truck cover and eliminate the manual operation. Although he has continued to work, he told the court he does not have the strength in his arm and shoulder as prior to this injury; he testified his grip in his arm is now weak and when he carries anything, it is hard to straighten his arm back out. Dr. John Bell, an orthopaedic surgeon, treated plaintiff for his injuries. His testimony, which was by deposition, indicated plaintiff had sustained an injury to his arm and shoulder from the tear of the tendon and a neck injury where there was an aggravation of a previous condition due to degenerative changes. He 2