Guy Brewer v. City of Waynesboro

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 employee appeals from the trial court's dismissal of his complaint for workers' compensation benefits for lack of notice. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. Plaintiff testified that he injured his back on May 6, 1993, while unloading 5- pound bags of chemicals in the course of his employment as water plant operator for the City of Waynesboro. He testified that his back began to hurt that evening and then continued to get worse. He testified that he informed Flora Locker, the city recorder, and Howard Riley, public works director, that he had hurt his back at work within two weeks of his injury. He further testified that Riley provided him with someone to assist him with lifting about two weeks after his May 6, 1993 injury. Flora Locker testified that the plaintiff told her he hurt his back lifting bags of chemicals, but she was uncertain when he told her except that it was before his July 14, 1993 fall. She testified that she did not make a report of it because it was more than ten days after the accident, which was the time limit she had been told for reporting accidents; however, she also testified that he never told her when he had hurt his back. Howard Riley denied ever having received notice from the plaintiff. A co- worker, David Maples, testified that Steve Colley, the city manager, told him about two weeks after May 6, 1993, to make sure that plaintiff did not have to do any lifting at work because plaintiff was having problems with his back. Plaintiff first went to Dr. J.V. Mangubat, a general practitioner and surgeon, for treatment. Dr. Mangubat testified by deposition that plaintiff first complained of pain in his left hip radiating down his left leg in April 1993, which he attributed to arthritis. He saw plaintiff again on May 6, 1993 to remove sutures from a previous in- office excision. Plaintiff did not complain of back or leg pain at the time. Plaintiff returned on June 3, 1993, complaining of pain in both hips radiating down both legs with some 2