William Keith Eddlemon v. Tecumseh Products Company

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 plaintiff received a workers' compensation lump sum award and, upon his motion, the trial court awarded post-judgment interest for a period of 32 days. He appeals and argues that he is entitled to post-judgment interest for 99 days, from the date the lump sum award was approved by the trial court until the date he received payment. The defendant contends the plaintiff is not entitled to payment on the award until 31 days after the entry of the judgment - the time period during which a Notice of Appeal could have been filed - and therefore only 32 days of post-judgment interest is due. We find that Tenn. Code Ann. _ 5-6-225 entitles the plaintiff to an additional 3 days of post-judgment interest and modify the judgment of the trial court accordingly.1 On June 1, 1998, the plaintiff's workers' compensation claim was heard in the Chancery Court for Gibson County and the trial court made an award of permanent partial disability, which was to be paid in a lump sum. On July 7, 1998, the trial court's judgment was entered. On September 8, 1998, the plaintiff received payment of the judgment from the defendant. In Woodall v. Hamlett, 872 S.W.2d 677 (Tenn. 1996), the Supreme Court held that judgments involving the Workers' Compensation Act are controlled by Tenn. Code Ann. 1The Supreme Court in Woodall v. Hamlett, 872 S.W.2d 677 (Tenn. 1996), held the statute was applicable on this issue.