APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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State vs. Glenn Bernard Mann

02S01-9609-CC-00077
Supreme Court 02/17/98
Carl W. Sides v. Insurance Company of North America

03S01-9703-CV-00031
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 filed this suit and alleged he had sustained permanent impairment to his eyes as the result of an injury in the course of his employment with the defendant. The trial judge awarded the plaintiff a recovery in the amount of 3% permanent partial disability to both eyes. The defendant says the evidence preponderates against the judgment of the trial court. We affirm the judgment of the trial court. The plaintiff was age 6 at the time of trial. He had a high school education and was trained as a machinist and welder. The plaintiff alleged he was injured by a welding arc on or about February 5, 1993. The plaintiff did not see a doctor until some three days after the alleged injury, when he was sent by the defendant to Dr. Louis Haun, an ophthalmologist. Dr. Haun was of the opinion the plaintiff had not been injured by a welding arc. Dr. Haun suspected the plaintiff's eye problem was caused by exposure to chemicals and inquired of the plaintiff concerning exposure thereto. From this time, the case was tried by the plaintiff and defendant on the theory that the plaintiff was suffering from a condition known as dry eyes.1 The evidence of whether the injury to the plaintiff's eyes was causally connected to the exposure to chemicals at work is based upon the testimony of the plaintiff and three doctors. The plaintiff testified that after Dr. Haun asked him to remember whether he had been exposed to any chemicals at work, he recalled coming into contact with chemicals specifically in the course of fluidizing a piece of equipment called a bed, which is used in the manufacturing process. 1 The plaintiff never filed an amendment to his petition to aver his injury was caused by chemical exposure. However, both parties tried the case on the theory of whether a chemical exposure did or did not cause the plaintiff's dry eyes. See Rule 15.2 Tenn. R. Civ. Proc. 2
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. D. Kelly Thomas, Jr.,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 02/17/98
Franklin Jones vs. Sterling Last Corp.

02S01-9606-CH-00057
Supreme Court 02/17/98
State vs. Joe Russell

02C01-9701-CR-00030

Originating Judge:John P. Colton, Jr.
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/17/98
Karen Farmer v. Zurich-American Insurance Co.

01S01-9706-CV-00135
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 alleged that during the course of her employment by Porter Paints she contracted asthma, an occupational disease, which resulted in partial, permanent physical disability, all of which was denied by the defendant. The trial judge found that the plaintiff suffered occupational asthma, causing her to be 5 percent permanently partially disabled and benefits were awarded accordingly. The issue presented for review is whether the finding of job-related asthma is supported by a preponderance of the evidence. I The plaintiff was initially employed by Porter paints in 1991 as a decorator. About one year later, she was transferred to a Broadway store in Nashville, which catered to commercial customers. This store prepared two- part industrial paints, referred to as epoxies, one part of which, hythane, contained a chemical known as hexamethylene diisocyanate [HDI]. an isocyanate. In 1993, the Broadway store compounded a large quantity of hythane for a customer who had contracted with Vanderbilt University to paint its stadium. The plaintiff became ill, attended by coughing and wheezing, shortness of breath and congestion. Her family physician diagnosed bronchitis, prescribed antibiotics, and recommended absence from work for one week. Upon her return, she experienced a severe episode of wheezing and shortness of breath and was instructed to leave the store. She was thereupon referred to a pulmonary specialist, Dr. Eric Dyer, who made a tentative diagnosis of asthma caused by exposure to TDI, an isocyanate commonly found in paints. 2
Authoring Judge: William H. Inman, Senior Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Ernest Pellegrin,
Davidson County Workers Compensation Panel 02/17/98
State vs. Vineyard

03S01-9612-CR-00120
Supreme Court 02/17/98
Samuelson vs. Totty

01S01-9702-CV-00025
Supreme Court 02/17/98
State of Tennessee v. David Joe Vineyard and Jimmy Lee Cockburn

03C01-9502-CR-00052

Order on Petition To Rehear Upon consideration of the petition to rehear filed by the appellants Davey Joe Vineyard and Jimmy Lee Cockburn, this Court is of the opinion that the petition should be and the same is hereby denied.

Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Judge Mayo L. Mashburn
Bradley County Court of Appeals 02/17/98
02A01-9707-CV-00152

02A01-9707-CV-00152

Originating Judge:R. Lee Moore Jr.
Lake County Court of Appeals 02/17/98
State vs. Eronia Neal

W1999-01194-CCA-R3-CD
Authoring Judge: Judge Gary R Wade
Originating Judge:Joseph B. Dailey
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/15/98
Joseph Nolen v. Amy Nolen

M2002-00138-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Judge Don R. Ash
Originating Judge:Donald P. Harris
Hickman County Court of Appeals 02/14/98
Little, et. al. vs. Hogan, et. al.

01A01-9707-CV-00291
Court of Appeals 02/13/98
Sherrell vs. Sherrell

01A01-9703-CH-00131

Originating Judge:Jim T. Hamilton
Lawrence County Court of Appeals 02/13/98
Sanders, et. ux. vs. Mansfield, et. al.

01A01-9705-CH-00222

Originating Judge:Ben H. Cantrell
Lincoln County Court of Appeals 02/13/98
Tommy Horton Tate vs. State

03C01-9707-CR-00264

Originating Judge:E. Eugene Eblen
Morgan County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/13/98
Karr vs. Gibson

01A01-9605-CH-00220

Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/13/98
State vs. Maurice Johnson

03C01-9705-CR-00175

Originating Judge:Richard R. Baumgartner
Knox County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/13/98
Culp vs. J.B. Hinson & Pevahouse

01A01-9707-CV-00307

Originating Judge:Jim T. Hamilton
Wayne County Court of Appeals 02/13/98
West vs. Dept. of Correction, et. al.

01A01-9706-CV-00243

Originating Judge:Walter C. Kurtz
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/13/98
Carson vs. Agri-Products Special Markets

01A01-9708-CV-00420
Montgomery County Court of Appeals 02/13/98
Billy Aldridge vs. State

01C01-9704-CR-00142
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/13/98
Hollis vs. Hollis

01A01-9704-CH-00178

Originating Judge:Henry Denmark Bell
Williamson County Court of Appeals 02/13/98
01C01-9612-CR-00507

01C01-9612-CR-00507

Originating Judge:Seth W. Norman
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/13/98
Charles Orren vs. State

03C01-9704-CR-00141

Originating Judge:Lynn W. Brown
Johnson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/13/98
Child Support Svcs. vs. Russell

01A01-9706-JV-00267

Originating Judge:Andrew J. Shookhoff
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/13/98