APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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02C01-9504-CR-00100

02C01-9504-CR-00100
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
01C01-9210-CR-00304

01C01-9210-CR-00304

Originating Judge:J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
James v. Ball

02C01-9509-CR-00264
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
02C01-9502-CC-00053

02C01-9502-CC-00053

Originating Judge:Joe G. Riley. Jr.
Lake County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
02C01-9506-CC-00173

02C01-9506-CC-00173

Originating Judge:Julian P. Guinn
Benton County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
02C01-9507-CC-00182

02C01-9507-CC-00182

Originating Judge:Julian P. Guinn
Henry County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
02C01-9509-CC-00269

02C01-9509-CC-00269

Originating Judge:William M. Barker
Obion County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/26/96
03C01-9510-CC-00296

03C01-9510-CC-00296
Jefferson County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/25/96
03C01-9502-CR-00030

03C01-9502-CR-00030

Originating Judge:William M. Barker
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/25/96
01C01-9607-CC-00293

01C01-9607-CC-00293
Giles County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/24/96
01A01-9509-CH-00404

01A01-9509-CH-00404

Originating Judge:C. K. Smith
Wilson County Court of Appeals 07/24/96
Thomas E. Roddy v. Beaman Bottling Company

01S01-9511-CH-00194
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special 1 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. Defendant, Beaman Bottling Company of Nashville, had appealed from the action of the trial court in awarding plaintiff, Thomas E. Roddy, 33% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. On November 12, 1992, plaintiff was injured during the course and scope of his employment with the defendant. After having surgery for a rotator cuff injury, he returned to work on about August 1, 1993, at a wage equal to or greater than that he was receiving prior to his injury. In the spring of 1994, defendant company was sold to Pepsico, the parent company for Pepsi-Cola. Plaintiff continued to work for new owner Pepsico until September 9, 1994, when his job classification was eliminated and he was terminated. There is some dispute concerning the medical impairment to the body as a whole. At issue is whether plaintiff sustained a 7% or 11 % impairment to the body as a whole. We conclude that the finding of 11% impairment to the whole body is the proper finding of medical impairment. The primary issue is whether the award of disability is limited to two and a half times the medical impairment rating provided in TENN. CODE ANN. _ 5-6- 241(a)(1) or whether the award may be fixed up to six times the medical impairment rating as provided in TENN. CODE ANN. _ 5-6-241(b). Under subsection (a)(1), an injured employee's recovery is limited to two and a half times the employee's medical impairment rating if the pre-injury employer returns the employee to work at a wage equal to or greater than that received prior to the injury. Subsection (a)(2) provides that the industrial disability award may be reconsidered by the court when the employee is no longer employed by the pre- injury employer, the loss of employment occurs within 4 weeks of the day the employee returned to work, and a new cause of action is filed within one year of the 2
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Hon. Don R. Ash,
Rutherford County Workers Compensation Panel 07/24/96
01A01-9511-CH-00499

01A01-9511-CH-00499

Originating Judge:Lee Russell
Marshall County Court of Appeals 07/24/96
01A01-9602-CV-00067

01A01-9602-CV-00067

Originating Judge:Barbara N. Haynes
Davidson County Court of Appeals 07/24/96
Vickie Winningham v. Masters Health Care Center

01S01-9510-CV-00177
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the employer, Masters Health Care Center, contends (1) that the evidence preponderates against the trial judge's finding that the claimant suffered any permanent partial disability from her injury, and (2) that the evidence preponderates against an award of fifty- five percent to the body as a whole. The panel concludes the judgment of the trial court should be modified as provided herein. The claimant, Vickie Winningham, is thirty-nine years old and a high school graduate. She has experience in a variety of unskilled jobs and has worked for this employer since April of 1989 as a nursing assistant. On October 27, 1991, she strained her back while lifting and turning a patient. She went first to Dr. Lloyd Hassler, who prescribed physical therapy. The claimant was referred by a representative of Crawford and Company to three physicians, Dr. James Talmadge, Dr. Arthur Gernt Bond and Dr. Michael Moore. All three testified at the trial by deposition. All three of them found her to be deconditioned from smoking and being overweight. She is five feet, three inches tall and weighs approximately two hundred fifty pounds. Dr. Talmadge diagnosed mild low back strain, symptom magnification and incontinence. Only the back sprain was, according to his testimony, causally related to the injury at work. He estimated her permanent impairment from the injury at none. Dr. Bond's diagnosis was essentially the same, except that he diagnosed degenerative changes unrelated to the injury at work. He agreed that the claimant is not permanently impaired as a result of any work related injury. Dr. Moore diagnosed mechanical low back syndrome and symptom magnification. He assessed her permanent impairment at seven percent to the whole body using the third edition of American Medical Association guidelines and at five percent using the fourth edition, from her injury. The claimant returned to work for two and one-half days, then quit, because of discomfort. She has not looked for other work, but acknowledged that she is able to work and her intent to do so when her claim is finally resolved. She can walk for thirty minutes, but has gained fifty pounds. 2
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Hon. John Turnbull,
Putnam County Workers Compensation Panel 07/24/96
01A01-9510-CH-00471

01A01-9510-CH-00471

Originating Judge:Irvin H. Kilcrease, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Appeals 07/24/96
01A01-9512-CH-00558

01A01-9512-CH-00558

Originating Judge:Christina Norris
Davidson County Court of Appeals 07/24/96
Vickie Winningham v. Masters Health Care Center

01S01-9510-CV-00177
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the employer, Masters Health Care Center, contends (1) that the evidence preponderates against the trial judge's finding that the claimant suffered any permanent partial disability from her injury, and (2) that the evidence preponderates against an award of fifty- five percent to the body as a whole. The panel concludes the judgment of the trial court should be modified as provided herein. The claimant, Vickie Winningham, is thirty-nine years old and a high school graduate. She has experience in a variety of unskilled jobs and has worked for this employer since April of 1989 as a nursing assistant. On October 27, 1991, she strained her back while lifting and turning a patient. She went first to Dr. Lloyd Hassler, who prescribed physical therapy. The claimant was referred by a representative of Crawford and Company to three physicians, Dr. James Talmadge, Dr. Arthur Gernt Bond and Dr. Michael Moore. All three testified at the trial by deposition. All three of them found her to be deconditioned from smoking and being overweight. She is five feet, three inches tall and weighs approximately two hundred fifty pounds. Dr. Talmadge diagnosed mild low back strain, symptom magnification and incontinence. Only the back sprain was, according to his testimony, causally related to the injury at work. He estimated her permanent impairment from the injury at none. Dr. Bond's diagnosis was essentially the same, except that he diagnosed degenerative changes unrelated to the injury at work. He agreed that the claimant is not permanently impaired as a result of any work related injury. Dr. Moore diagnosed mechanical low back syndrome and symptom magnification. He assessed her permanent impairment at seven percent to the whole body using the third edition of American Medical Association guidelines and at five percent using the fourth edition, from her injury. The claimant returned to work for two and one-half days, then quit, because of discomfort. She has not looked for other work, but acknowledged that she is able to work and her intent to do so when her claim is finally resolved. She can walk for thirty minutes, but has gained fifty pounds. 2
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Hon. John Turnbull,
Putnam County Workers Compensation Panel 07/24/96
Thomas E. Roddy v. Beaman Bottling Company

01S01-9511-CH-00194
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special 1 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. Defendant, Beaman Bottling Company of Nashville, had appealed from the action of the trial court in awarding plaintiff, Thomas E. Roddy, 33% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. On November 12, 1992, plaintiff was injured during the course and scope of his employment with the defendant. After having surgery for a rotator cuff injury, he returned to work on about August 1, 1993, at a wage equal to or greater than that he was receiving prior to his injury. In the spring of 1994, defendant company was sold to Pepsico, the parent company for Pepsi-Cola. Plaintiff continued to work for new owner Pepsico until September 9, 1994, when his job classification was eliminated and he was terminated. There is some dispute concerning the medical impairment to the body as a whole. At issue is whether plaintiff sustained a 7% or 11 % impairment to the body as a whole. We conclude that the finding of 11% impairment to the whole body is the proper finding of medical impairment. The primary issue is whether the award of disability is limited to two and a half times the medical impairment rating provided in TENN. CODE ANN. _ 5-6- 241(a)(1) or whether the award may be fixed up to six times the medical impairment rating as provided in TENN. CODE ANN. _ 5-6-241(b). Under subsection (a)(1), an injured employee's recovery is limited to two and a half times the employee's medical impairment rating if the pre-injury employer returns the employee to work at a wage equal to or greater than that received prior to the injury. Subsection (a)(2) provides that the industrial disability award may be reconsidered by the court when the employee is no longer employed by the pre- injury employer, the loss of employment occurs within 4 weeks of the day the employee returned to work, and a new cause of action is filed within one year of the 2
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Hon. Don R. Ash,
Rutherford County Workers Compensation Panel 07/24/96
01A01-9512-CH-00579

01A01-9512-CH-00579

Originating Judge:William B. Cain
Lawrence County Court of Appeals 07/24/96
Thomas E. Roddy v. Beaman Bottling Company

01S01-9511-CH-00194
This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special 1 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. Defendant, Beaman Bottling Company of Nashville, had appealed from the action of the trial court in awarding plaintiff, Thomas E. Roddy, 33% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. On November 12, 1992, plaintiff was injured during the course and scope of his employment with the defendant. After having surgery for a rotator cuff injury, he returned to work on about August 1, 1993, at a wage equal to or greater than that he was receiving prior to his injury. In the spring of 1994, defendant company was sold to Pepsico, the parent company for Pepsi-Cola. Plaintiff continued to work for new owner Pepsico until September 9, 1994, when his job classification was eliminated and he was terminated. There is some dispute concerning the medical impairment to the body as a whole. At issue is whether plaintiff sustained a 7% or 11 % impairment to the body as a whole. We conclude that the finding of 11% impairment to the whole body is the proper finding of medical impairment. The primary issue is whether the award of disability is limited to two and a half times the medical impairment rating provided in TENN. CODE ANN. _ 5-6- 241(a)(1) or whether the award may be fixed up to six times the medical impairment rating as provided in TENN. CODE ANN. _ 5-6-241(b). Under subsection (a)(1), an injured employee's recovery is limited to two and a half times the employee's medical impairment rating if the pre-injury employer returns the employee to work at a wage equal to or greater than that received prior to the injury. Subsection (a)(2) provides that the industrial disability award may be reconsidered by the court when the employee is no longer employed by the pre- injury employer, the loss of employment occurs within 4 weeks of the day the employee returned to work, and a new cause of action is filed within one year of the 2
Authoring Judge: Per Curiam
Originating Judge:Hon. Don R. Ash,
Rutherford County Workers Compensation Panel 07/24/96
01A01-9512-CH-00560

01A01-9512-CH-00560

Originating Judge:Henry F. Todd
Lawrence County Court of Appeals 07/24/96
03C01-9508-CC-00245

03C01-9508-CC-00245
Sullivan County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/23/96
03C01-9512-CC-00390

03C01-9512-CC-00390
Hancock County Court of Criminal Appeals 07/23/96