APPELLATE COURT OPINIONS

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Waste Management vs. South Central Bell

01A01-9504-CV-00182

Originating Judge:Thomas W. Brothers
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/21/97
Lovell & Malone vs. Commonwealth Life Ins.

01A01-9607-CH-00299

Originating Judge:Robert S. Brandt
Davidson County Court of Appeals 02/21/97
Ikie Briggs, v. Estate of Odessa v. Briggs

02A01-9603-PB-00052

This is a will construction case. Respondent, Ikie Briggs, appeals from the order of the probate court construing the Last Will and Testament of Odessa V. Briggs in favor of the petitioner, Frances Duncan Briggs.

Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge W. Frank Crawford
Originating Judge:Judge Leonard D. Pierotti
Shelby County Court of Appeals 02/21/97
Brian Wolney and wife, Melissa Wolney v. Lisa M. Emmons and Wells Fargo Armored Service Corporation

02A01-9508-CV-00169

The petition for rehearing filed in behalf of the Appellants is denied.

Authoring Judge: Judge Holly Kirby Lillard
Court of Appeals 02/21/97
Thomas R. Murrah v. Aetna Life and Casualty

02S01-9607-CV-00065
This worker's compensation appeal has been referred to the special worker's compensation appeals panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. _50-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Authoring Judge: Cornelia A. Clark, Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. George H. Brown, Jr.
Shelby County Workers Compensation Panel 02/21/97
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 02/21/97
Peggy J. Skaggs v. Preferred Risk Mutual Insurance Company

03S01-9603-CV-00029
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. The employer's insurer contends the evidence preponderates against the trial court's finding that the employee's fatal heart attack arose out of his employment. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment should be affirmed. The claimant, Peggy Skaggs, is the widow of Charles R. Skaggs, deceased. At the time of his death, Mr. Skaggs was employed by the First Baptist Church of Morristown as Maintenance Supervisor. On August 8, 1994, following several hours of manual labor at the church, he developed severe neck pain and numbness and tingling in his hands and arms. Mrs. Skaggs, also a church employee, called an ambulance. He was taken to Ft. Sanders Hospital, where he died on August 1, 1994. According to the Death Certificate, death was caused by (1) heart attack, (2) coronary artery disease and (3) sudden cardiac death. The cause of the heart attack was confirmed by a medical doctor, who testified by deposition, "I believe the activity (he) engaged (in) may indeed have precipitated the onset of his myocardial infarction." The doctor conceded on cross-examination that undiagnosed pre-existing coronary artery disease may have been a contributing cause. The trial judge found the employee's heart attack to have been caused by physical exertion at work, thus compensable. Appellate review is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of correctness of the findings of fact, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-225(e)(2). A heart attack is compensable, as an accidental injury, if it can be shown by competent evidence that the attack was precipitated by physical exertion or stress at work. Downen v. Allstate Ins. Co., 811 S.W.2d 523 (Tenn. 1991). The key, it has been held, to the recovery or denial of benefits is whether the heart attack is precipitated by the physical activity and exertion of the employee's work. Wingert v. Government of Sumner County, 98 S.W.2d 921 (Tenn. 1995). Moreover, an employee's death or disability resulting from a heart attack is causally related to his employment and therefore compensable, 2
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Ben K. Wexler,
Hamblen County Workers Compensation Panel 02/21/97
Alan Lee Pressley v. United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co.

03S01-9606-CH-00058
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's insurer contends the evidence preponderates against the trial court's finding that the employee has suffered an injury arising out of the employment. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the judgment should be affirmed. The employee or claimant, Pressley, was thirty-eight years old at the time of the trial. He has an eighth grade education, but had to repeat the second, fifth and seventh grades. He has worked as a bag boy and service station attendant. He began working as a mechanic for The Auto Place in 1988. On the afternoon of October 4, 1994, he was attempting to install a gasoline tank on a vehicle when his back made a popping noise and he felt low back pain. Later the same day, he reported to the emergency room at Harriman City Hospital. The history recorded by the admitting clerk reflects the claimant had been suffering back pain for about a year, but the claimant's wife testified at trial that she told the clerk about the injury that had occurred at work the same day. The claimant did not return to work the next day because of back pain. Four days later, the claimant reported to the emergency room at Oak Ridge Methodist Medical Center. The clerk's notes at this hospital indicate the pain began five days earlier as the claimant was getting out of bed, although the claimant's live testimony is that he explained to the person taking his history about the injury at work. He was thereafter treated by Dr. Hardigree, who released him to return to work after a conservative treatment and a short period of disability. 2
Authoring Judge: Joe C. Loser, Jr., Special Judge
Originating Judge:Hon. Frank V. Williams, III,
Knox County Workers Compensation Panel 02/21/97
Almany vs. Christie

01A01-9608-CH-00376

Originating Judge:John H. Gasaway, III
Sumner County Court of Appeals 02/21/97
State vs. Curtis Newbern

02C01-9702-CR-00071
Shelby County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9601-CR-00027

01C01-9601-CR-00027
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Cheatham County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
03C01-9512-CV-00394

03C01-9512-CV-00394
Hamblen County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9603-CR-00113

01C01-9603-CR-00113

Originating Judge:Thomas H. Shriver
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9604-CR-00147

01C01-9604-CR-00147

Originating Judge:J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9508-CC-00244

01C01-9508-CC-00244

Originating Judge:L. Terry Lafferty
Putnam County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9604-CR-00129

01C01-9604-CR-00129

Originating Judge:Thomas H. Shriver
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9602-CC-00079

01C01-9602-CC-00079

Originating Judge:John H. Gasaway, III
Robertson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9603-CC-00093

01C01-9603-CC-00093

Originating Judge:Walter C. Kurtz
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9601-CR-00032

01C01-9601-CR-00032

Originating Judge:J. Randall Wyatt, Jr.
Davidson County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9510-CC-00323

01C01-9510-CC-00323
Coffee County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
Joseph Chidester and wife, Kathleen Chidester v. L. D. Elliston, O.D.

02A01-9602-CV-00029

In this medical malpractice action, the Plaintiffs, Joseph and Kathleen Chidester, 2 filed suit against the Defendant, Dr. L. D. Elliston, for failing to diagnose the Plaintiff’s malignant tumor. The trial court granted the Defendant’s motion for summary judgment holding that the Plaintiffs’ cause of action is barred by the one year statute of limitations. The Plaintiffs’ have appealed the trial court’s order arguing that the statute of limitations does not bar this action because the Plaintiffs’ cause of action did not accrue until the Plaintiff’s malignancy recurred. For the reasons stated hereafter, we reverse the judgment of the court below and remand.

Authoring Judge: Judge Alan E. Highers
Originating Judge:Judge Joseph H. Walker, III
Tipton County Court of Appeals 02/20/97
01C01-9512-CC-00422

01C01-9512-CC-00422

Originating Judge:L. Terry Lafferty
Maury County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/20/97
X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX

X2010-0000-XX-X00-XX
Court of Appeals 02/19/97
03C01-9602-CR-00086

03C01-9602-CR-00086
Hamilton County Court of Criminal Appeals 02/18/97