Mary W. Scott v. Kenny Pipe & Supply, Inc., et al.

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 of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The only issue raised in this appeal is whether the evidence supports the trial court's award of permanent partial disability. We conclude that it does and affirm the decision. The plaintiff, Mary W. Scott, a then fifty-six-year-old clerical worker, injured herself in September 1992 when she fell because the back of her secretarial chair came off. She came under the care of Dr. Greg Lanford, a neurosurgeon. He hospitalized her for a few days and then treated her conservatively. She returned to work for several months and then left her job, but there is no explanation in the record as to the cause of her termination. Dr. Lanford had treated the plaintiff before for the same condition. In fact, he operated on her back in October 1991 to attempt to repair degenerative changes in discs C3 through C7. Following that surgery, the plaintiff returned to work. The employer's argument is straightforward. The plaintiff's condition was no worse after the fall than it was before the fall. Dr. Lanford found the plaintiff to be in about the same condition after the fall as she was before the fall. When asked to compare the plaintiff's condition on July 3, 1992 - the last time he saw her before her work injury - to her condition on August 3, 1993 - the last time he saw her after the work injury - the doctor responded: "I really don't see a lot of difference in the two visits." Dr. Lanford concluded that she had a 14% impairment before the fall and a 14% impairment after the fall. -2-