Aileen Pyles v. Pacific Coast Feather Company, et al.

This workers' compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated §50-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. In this appeal, the employer asserts that the trial court erred in awarding to the employee a 55% permanent partial disability to the left arm and a 45% permanent partial disability to the right arm as a result of her employment with Pacific Coast Feather Company and in awarding discretionary costs including the amount of $500.00 for an independent medical evaluation. We conclude that the evidence presented supports the findings of the trial judge and, in accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. §50-6-225(e)(2), affirm the judgment of the trial court but modify the judgment to exclude the award of the expense for an independent medical examination as a discretionary cost.