Sharon Eldridge v. Putnam County Board of Education

This workers’ compensation appeal has been referred to the Special Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel of the Supreme Court in accordance with Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-225(e)(3) for hearing and reporting of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The trial court found that the employee had not had a meaningful return to work, and awarded twenty percent (20%) permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. The employer has appealed that ruling, contending that the award should have been “capped” in accordance with Tenn. Code Annotated section 50-6-241(d)(1)(A) (Supp. 2004) and that the Court erred by accrediting the testimony of Dr. Fishbein over that of Dr. Talmage. We affirm the judgment of the trial court as modified herein.