Brenda Gail Howell v. Murray Ohio Manufacturing Co.
01S01-9609-CH-00176
Authoring Judge: Robert A. Lanier, Special Judge
Trial Court Judge: Hon. James L. Weatherford,
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 appellant employer insists (1) the award of permanent partial disability benefits based on sixty percent to the body as a whole is excessive, (2) the trial court applied an incorrect compensation rate, and (3) the trial court erred in commuting the award to a lump sum. The lump sum issue was withdrawn during oral argument. As discussed below, the panel has concluded the award of permanent partial disability benefits and the compensation rate should be modified. Because both issues are fact driven, appellate review is de novo upon the record of the trial court, accompanied by a presumption of correctness, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Tenn. Code Ann. section 5-6-225(e)(2). This tribunal is required to conduct an independent examination of the record to determine where the preponderance of the evidence lies.

Lawrence Workers Compensation Panel

Charles H. Smith v. Kinetic Concepts, Inc.
01S01-9610-CH-00207
Authoring Judge: William S. Russell, Retired Judge
Trial Court Judge: Hon.

Smith Workers Compensation Panel

Robert Stone v. Saturn Corporation
01S01-9610-CH-00213
Authoring Judge: William S. Russell, Retired Judge
Trial Court Judge: Hon.

Maury Workers Compensation Panel

03CO1-9610-CR-00373
03CO1-9610-CR-00373

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Haney
03C01-9612-CC-00449
Trial Court Judge: Rex Henry Ogle

Cocke Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Lawson
03C01-9608-CR-00282

Hancock Court of Criminal Appeals

03C01-9610-CR-00380
03C01-9610-CR-00380

Carter Court of Criminal Appeals

Bass vs. State
03C01-9612-CR-00466
Trial Court Judge: Lynn W. Brown

Johnson Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Farr
03C01-9701-CR-00004

Knox Court of Criminal Appeals

Howell vs. State
03C01-9703-CR-00095

Court of Criminal Appeals

Montgomery vs. State
03C01-9507-CC-00189
Trial Court Judge: Arden L. Hill

Carter Court of Criminal Appeals

Jerel Hughes v. Dept. of Correction
M2001-00074-COA-R3-CV
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Patricia J. Cottrell
Trial Court Judge: Ellen Hobbs Lyle
Petitioner, a state inmate, filed the underlying action seeking review of actions taken by the Tennessee Department of Correction and the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole, including the decision of the Board to deny parole and set the next parole hearing two years later. Petitioner had been convicted of an additional felony while on parole from a previous felony conviction. The trial court dismissed the petition for failure to state a claim under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 12.02(6). For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the decision of the trial court.

Davidson Court of Appeals

State vs. Cleophes Carter
02C01-9603-CR-00083
Trial Court Judge: James C. Beasley, Jr.

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Cleophes Carter
02C01-9603-CR-00083

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. James Corder
02C01-9606-CC-00189

Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Leslie Thompson
02C01-9607-CR-00245

Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Gary Cooper
02C01-9610-CC-00334
Trial Court Judge: Joe G. Riley. Jr.

Lake Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Ray Douglas
02C01-9610-CR-00349

Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Sammy Golden
02C01-9611-CR-00393

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Doyle Hart
02C01-9612-CC-00451

Court of Criminal Appeals

James Lowery, et al vs. Gary & Emily Franks
02A01-9612-CV-00304
Trial Court Judge: John Franklin Murchison

Madison Court of Appeals

Glover v. Philips
03S01-9607-CV-00076
Authoring Judge: John K. Byers, Senior Judge
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Ben K. Wexler,
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 to the Supreme Court of findings of fact and conclusions of law. The plaintiff, who was 38 years of age at the time of this trial and who has a meager education, testified she fell over a fan on September 15 or 16, 1993 while working for the defendant and injured her back. The trial judge awarded 31% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole. We affirm in part and reverse in part. The plaintiff testified she told her supervisor at the time of the fall that she was injured. The supervisor denied he received this report. The dispensary nurse at the plant notes that on September 16 at 3:45 p.m., the plaintiff came to the dispensary and complained of back pain which, the note showed, was reported to be the result of a fall three years previously. There is no indication the nurse in the dispensary referred the plaintiff to an approved physician for treatment or evaluation of work injuries. The entry shows the plaintiff was sent home and ordered to take Advil for the pain. On September 17, 1993, the plaintiff was seen by Dr. Stanley of the Takoma Medical Group. Medicine for pain and muscle relaxers were prescribed for the plaintiff. The plaintiff was next seen in March 1994 by the group, then June 13, 1994, July 2, 1994, October 4, 1994, November 1, 1994 and March 1995. The testimony concerning the plaintiff's treatment and depression was given by Dr. Richard J. Aasheim, a family practitioner. The testimony reveals the plaintiff had a plethora of ailments, many attributable to her general physical condition, which showed a person 5'2" who weighed more than 18 pounds and was moderately obese. We need not go into great detail concerning the overall medical findings concerning the plaintiff. The pertinent parts of the doctor's testimony for the purpose of this case is his finding the plaintiff had lower back pain and muscle spasm as a result of the fall she related to him, with underlying chronic back pain prior to the fall. He testified that the fall aggravated and advanced pre-existing chronic back pain. 2

Knox Workers Compensation Panel

Randall E. Deskins, et ux., v. Beulah M. Williams
03A01-9701-CV-00023
Authoring Judge: Presiding Judge Houston M. Goddard
Trial Court Judge: Judge Rex Henry Ogle

Randall E. Desksins and his wife Thelma Jean Deskins, appeal a judgment of the Circuit Court for Sevier County, entered pursuant to a juryverdict, which dismissed their claim against Beulah M. Williams for personal injuries suffered by Mr. Deskins and loss of consortium and services by Mrs. Deskins, resulting from an automobile accident occurring on June 3, 1989. Mr. Deskins also appeals a judgmentin favor of the original Defendant and Counter-Plaintiff, Beulah M. Williams.

Sevier Court of Appeals

State vs. Mario Campbell
02C01-9705-CR-00197

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals

State vs. Abraham Galmore
02C01-9607-CR-00230
Trial Court Judge: Joseph B. Dailey

Shelby Court of Criminal Appeals