Source: https://wccourt.com/2019/01/23/recapping-the-supreme-court-panel-opinions-2018/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 22:50:16+00:00

Document:
I recently wrote a three-part series on the Appeals Board’s work last year, briefly summarizing dozens of appellate opinions.
In contrast, in 2018, the Tennessee Supreme Court Special Workers’ Compensation Panel decided just eight post-Reform Act cases, along with many more “old law” opinions. It’s likely that the “new law” cases will gradually increase in the coming years, as more post-July 1, 2014 cases are appealed. Since there are only eight for now, however, I’ll provide a little more detail about each decision.
But before I delve into the cases, remember my disclaimer: I’m a staff attorney, and I’m writing this solely to remind you about recent case law. Please take the time to read them yourself in their entirety. Thanks.
Perhaps the most significant Panel opinion from last year was Pope v. Nebco of Cleveland, Inc., in which the Panel upheld the constitutionality of the statutes establishing the Appeals Board.
Green v. Kellogg Companies is instructive regarding the presentation of medical evidence of causation.
In Green, the trial court accepted the treating physician’s deposition testimony that the employee’s preexisting arthritis was the primary cause of his condition rather than work. In contrast, records from the employee’s family practice doctor said the injury “seems to be work-related,” while an IME physician expressed a work-related opinion on an unsigned C-32, which was attached to his report. Importantly, the parties deposed only the treating physician.
Next, in Thysavathdy v. Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, the Panel determined that the Appeals Board decision reached the correct result, so the Panel adopted the Board’s decision as its own — an unusual tip-of-the-hat to the Board.
Then in Panzarella v. Amazon.com, Inc., the Panel affirmed the Appeals Board opinion holding that an employee failed to satisfy his burden of proof.
Supreme Court Panels released two cases in this category.
First, in Harrison v. General Motors, LLC, the trial court found the employee wasn’t permanently and totally disabled, principally weighing competing vocational expert testimony.
The other permanent disability case is Goodman v. Schwarz Paper Co., which presented complex medical facts and varying applications of the AMA Guides.
In Garassino v. Western Express, Inc., the trial court agreed with the employee’s independent medical examiner’s impairment rating and ordered the employer to pay the cost of the exam. The Appeals Board concluded this was error.
Finally, in Osborne v. Starrun, Inc., a truck driver whose employer had no workers’ compensation insurance became injured at a manufacturer’s facility. He asserted the manufacturer was liable as his statutory employer. The trial court disagreed at an expedited hearing and later granted summary judgment for the employer.
The Panel affirmed, agreeing with the lower court’s analysis applying the three factors from the full Supreme Court in Lindsey v. Trinity Communications.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.