Opinion ID: 2278272
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Assessment of Disability

Text: In its alternative finding, the trial court assigned a ten percent vocational disability to Ms. Nakhoneinh's right arm. The trial court made no findings of fact as to any vocational disability to her left arm. The existence and extent of a permanent vocational disability are questions of fact for determination by the trial court and are reviewed de novo, accompanied by a presumption of correctness, unless the preponderance of the evidence is otherwise. Walker v. Saturn Corp., 986 S.W.2d 204, 207 (Tenn.1998). In assessing the degree of an employee's vocational disability, factors which should be considered are the employee's skills and training, education, local job opportunities, age, anatomical impairment rating, and capacity to work at the kinds of employment available in the employee's disabled condition. Tenn.Code Ann. § 50-6-241(b); Walker, 986 S.W.2d at 208. The claimant's own assessment of her physical condition and resulting disabilities must also be evaluated. Uptain Constr. Co. v. McClain, 526 S.W.2d 458, 459 (Tenn.1975). The trial court should consider both expert and lay testimony when deciding the extent of an employee's disability. Hinson v. Wal Mart-Stores, Inc., 654 S.W.2d 675, 677 (Tenn.1983). With these principles in mind, we conclude that the evidence preponderates against the trial court's assessment of a ten percent vocational disability to Ms. Nakhoneinh's right upper extremity. Dr. Thephasdin opined that Ms. Nakhoneinh retains a four percent permanent partial impairment to her upper right extremity. Dr. Gaw testified that based upon the AMA Guidelines to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 4th Ed., Ms. Nakhoneinh retains a ten percent permanent partial impairment to her right upper extremity due to post-operative carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition to the anatomical impairment assessed by these physicians, Ms. Nakhoneinh testified that her right and left arms and wrists continue to be very weak. Pain persists in both of her arms and wrists and is accompanied by swelling in her hands. Her ability to perform activities that require the use of her hands such as cooking, cleaning, and gardening is significantly reduced. Ms. Nakhoneinh's family members testified that her ability to engage in daily household activities is diminished. Further, Ms. Nakhoneinh's training is limited to one and one-half years of vocational training. The only type of work in which she has skills and training is industrial work, which frequently requires the repetitive use of the arms and hands. At the time of trial, she was fifty-eight years old with the approximate equivalency of a sixth grade education. An examination of these factors preponderates in favor of an increase in the trial court's assessment of vocational disability. Accordingly, we award a thirty percent permanent partial disability to Ms. Nakhoneinh's right arm. The trial court assigned no vocational disability rating to Ms. Nakhoneinh's left arm. The record provides sufficient evidence that Ms. Nakhoneinh suffers from a permanent condition of the left arm. Permanency must be established before a disability rating may be assessed. Hill v. Royal Ins. Co., 937 S.W.2d 873, 875 (Tenn.Sp.Workers Comp.1996). Dr. Gaw testified that the tendinitis and the overuse syndrome in the left arm were chronic and permanent conditions. He testified that the AMA Guidelines do not provide an impairment rating for these conditions. Dr. Gaw opined, however, that her condition was permanent because her symptoms dated back at least three years and the condition itself had persisted for longer than a year. Accordingly, we remand to the trial court to determine the vocational disability attributable to the work-related injury to Ms. Nakhoneinh's left arm.