Court Opinion

ID: 9325514
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-12-14 12:47:26.464256+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:15:00.915961
License: Public Domain

FILED
                                                                                Dec 13, 2022
                                                                               12:02 PM(CT)
                                                                             TENNESSEE COURT OF
                                                                            WORKERS' COMPENSATION
                                                                                   CLAIMS

           TENNESSEE BUREAU OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
          IN THE COURT OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMS
                           AT MEMPHIS

 SHANEACE BROOKS,                           )   Docket No. 2020-08-0689
          Employee,                         )
 v.                                         )
 FEDERAL EXPRESS                            )   State File No. 39488-2019
 CORPORATION,                               )
          Employer,                         )
 And                                        )   Judge Brian K. Addington
 INDEMNITY INSURANCE                        )
 COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA,                  )
          Carrier.                          )

                             COMPENSATION ORDER

       The Court held a Compensation Hearing on December 2, 2022. Ms. Brooks
requested medical and permanent partial disability benefits relating to a May 30, 2019,
serious work accident. FedEx contended that Ms. Brooks did not introduce sufficient
medical evidence to support her claim. For the following reasons, the Court holds that Ms.
Brooks is entitled to future medical benefits for her physical injury but no disability
benefits or treatment for her alleged mental injury.
                                    History of Claim
       A motorized tug ran over Ms. Brooks at work on May 30, 2019. The impact crushed
her right leg and caused multiple fractures and large lacerations. She spent weeks in the
hospital recovering from multiple surgeries, including skin grafts, performed by Dr. John
Weinlien.
       After months of treatment, Dr. Weinlien eventually released Ms. Brooks for
sedentary work in January 2020. She resigned her job with FedEx in February to focus on
her health and to work as a hairdresser. In May, Dr. Weinlien placed Ms. Brooks at
maximum medical improvement, released her to full-duty work, and assigned an
impairment rating.

                                            1
       A few weeks later, Ms. Brooks began treatment with psychiatrist Melvin Goldin for
post-traumatic stress disorder. He finished treating her in July and gave her a zero-percent
impairment rating. However, Ms. Brooks continued to have symptoms after her release
and returned to Dr. Goldin for additional treatment. Ultimately, Dr. Goldin stated Ms.
Brooks’s current problems were not related to her work incident.
       Ms. Brooks was dissatisfied with Dr. Weinlien’s rating as well as Dr. Goldin’s
treatment. She did not want to take any medications that would interfere with her work as
a hairdresser and felt her providers could do more to bring her back to her pre-injury state.
She believed her depression was caused by her work injury, and it needed to be properly
addressed. She wanted to choose her own providers.
       Federal Express countered that she is at maximum medical improvement, and she
had not submitted medical evidence to contradict the treatment and opinions of the
authorized physicians. Neither party took expert depositions.
                       Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
       At a Compensation Hearing, Ms. Brooks must present sufficient evidence showing
that she is entitled to the requested relief by a preponderance of the evidence. Tenn. Code
Ann. § 50-6-239(c)(6) (2022). Further, the Court can only consider issues certified by a
mediator on the Dispute Certification Notice. Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-239(a)-(b)(1).
Here, the only issue marked disputed was permanent disability benefits.
       Regarding this issue, Ms. Brooks argued that Dr. Weinlien did not use the Sixth
Edition of the American Medical Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent
Impairment correctly. However, she did not present expert medical proof showing why
Dr. Weinlien’s rating was incorrect or providing a contrary rating.
        As with any workers’ compensation injury, the Court must first determine whether
the injury is causally related to Ms. Brooks’s accident. While expert testimony is normally
necessary to prove causation, the Court holds that the cause of Ms. Brooks’s physical
injuries was simple and obvious, and therefore she did not need to present expert medical
evidence to support a finding that she suffered physical injuries that arose primarily out of
and in the course and scope of her employment. Cloyd v. Hartco Flooring Co., 274 S.W.3d
638, 643 (Tenn. 2008) (quoting Orman v. Williams Sonoma, Inc., 803 S.W.2d 672, 676
(Tenn. 1991)).
        However, when it comes to permanent disability, it was necessary for Ms. Brooks
to support her contentions with expert medical evidence. She did not introduce expert
medical evidence: either a C-32 form under Tennessee Code Annotated Section 50-6-
235(c)(1) or any medical deposition testimony. The Court cannot substitute its opinion for
that of medical professionals.

                                             2
        Thus, although Ms. Brooks proved she suffered an obvious injury at work, she did
not prove the extent of the permanency of her injury. The Court can only find that she is
entitled to continued medical treatment with Dr. Weinlien. Ms. Brooks is not entitled to
treat with a different physician solely on her lay opinion that Dr. Weinlien did not
appropriately address her injury or impairment.
        Ms. Brooks’s lack of expert medical opinion also defeats her claim for additional
treatment and permanent disability benefits for her psychological injury. Because Dr.
Goldin’s last medical note says that Ms. Brooks’s current problems were not related to her
leg injury, and Ms. Brooks did not provide any contrary medical opinions, the Court cannot
award her further medical or permanent disability benefits for her alleged psychological
injury.
IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED as follows:

      1. Federal Express shall pay future medical benefits for Ms. Brooks’s right-leg
      injury under Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-204.

      2. The Court taxes the $150.00 filing fee to Federal Express, to be paid to the Court
      Clerk under Tennessee Compilation Rules and Regulations 0800-02-21-.06 (2022)
      within five business days of this order becoming final, and for which execution
      might issue if necessary.

      3. Federal Express shall prepare and submit to the Court Clerk a Statistical Data
      Form (SD2) within five business days of this order becoming final.

      4. Unless appealed, this order shall become final thirty days after issuance.

      ENTERED December 13, 2022.

                                            /s/ Brian K. Addington
                                         ______________________________________
                                         BRIAN K. ADDINGTON, JUDGE
                                         Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims

                                            3
                                             Appendix

Exhibits:
1. Affidavit of Shaneace Brooks
2. Wage Statement
3. Final Medical Report
4. Medical Records of Regional One Health1
5. Medical Records of Dr. Melvin Goldin
6. Medical Records of Campbell Clinic
7. Medical Records of Ortho South
8. Photographs (collective)
9. Journal entries
10. Email (for identification only)
11. Text messages (for identification only)
12. Web page print out (for identification only)
13. Final Medical Report (for identification only)2

Technical Record:
1. Petition for Benefit Determination
2. Dispute Certification Notice
3. Employer’s Position Statement
4. Hearing Request
5. Scheduling Order
6. Transfer Order
7. Notice of Appearance
8. Pre-Compensation Hearing Brief of Employer/Carrier
9. Pre-Compensation Hearing Statement of Employer/Carrier
10. Employer/Carrier’s List of Proposed Witnesses for Compensation Hearing
11. Employer/Carrier’s List of Proposed Exhibits for Compensation Hearing
12. Final Dispute Certification Notice

1
 The Court did not consider hearsay within any of the medical record exhibits.
2
 Exhibits 10-12 were not timely submitted to the Court and were not considered. A search for exhibit 13
shows it was not submitted before the hearing and is thus excluded from evidence.

                                                  4
                            CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that a correct copy of this Order was sent on December 13, 2022.

           Name             Certified Fax       Email           Service sent to:
                             Mail
  Shaneace Brooks,             X                 X      924 Restbrook Ave.
  Employee                                              Memphis, TN 38124
                                                        bshaneace@yahoo.com
  Stephen Miller and                             X      smiller@mckuhn.com
  Joseph Baker,                                         jbaker@mckuhn.com
  Employer’s Attorneys                                  mdoherty@mckuhn.com

                                         ______________________________________
                                         PENNY SHRUM, COURT CLERK
                                         wc.courtclerk@tn.gov

                                            5
                              Compensation Order Right to Appeal:
     If you disagree with this Compensation Order, you may appeal to the Workers’
Compensation Appeals Board. To do so, you must:
   1. Complete the enclosed form entitled “Notice of Appeal” and file it with the Clerk of the
      Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims within thirty calendar days of the date the
      Compensation Order was filed. When filing the Notice of Appeal, you must serve a copy
      upon the opposing party (or attorney, if represented).

   2. You must pay, via check, money order, or credit card, a $75.00 filing fee within ten calendar
      days after filing the Notice of Appeal. Payments can be made in-person at any Bureau office
      or by U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or other delivery service. In the alternative, you may file an
      Affidavit of Indigency (form available on the Bureau’s website or any Bureau office)
      seeking a waiver of the filing fee. You must file the fully-completed Affidavit of Indigency
      within ten calendar days of filing the Notice of Appeal. Failure to timely pay the filing
      fee or file the Affidavit of Indigency will result in dismissal of your appeal.

   3. You are responsible for ensuring a complete record is presented on appeal. The Court Clerk
      will prepare the technical record and exhibits for submission to the Appeals Board, and you
      will receive notice once it has been submitted. If no court reporter was present at the hearing,
      you may request from the Court Clerk the audio recording of the hearing for a $25.00 fee.
      A licensed court reporter must prepare a transcript, and you must file it with the Court Clerk
      within fifteen calendar days of filing the Notice of Appeal. Alternatively, you may file a
      statement of the evidence prepared jointly by both parties within fifteen calendar days of
      filing the Notice of Appeal. The statement of the evidence must convey a complete and
      accurate account of the testimony presented at the hearing. The Workers’ Compensation
      Judge must approve the statement of the evidence before the record is submitted to the
      Appeals Board. If the Appeals Board must review testimony or other proof concerning
      factual matters, the absence of a transcript or statement of the evidence can be a significant
      obstacle to meaningful appellate review.

   4. After the Workers’ Compensation Judge approves the record and the Court Clerk transmits
      it to the Appeals Board, a docketing notice will be sent to the parties. You have fifteen
      calendar days after the date of that notice to file a brief to the Appeals Board. See the Rules
      governing the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board on the Bureau’s website
If neither party timely files an appeal with the Appeals Board, the trial court’s Order will
become final by operation of law thirty calendar days after entry. Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-
239(c)(7).

       For self-represented litigants: Help from an Ombudsman is available at 800-332-2667.
                                              NOTICE OF APPEAL
                                      Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
                                        www.tn.gov/workforce/injuries-at-work/
                                        wc.courtclerk@tn.gov | 1-800-332-2667

                                                                                  Docket No.: ________________________

                                                                                  State File No.: ______________________

                                                                                  Date of Injury: _____________________

         ___________________________________________________________________________
         Employee

         v.

         ___________________________________________________________________________
         Employer

Notice is given that ____________________________________________________________________
                         [List name(s) of all appealing party(ies). Use separate sheet if necessary.]

appeals the following order(s) of the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims to the
Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (check one or more applicable boxes and include the date file-
stamped on the first page of the order(s) being appealed):

□ Expedited Hearing Order filed on _______________ □ Motion Order filed on ___________________
□ Compensation Order filed on__________________ □ Other Order filed on_____________________
issued by Judge _________________________________________________________________________.

Statement of the Issues on Appeal
Provide a short and plain statement of the issues on appeal or basis for relief on appeal:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Parties
Appellant(s) (Requesting Party): _________________________________________ ☐Employer ☐Employee
Address: ________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________
Email: __________________________________________________________
Attorney’s Name: ______________________________________________ BPR#: _______________________
Attorney’s Email: ______________________________________________ Phone: _______________________
Attorney’s Address: _________________________________________________________________________
                           * Attach an additional sheet for each additional Appellant *

LB-1099 rev. 01/20                              Page 1 of 2                                              RDA 11082
Employee Name: _______________________________________ Docket No.: _____________________ Date of Inj.: _______________

Appellee(s) (Opposing Party): ___________________________________________ ☐Employer ☐Employee
Appellee’s Address: ______________________________________________ Phone: ____________________
Email: _________________________________________________________
Attorney’s Name: _____________________________________________ BPR#: ________________________
Attorney’s Email: _____________________________________________ Phone: _______________________
Attorney’s Address: _________________________________________________________________________
                              * Attach an additional sheet for each additional Appellee *

                                             CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, _____________________________________________________________, certify that I have forwarded a
true and exact copy of this Notice of Appeal by First Class mail, postage prepaid, or in any manner as described
in Tennessee Compilation Rules & Regulations, Chapter 0800-02-21, to all parties and/or their attorneys in this
case on this the __________ day of ___________________________________, 20 ____.

                                                           ______________________________________________
                                                            [Signature of appellant or attorney for appellant]

LB-1099 rev. 01/20                                 Page 2 of 2                                        RDA 11082
                               Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
                                      220 French Landing Drive, I-B
                                        Nashville, TN 37243-1002
                                              800-332-2667

                                          AFFIDAVIT OF INDIGENCY

I, ________________________________________, having been duly sworn according to law, make oath that
because of my poverty, I am unable to bear the costs of this appeal and request that the filing fee to appeal be
waived. The following facts support my poverty.

1. Full Name:                                            2. Address:

3. Telephone Number:                                     4. Date of Birth:

5. Names and Ages of All Dependents:

        ______________________________________ Relationship:

        ______________________________________ Relationship:

        ______________________________________ Relationship:

        ______________________________________ Relationship:

6. I am employed by:

        My employer’s address is:

        My employer’s phone number is:

7. My present monthly household income, after federal income and social security taxes are deducted, is:

$ ___________________

8. I receive or expect to receive money from the following sources:

        AFDC            $ ________ per month             beginning
        SSI             $ ________ per month             beginning
        Retirement      $ ________ per month             beginning
        Disability      $ ________ per month             beginning
        Unemployment $ ________ per month                beginning
        Worker’s Comp.$ ________ per month               beginning
        Other           $ ________ per month             beginning

LB-1108 (REV 11/15)                                                                               RDA 11082
9. My expenses are:

        Rent/House Payment $ ________ per month          Medical/Dental $ ___________ per month

        Groceries       $ ________ per month             Telephone       $            per month
        Electricity     $ ________ per month             School Supplies $            per month
        Water           $ ________ per month             Clothing        $            per month
        Gas             $ ________ per month             Child Care      $            per month
        Transportation $ ________ per month              Child Support   $            per month
        Car             $_________ per month
        Other           $ _______ per month (describe:                                      )

10. Assets:

        Automobile              $                        (FMV)
        Checking/Savings Acct. $
        House                   $                        (FMV)
        Other                   $                        Describe:

11. My debts are:

        Amount Owed                     To Whom

I hereby declare under the penalty of perjury that the foregoing answers are true, correct, and complete
and that I am financially unable to pay the costs of this appeal.

                                                                         _

APPELLANT

Sworn and subscribed before me, a notary public, this

_______ day of                                    , 20_______.

NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires:

LB-1108 (REV 11/15)                                                                             RDA 11082