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Cutler-Hammer v. Crabtree9/7/2001
We granted review in this cause to determine whether the trial court erred in finding Timothy L. Crabtree permanently and totally disabled as a result of mental and physical injuries sustained while working for Cutler-Hammer. Crabtree injured his back while working on a production line; then, during treatment for the back injury, he developed severe depression. The trial court found that Crabtree was permanently and totally disabled as a result of the combined effect of his mental and physical injuries. The Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel rejected this finding, concluding instead that Crabtree's mental disorder was not compensable because it was not connected to his back injury, which was compensable. On review, we conclude that Crabtree's mental disorder resulted from his physical injury. We hold, therefore, that Crabtree's mental disorder is compensable, and we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Tenn. Code Ann. ยง 50-6-225(e)(5)(B); Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law of the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel Accepted in Part and Rejected in Part; Judgment of the Circuit Court Affirmed
Adolpho A. Birch, Jr., J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which E. Riley Anderson, C.J., Frank F. Drowota, III, and Janice M. Holder, J., joined. William M. Barker, J., not participating.
OPINION
I. Facts and Procedural History
Timothy L. Crabtree, the appellant, a 43-year-old high school graduate, began working for Cutler-Hammer, a division of Eaton Corp. (Cutler-Hammer) in March 1977. During the 18 years in which he worked for Cutler-Hammer, his work assignments all included manual labor. His seniority enabled him to be assigned to one of the least strenuous production lines available in the plant. In February 1995, however, his supervisor moved him to a more physically demanding job because his co- workers complained repeatedly that he had been slacking on the production line. On February 28, 1995, shortly after being moved to the more strenuous production line, Crabtree was pulling a case of parts from a shelf when he felt severe pain in his back. He immediately reported the injury to a co-employee and to Cutler-Hammer's personnel department.
On the day of Crabtree's injury , Cutler-Hammer arranged an appointment with Paul Smith, M.D., a general practitioner. Smith treated Crabtree and returned him to work the next day, and the supervisor placed him back on the same job he was performing when he was injured. Later that morning, however, after a conversation with Smith, Cutler-Hammer provided Crabtree with light duty work. Crabtree continued under Smith's care for several months. His therapy included cortisone injections, pain medication, and physical therapy. While Crabtree was under Smith's care, Cutler-Hammer scheduled him to work overtime on Saturdays. When Smith sent a letter to Cutler-Hammer stating that Crabtree should not be required to work on Saturdays, the company informed Crabtree that he would be required to work overtime in the evenings. Crabtree then obtained a second note instructing Cutler- Hammer that he should be limited to 40-hour work weeks. Thereafter, Cutler-Hammer sent Crabtree to its welding department, where he was placed on a job which required him to bend, twist, and turn his back in order to perform his assigned work. Crabtree apparently was not relieved from this position until Smith sent a third note to Cutler- Hammer to emphasize that he had placed Crabtree on light duty and had restricted him from performing duties which involved bending, twisting, and turning his back.
Eventually, Smith referred Crabtree to Kevin Bailey, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon. Bailey examined Cr
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