Gueye, Kine v.Federal Express Corp.

2017 TN WC 173
CourtTennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims
DecidedSeptember 7, 2017
Docket2016-08-0701
StatusPublished

This text of 2017 TN WC 173 (Gueye, Kine v.Federal Express Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gueye, Kine v.Federal Express Corp., 2017 TN WC 173 (Tenn. Super. Ct. 2017).

Opinion

FILED September 7, 2017 TN C O URT OF W ORKE.R.S' C 0:\1PENSATIO N CLAIMS

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

KINE GUEYE, ) Docket No.: 2016-08-0701 Employee, ) v. ) State File No.: 29588-2015 FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP., ) Employer. ) Judge Robert Durham

COMPENSATION HEARING ORDER DENYING BENEFITS

This cause came before the undersigned Workers' Compensation Judge on August 31, 201 7, for a Compensation Hearing on the issues of compensability, medical benefits, and temporary and permanent disability benefits. Given that Federal Express stipulated Ms. Gueye sustained a compensable low back injury on April 9, 2015, for which she is entitled to reasonable medical treatment, the dispositive issue is whether Ms. Gueye's complaints of muscle weakness, paresthesia, dizziness, ataxia, and "brain compression" causally relate to this work injury and entitle her to additional medical and temporary or permanent disability benefits. The Court holds Ms. Gueye did not prove that her current complaints arose primarily out of and in the course and scope of her work injury and as a result she is not entitled to the requested benefits. 1

History of Claim

Ms. Gueye fell and sustained a low back injury while working for Federal Express on April 9, 20 15. Federal Express provided treatment with the authorized treating physician (ATP), Dr. Arsen Manugian, who released her at maximum medical improvement on June 25, 2015, with no restrictions or permanent impairment for the low back strain. He felt her continued low back and leg pain were due to her pre-existing spondylosis rather than the low back strain.

1 At the end of Ms. Gueye's proof, Federal Express moved for an involuntary dismissal under T.R.C.P. 41.02(2) on the basis that Ms. Gueye failed to provide proof regarding the benefits she sought. However, given its stipulation that she sustained a compensable low back injury, which entitles her to reasonable and necessary treatment through the authorized physician, Dr. Arsen Manugian, Federal Express' motion is denied.

1 However, Ms. Gueye continued to complain of multiple physical ailments, such as headaches, muscle weakness, paresthesia, dizziness, ataxia, and "brain compression," which she attributed to her work-related fall. She received unauthorized treatment with Dr. Manugian and several other physicians for these asserted ailments. At the Expedited Hearing, Ms. Gueye testified about these complaints and introduced voluminous medical records regarding her evaluation and treatment. Her testimony and medical history are set out in the Expedited Hearing Order and incorporated by reference. 2

At the Compensation Hearing, Ms. Gueye again testified that she did not experience any leg pain, headaches, or neurological problems other than Bell's Palsy prior to her accident, but she began experiencing them shortly afterwards. She also introduced records from neurologist Dr. Tulio Bertorini dating from July 31, 2016, through July 10, 2017. While documenting Ms. Gueye's complaints, Dr. Bertorini could not determine their cause, and on July 10, stated he did not have a "better diagnosis for her neurological complaints." Federal Express did not introduce any evidence.

Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

Ms. Gueye has the burden of proof on all essential elements of her workers' compensation claim. Scott v. Integrity Staffing Solutions, 2015 TN Wrk. Comp. App. Bd. LEXIS 24, at *6 (Aug. 18, 20 15). "[A]t a compensation hearing where the injured employee has arrived at a trial on the merits, the employee must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that he or she is, in fact, entitled to the requested benefits." Willis v. All Staff, 2015 TN Wrk. Comp. App. Bd. LEXIS 42, at *18 (Nov. 9, 2015)

Here, Federal Express stipulated that Ms. Gueye suffered a low back injury on April 9, 2015, and agreed to provide related future medical care as ordered by the ATP, Dr. Manugian. However, Dr. Manugian released Ms. Gueye to return to work with no restrictions or impairment, finding that she fully recovered from the low back strain causally related to her work injury. Thus, the question is whether Ms. Gueye proved that her other complaints, i.e., headaches, neck pain, upper and lower extremity pain and numbness, and generalized weakness, causally relate to her work injury. Upon review of the record, the Court holds she did not.

In order to establish causation, Ms. Gueye must prove "to a reasonable degree of medical certainty that [the injury] contributed more than fifty percent (50%) in causing the death, disablement or need for medical treatment, considering all causes." Tenn.- Corle Ann. § 50-6-102(14)(C) (2016). The term "reasonable degree of medical certainty" means that, "in the opinion of the physician, it is more likely than not considering all

2 The Court takes judicial notice of testimony heard and exhibits admitted into evidence at the prior in-person Expedited Hearing. See Hughes v. New Life Dev. Corp., 387 S.W.3d 453, 457 n.l (Tenn." 2012), holding, "we are permitted to take judicial notice of the facts from earlier proceedings in the same action."

2 causes, as opposed to speculation or possibility." Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-102(14)(D). Thus, causation must be established by expert medical testimony, and it must be more than "speculation or possibility" on the part of the doctor. Id.

Ms. Gueye conceded that Dr. Manugian's opinion on causation is entitled to a presumption of correctness, rebuttable by a preponderance of the evidence. Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-102(14)(E). As to Ms. Gueye's low back and leg complaints, Dr. Manugian stated that her underlying spondylolysis pre-existed her work injury and he found no evidence of an acute injury to her lumbar spine. He also felt her leg weakness was unrelated to the work injury.

As to Ms. Gueye's other complaints, the thrust of her argument is that she only began experiencing these symptoms after her fall. However, even if correct, this evidence alone is insufficient to prove these symptoms are work-related. Medical evidence is generally required in order to establish a causal relationship, "[ e]xcept in the most obvious, simple and routine cases." Cloyd v. Hartco Flooring Co., 274 S.W.3d 638, 643 (Tenn. 2008).

Numerous physicians evaluated Ms. Gueye, including three neurologists and a neurosurgeon. The only physician to address a causal connection between her condition and her work injury was Dr. Bertorini, who had no explanation for her complaints. Thus, even if her symptoms began after April 9, 2015, the Court holds Ms. Gueye failed to prove these complaints arose primarily out of and in the course and scope of her employment.

Therefore, as a matter of law, the Court holds Ms. Gueye is entitled to future medical treatment by an authorized treating provider as reasonably necessary for her work-related low back strain. Additionally, because Ms. Gueye did not offer any evidence of entitlement to additional temporary disability benefits or permanent partial disability benefits resulting for her compensable low back strain, her request for these benefits is denied. Finally, Ms.

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Related

R. Douglas Hughes v. New Life Development Corporation
387 S.W.3d 453 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 2012)
Lon Cloyd v. Hartco Flooring Company
274 S.W.3d 638 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 2008)
Reeser v. Yellow Freight System, Inc.
938 S.W.2d 690 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1997)

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