Jones, Jeffrey v. Columbus McKinnon Corp.

FILED

Oct 10, 2019

12:30 PM(CT)

TENNESSEE

WORKERS' COMPENSATION

APPEALS BOARD

7(11(66((%85($8 2):25.(56¶&203(16$7,21

:25.(56¶&203(16$7,21$33($/6%2$5'

-HIIUH\-RQHV 'RFNHW1R 

Y 6WDWH)LOH1R 

&ROXPEXV0F.LQQRQ&RUSHWDO

$SSHDOIURPWKH&RXUWRI:RUNHUV¶

&RPSHQVDWLRQ&ODLPV

7KRPDV/:\DWW -XGJH

$IILUPHGDQG5HPDQGHG

,Q WKLV LQWHUORFXWRU\ DSSHDO WKH WULDO FRXUW GHQLHG WKH HPSOR\HU¶V PRWLRQ IRU VXPPDU\

MXGJPHQWFRQFOXGLQJWKHUHZHUHJHQXLQHLVVXHVRIPDWHULDOIDFWFRQFHUQLQJZKHWKHUWKH

HPSOR\HHJDYHSURSHUQRWLFHRIKLVDOOHJHGLQMXU\7KHHPSOR\HUKDVDSSHDOHG9LHZLQJ

WKHHYLGHQFHLQDOLJKWPRVWIDYRUDEOHWRWKHQRQPRYLQJSDUW\ZHFRQFOXGHWKHWULDOFRXUW

GLG QRW HUU LQ GHQ\LQJ WKH HPSOR\HU¶V PRWLRQ  $V D UHVXOW ZH DIILUP DQG UHPDQG WKH

FDVH

-XGJH 7LPRWK\ : &RQQHU GHOLYHUHG WKH RSLQLRQ RI WKH $SSHDOV %RDUG LQ ZKLFK -XGJH

'DYLG)+HQVOH\ MRLQHG 3UHVLGLQJ-XGJH0DUVKDOO/'DYLGVRQ,,, GLGQRWSDUWLFLSDWH

5REHUW - 8KRUFKXN &KDWWDQRRJD 7HQQHVVHH IRU WKH HPSOR\HUDSSHOODQW &ROXPEXV

0F.LQQRQ&RUS

.HQW7-RQHV &OHYHODQG7HQQHVVHHIRUWKH HPSOR\HHDSSHOOHH-HIIUH\-RQHV

)DFWXDODQG3URFHGXUDO%DFNJURXQG

-HIIUH\ -RQHV ³(PSOR\HH´  D UHVLGHQW RI +DPLOWRQ &RXQW\ 7HQQHVVHH LV D

WZHQW\IRXU\HDUHPSOR\HHRI&ROXPEXV 0F.LQQRQ&RUSRUDWLRQ ³(PSOR\HU´ ZKHUHKH

ZRUNV DV D PDFKLQH RSHUDWRU  2Q 0D\   ZKLOH ZRUNLQJ RQ WKH SDLQW OLQH KH

VXIIHUHGSDLQDQGRWKHUV\PSWRPVLQKLVULJKWKDQGDQGDUP$FFRUGLQJWR(PSOR\HHKH

UHSRUWHG WKH V\PSWRPV WR D VXSHUYLVRU .HYLQ 6FKODJHWHU DQG REVHUYHG 0U 6FKODJHWHU

VSHDN ZLWK WKH (QYLURQPHQWDO +HDOWK  6DIHW\ 0DQDJHU 6WHSKHQ %\HU $ SURGXFWLRQ

VXSHUYLVRUGURYHKLPKRPHDQGKHUHPDLQHGRXWRIZRUNIRUWKUHHZHHNV7KHUHDIWHUKH

ZDVVHHQE\'U0DUN %U]H]LQVNLDKDQGVSHFLDOLVW



(PSOR\HHKDGH[SHULHQFHGDSULRULQMXU\WRKLVULJKWKDQGRQ1RYHPEHU

ZKLOH ZRUNLQJ IRU (PSOR\HU  2Q WKDW GDWH KLV ULJKW LQGH[ DQG PLGGOH ILQJHUV ZHUH

FDXJKWLQDPDFKLQHUHVXOWLQJLQDSDUWLDODPSXWDWLRQRIERWKILQJHUV$VDUHVXOW RIWKDW

LQMXU\(PSOR\HHWUHDWHGZLWK'U%U]H]LQVNL

(PSOR\HUGLVSXWHVWKDW(PSOR\HHSURYLGHGQRWLFHRIDQLQMXU\WRKLVVXSHUYLVRURQ

RU DERXW 0D\    0RUHRYHU 0U %\HU GHQLHV KH UHFHLYHG QRWLFH RI (PSOR\HH¶V

DOOHJHG LQMXU\ DW DQ\ WLPH EHIRUH )HEUXDU\   (PSOR\HU DVVHUWV WKDW (PSOR\HH¶V

UHTXHVWIRUWUHDWPHQWZLWK'U%U]H]LQVNLLQZDVUHODWHGWR KLV LQMXU\ DQGQRW

IURPDQ\QHZLQMXU\LQ

$IWHU(PSOR\HHILOHGDSHWLWLRQIRUEHQHILWV(PSOR\HUILOHGDPRWLRQIRUVXPPDU\

MXGJPHQWDVVHUWLQJWKDWLWZDVHQWLWOHGWRDMXGJPHQWDVDPDWWHURIODZDVWRWKHLVVXHRI

QRWLFH  ,Q UHVSRQVH (PSOR\HH DUJXHG WKHUH ZHUH JHQXLQH LVVXHV RI PDWHULDO IDFW

UHJDUGLQJZKHWKHUKHJDYHSURSHUQRWLFHRIKLVDOOHJHGLQMXU\WR0U6FKODJHWHUDQG

ZKHWKHU0U6FKODJHWHULQWXUQUHSRUWHGLWWR0U%\HU(PSOR\HUDUJXHGWKDW(PSOR\HH

GLG QRW UHSRUW D QHZ LQMXU\ EXW PHUHO\ FRPSODLQHG RI LQFUHDVHG V\PSWRPV LQ KLV ULJKW

KDQGUHODWHGWRKLVSULRULQMXU\

)ROORZLQJ D KHDULQJ RQ -XO\   WKH WULDO FRXUW LVVXHG DQ RUGHU GHQ\LQJ

(PSOR\HU¶V PRWLRQ IRU VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW 7KH FRXUW FRQFOXGHG WKHUH ZDV FRQIOLFWLQJ

WHVWLPRQ\DVWRWKHLVVXHRIQRWLFHWKDWFUHDWHGDJHQXLQHLVVXHRIPDWHULDOIDFW,WDOVR

FRQFOXGHG WKDW ZHLJKLQJ VXFK WHVWLPRQ\ ZRXOG UHTXLUH LW WR DVVHVV ZLWQHVV FUHGLELOLW\

ZKLFKLVLQDSSURSULDWHDWWKHVXPPDU\MXGJPHQWVWDJH(PSOR\HUKDVDSSHDOHG

6WDQGDUGRI5HYLHZ

$ WULDOFRXUW¶VUXOLQJRQDPRWLRQIRUVXPPDU\MXGJPHQWLVUHYLHZHGGHQRYRZLWK

QRSUHVXPSWLRQRIFRUUHFWQHVVWallis v. Brainerd Baptist Church6:G

7HQQ  ³>:@HPDNHDIUHVKGHWHUPLQDWLRQRIZKHWKHUWKHUHTXLUHPHQWVRI5XOH

RIWKH7HQQHVVHH5XOHVRI&LYLO3URFHGXUHKDYHEHHQVDWLVILHG´  :HDUHDOVRPLQGIXORI

RXUREOLJDWLRQWRFRQVWUXHWKHZRUNHUV¶FRPSHQVDWLRQVWDWXWHV³IDLUO\LPSDUWLDOO\DQGLQ

DFFRUGDQFH ZLWK EDVLF SULQFLSOHV RI VWDWXWRU\ FRQVWUXFWLRQ´ DQG LQ D ZD\ WKDW GRHV QRW

IDYRUHLWKHUWKHHPSOR\HHRUWKHHPSOR\HU7HQQ&RGH$QQ†  

$QDO\VLV

7KHGHWHUPLQDWLYHLVVXHRQDSSHDOLVZKHWKHUWKHWULDOFRXUWHUUHGLQILQGLQJWKHUH

ZDV D GLVSXWHG LVVXH RI PDWHULDO IDFW SUHFOXGLQJ VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW  (PSOR\HU ILUVW

DUJXHV WKDW (PSOR\HH¶V DIILGDYLW XSRQ ZKLFK WKH WULDO FRXUW UHOLHG LQ LGHQWLI\LQJ D

JHQXLQHLVVXHRIPDWHULDOIDFWGLGQRWVWDWH³LQSODLQDQGVLPSOHODQJXDJHWKHWLPH

SODFH QDWXUH DQG FDXVH RI WKH DFFLGHQW UHVXOWLQJ LQ LQMXU\´ 6HFRQG (PSOR\HU DUJXHG

WKDW(PSOR\HH¶VDOOHJHGIDLOXUHWRSURYLGHSURSHUQRWLFHFDXVHGLWXQIDLUSUHMXGLFHVLQFH



(PSOR\HU ZDV GHSULYHG RI ³WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR PDNH D WLPHO\ LQYHVWLJDWLRQ RI WKH IDFWV

ZKLOH VWLOO UHDGLO\ DFFHVVLEOH DQG WR HQDEOH WKH HPSOR\HU WR SURYLGH WLPHO\ DQG SURSHU

WUHDWPHQW´ IRU (PSOR\HH  )LQDOO\ LW DVVHUWHG WKDW (PSOR\HH¶V ³REVHUYDWLRQ´ RI DQ

DOOHJHGFRQYHUVDWLRQEHWZHHQ0U6FKODJHWHUDQG0U%\HULVQRWSUREDWLYHLQFUHDWLQJD

JHQXLQH LVVXH RI PDWHULDO IDFW VLQFH (PSOR\HH¶V YLVXDO REVHUYDWLRQ RI D FRQYHUVDWLRQ

EHWZHHQWZRRWKHUSHRSOHFRXOGQRWLPSO\WKHSXUSRVHRUFRQWHQWRIWKDWFRQYHUVDWLRQ

7KH EXUGHQ LV RQ WKH SDUW\ SXUVXLQJ VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW WR GHPRQVWUDWH WKDW QR

JHQXLQHLVVXHRIPDWHULDOIDFWH[LVWVDQGWKHPRYLQJSDUW\LVHQWLWOHGWRDMXGJPHQWDVD

PDWWHU RI ODZ  Martin v. Norfolk S. Ry. Co.  6:G   7HQQ   ,I WKH

PRYLQJSDUW\PDNHVDSURSHUO\VXSSRUWHGPRWLRQWKHEXUGHQRISURGXFWLRQWKHQVKLIWVWR

WKHQRQPRYLQJSDUW\WRGHPRQVWUDWHWKHH[LVWHQFHRIDJHQXLQHLVVXHRIPDWHULDOIDFWId.

,QUHYLHZLQJDWULDOMXGJH¶VGHFLVLRQRQDPRWLRQIRUVXPPDU\MXGJPHQWZHPXVWYLHZ

DOO RI WKH HYLGHQFH LQ WKH OLJKW PRVW IDYRUDEOH WR WKH QRQPRYLQJ SDUW\ DQG UHVROYH DOO

IDFWXDO LQIHUHQFHV LQ WKH QRQPRYLQJ SDUW\¶V IDYRU Luther v. Compton  6:G 

 7HQQ   :H DUH QRW WR ZHLJK WKH HYLGHQFH ZKHQ HYDOXDWLQJ D PRWLRQ IRU

VXPPDU\MXGJPHQWSee Martin6:GDW

)XUWKHUPRUH ZKHQ FRQVLGHULQJ D PRWLRQ IRU VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW ZKHUH WKH

PRYLQJSDUW\GRHVQRWEHDUWKHEXUGHQRISURRIDWWULDOWKHPRYLQJSDUW\PD\PDNHWKH

UHTXLUHG VKRZLQJ XQGHU 5XOH  DQG VKLIW WKH EXUGHQ RI SURGXFWLRQ WR WKH QRQPRYLQJ

SDUW\ HLWKHU ³   E\ DIILUPDWLYHO\ QHJDWLQJ DQ HVVHQWLDO HOHPHQW RI WKH QRQPRYLQJ

SDUW\¶V FODLP RU   E\ GHPRQVWUDWLQJ WKDW WKH QRQPRYLQJ SDUW\¶V HYLGHQFH at the

summary judgment stage LV LQVXIILFLHQW WR HVWDEOLVK WKH QRQPRYLQJ SDUW\¶V FODLP RU

GHIHQVH´ Rye v. Women’s Care Ctr. of Memphis, PLLC  6:G   7HQQ

  HPSKDVLVLQRULJLQDO see also 7HQQ&RGH$QQ†  

:H DJUHH ZLWK (PSOR\HU WKDW (PSOR\HH¶V PHUH REVHUYDWLRQ RI D FRQYHUVDWLRQ

EHWZHHQ WZR SHRSOH ZLWKRXW PRUH ZRXOG KDYH OLWWOH LI DQ\ SUREDWLYH YDOXH DV WR WKH

LVVXH RI QRWLFH  +RZHYHU WKH DOOHJHG FRQYHUVDWLRQ ZDV WKH VHFRQG RI WZR SHUWLQHQW

FRQYHUVDWLRQV7KHILUVWDQGPRUHVLJQLILFDQWZDV(PSOR\HH¶VDOOHJHGFRQYHUVDWLRQZLWK

0U 6FKODJHWHU  :H PXVW SUHVXPH IRU SXUSRVHV RI VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW (PSOR\HH

UHSRUWHG WR 0U 6FKODJHWHU D VXSHUYLVRU WKDW KH VXIIHUHG SDLQ ZKLOH HQJDJHG LQ ZRUN

DFWLYLWLHVRQ0D\:HPXVWDOVRSUHVXPHWKDW(PSOR\HH¶VVXSHUYLVRUWRRNKLP

KRPH WKH GD\ RI WKH LQFLGHQW WKDW KH PLVVHG WKUHH ZHHNV RI ZRUN DQG WKDW (PSOR\HU

VXEVHTXHQWO\DXWKRUL]HGDPHGLFDODSSRLQWPHQWZLWK'U%U]H]LQVNL (PSOR\HUKDVQRW

GHQLHGWKHVHDOOHJDWLRQV RUDVVHUWHGWKDW0U6FKODJHWHUZDVQRW(PSOR\HH¶VVXSHUYLVRUDW

WKHWLPHWKHLQFLGHQWZDVUHSRUWHG



$OWKRXJKZHKDYHFRQVLGHUHG(PSOR\HU¶VEULHIZHGLGQRWFRQVLGHU(PSOR\HH¶VEULHIZKLFKZDVWREH

ILOHG RQRUEHIRUH6HSWHPEHUEXWZDVQRWILOHGXQWLO6HSWHPEHU See 7HQQ&RPS5 5HJV

      0RUHRYHU (PSOR\HH GLG QRW WLPHO\ UHVSRQG WR WKH 6KRZ &DXVH 2UGHU ZH

LVVXHG RQ 6HSWHPEHU   GLUHFWLQJ KLP WR VKRZ FDXVH DV WR ZK\ KLV ODWHILOHG EULHI VKRXOG EH

DFFHSWHGDQGFRQVLGHUHG



,Q VKRUW (PSOR\HH¶V WHVWLPRQ\ UHJDUGLQJ KLV DOOHJHG FRQYHUVDWLRQ ZLWK 0U

6FKODJHWHUZKLFK(PSOR\HUKDVQRWGHQLHGFUHDWHVDJHQXLQHLVVXHRIPDWHULDOIDFWDVWR

ZKHWKHU (PSOR\HH JDYH SURSHU QRWLFH RI D ZRUN LQMXU\  7KH JHQXLQH LVVXH RI PDWHULDO

IDFWSUHFOXGHVVXPPDU\MXGJPHQW

&RQFOXVLRQ

7KH WULDO FRXUW¶V RUGHU GHQ\LQJ (PSOR\HU¶V PRWLRQ IRU VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW LV

DIILUPHG DQGWKHFDVHLVUHPDQGHG&RVWVRQDSSHDODUHWD[HGWR(PSOR\HU



TENNESSEE BUREAU OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARD

Jeffrey Jones ) Docket No. 2019-01-0024

)

v. ) State File No. 3286-2019

)

Columbus McKinnon Corp., et al. )

)

)

Appeal from the Court of Workers’ )

Compensation Claims )

Thomas L. Wyatt, Judge )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the Appeals Board’s decision in the referenced

case was sent to the following recipients by the following methods of service on this the 10th day

of October, 2019.

Name Certified First Class Via Via Sent to:

Mail Mail Fax Email

Kent T. Jones X joneslaw08@gmail.com

Robert J. Uhorchuk X rju@spicerfirm.com

kburke@spicerfirm.com

Thomas L. Wyatt, Judge X Via Electronic Mail

Kenneth M. Switzer, Chief Judge X Via Electronic Mail

Penny Shrum, Clerk, Court of X penny.patterson-shrum@tn.gov

Workers’ Compensation Claims

Jeanette Baird

Deputy Clerk, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board

220 French Landing Dr., Ste. 1-B

Nashville, TN 37243

Telephone: 615-253-0064

Electronic Mail: WCAppeals.Clerk@tn.gov