Last week, the Appeals Board announced it will hold arguments in three cases on October 1 in Knoxville.

First up will be Gary Dingus v. Grand Piano and Furniture Co., where the trial court denied a defense of willful failure to wear a safety device and awarded benefits after a compensation hearing. The employee, a warehouse picker, fell approximately 20 feet, suffering extensive injuries. His employer contends he didn’t follow its safety harnessing policy.

Next, in John Oldham v. Freeman Webb Realtors, the trial court denied partial summary judgment, where the employer contended that permanent total disability benefits are unavailable after expiration of the initial compensation period to an employee who previously settled his claim for permanent partial disability benefits. The trial court awarded permanent total disability after applying the direct and natural consequences rule. The employer argues the court erred in both rulings.

Last, in Bibiane Francoeur v. Amerimed Medical Solutions, LLC, the trial court awarded temporary disability benefits after an expedited hearing, where the employee was under a “no-driving” restriction, and the employer offered her a position within her restrictions but declined to provide her transportation to work. The employer argues this was error.

The arguments begin at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time and will take place in the courtroom at the Supreme Court Building. The docket is here.

The view on an average drive to the office for paralegal Kim Weaver, Knoxville.