Article ID: e50c8e5c41e711a019162c5b24e0d1546b18aece9419c1d1f2ef6e9bf9669ca2
Source ID: secondary:businessinsurance.com
Published At: -
Extraction Method: bs4_heuristic
URL: https://www.businessinsurance.com/tennessee-court-awards-worker-250k-for-occupational-asthma/
Body Text
Tennessee court awards worker $250K for occupational asthma - Business Insurance Skip to content Register for free Search Search Log In Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Tennessee court awards worker $250K for occupational asthma by Louise Esola Workers Comp Coverage , Workplace Safety Jun 22, 2026 A Tennessee workers compensation court on Thursday awarded more than $250,000 to a worker who developed occupational asthma after exposure to fumes from burning plastic. In Vestal v. TBDN Tennessee Co. , Judge Robert Durham found that Colton Vestal sustained a 60% whole-person impairment from his asthma, rejecting the employer’s expert’s 6% rating. Mr. Vestal was burning plastic at work when the fumes triggered coughing so severe that his right lung collapsed. He later experienced several additional collapsed-lung episodes and underwent surgery. He also sustained a shoulder injury that resulted in a separate 1% impairment rating. Mr. Vestal’s treating pulmonologist assigned a 60% impairment rating after testing showed airway hyperreactivity and medication failed to control his symptoms. A pulmonologist retained by TBDN Tennessee Co. reviewed his records and assigned a 6% rating, relying largely on normal pulmonary function tests and a different section of the American Medical Association’s impairment guides. The court found the treating physician’s approach more persuasive, noting that the AMA Guides direct evaluators to use the asthma-specific table for patients with asthma. It also held that the employer failed to rebut the statutory presumption that the treating physician’s impairment rating was correct. The court ordered TBDN to pay $243,198.77 in permanent partial disability benefits. After accounting for a $5,397.94 advance and adding $12,692.40 in underpaid temporary disability benefits, the total lump-sum payment was $250,493. Related News The Hartford names Dave Draper CUO of UK operations June 22, 2026 Crawfish importer says ex-associate got too crabby with its brand June 22, 2026 Wyoming high court shields co-worker from suit over garbage truck injury June 22, 2026 Cat bond market nears $66 billion: Morningstar June 22, 2026 AIG names head of specialty, North America June 22, 2026 Alan Greenspan, US Fed ‘maestro’ through years of boom and bust, dies at 100 June 22, 2026 Lloyd’s, Chubb launch additional Hormuz war risk cover June 22, 2026 Wildfire risks cause insurability challenges for businesses June 22, 2026 ICICI Lombard to issue Lloyd’s policies June 22, 2026 Facebook-f X-twitter Linkedin-in Business Insurance is a singular, authoritative news and information source for executives focused upon risk management, risk transfer and risk financing. Never miss important news: Become a Business Insurance Online subscriber today Subscribe Now Information About Us Contact Advertise Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Copyright 2026. BUSINESS INSURANCE HOLDINGS Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
Metadata (JSON)
{
"score": 11.95
}