DARLENE TAYLOR AS SURVIVING SPOUSE OF DARRELL TAYLOR v. DALE'S RECYCLING, ET AL. - Articles

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DARLENE TAYLOR AS SURVIVING SPOUSE OF DARRELL TAYLOR v. DALE'S RECYCLING, ET AL.

Posted by: Julia Wilburn on May 22, 2026

Court: TN Workers Comp Appeals Board

Attorneys 1: Richard Clark and Benjamin Norris, Nashville, Tennessee, for the appellants Dale's Recycling and Insurance Company of the West.

Attorneys 2: Jonathan May, Memphis, Tennessee, for the appellee Darlene Taylor as surviving spouse of Darrell Taylor.

Judge(s): WAGNER

This is an appeal from the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board, which affirmed the judgment of the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims awarding death benefits. On June 22, 2023, Employee, a professional truck driver, was stopped by a deputy sheriff after the officer observed pieces of inetal falling out of Employee's trailer. During this stop, Employee suffered a heart attack and died on scene. Employee's wife filed a petition for benefit determination, and the case ultimately proceeded to a hearing where the parties disputed causation. The Court of Workers' Compensation Claims ("Trial Court") awarded benefits, finding that Employee's wife had shown to a reasonable degree of rnedical certainty that the June 22, 2023 work incident contributed more than fifty percent to Employee's heart attack and death when considering all causes. The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board ("Appeals Board") affirmed. Employer has appealed and the appeal has been referred to the Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel pursuant to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 51. We affirm.

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