Clayton v. Cookeville Energy, Inc.

OPINION

ANDERSON, Justice.

In this worker’s compensation death case, the sole issue is whether the trial court abused its discretion in commuting the surviving spouse’s death benefits into a lump sum. After an evidentiary hearing, the trial court found commutation to a lump sum was in the best interest of the surviving spouse. Our review of the record shows the trial court did not abuse its discretion. We, therefore, affirm.

On November 10, 1990, Douglas Wayne Clayton died when the truck he was driving overturned and burned. At the time of his death, the decedent was working for the defendant,…