In Re All Repair and Restoration D/B/A All Day USA, Inc., Joe Saavedra, and National Casualty Company v. the State of Texas
Relators, All Repair and Restoration d/b/a All Day USA, Inc., Joe Saavedra, and National Casualty Company, filed a petition for writ of mandamus in the Fourteenth Court of Appeals. They sought to compel Judge Fredericka Phillips of the 61st District Court of Harris County to withdraw an order granting consolidation and to abate a personal injury suit (cause number 2021-62055). This personal injury suit was filed by Romny Sanchez, who was injured in a vehicle accident while working for All Dry. Sanchez had also initiated a judicial review suit (cause number 2023-10851) after the DWC determined he was not an All Dry employee. The Court of Appeals conditionally granted the petition, finding that the trial court abused its discretion in consolidating the judicial review suit with the personal injury suit and in denying the relators' motion to abate the personal injury suit until the judicial review suit is resolved. The court cited the distinct legal issues of the two cases and the potential for prejudice and jury confusion as reasons for its decision.