in Re Sonic Systems International Inc.
This consolidated opinion addresses two cases stemming from a workers' compensation dispute. Gary Cochran, an employee of Sonic Systems International, Inc., was injured in Alabama. Texas Mutual Insurance Co. (TMI), Sonic's carrier, denied coverage. Sonic made voluntary payments to Cochran, who subsequently recovered benefits under Alabama's workers' compensation laws. Sonic then sought reimbursement from TMI under the Texas Workers' Compensation Act (TWCA), but this was denied by the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (TWCC) and subsequently reversed by the trial court in Sonic's favor. TMI appealed this decision. Simultaneously, Sonic's contract claims against TMI were abated, leading Sonic to seek a writ of mandamus to lift the abatement. The appellate court held that Sonic's reimbursement claim was barred because Cochran's election to recover benefits under Alabama law also barred Sonic's derivative subclaim under the TWCA, reversing the trial court's judgment. Furthermore, the court found the trial court's continued abatement of Sonic's contract claims to be an abuse of discretion, as the jurisdictional prerequisites had been met and Sonic lacked an adequate remedy by appeal, and thus conditionally granted the writ of mandamus.