In Mesler v. Bragg Management Co. (1985) 39 Cal.3d 290, the Supreme Court recognized the strong policy in favor of liberal allowance of pleadings and observed that reversal of a trial court's order denying an amendment is "common" where the plaintiff makes a showing on appeal that he or she was prejudiced by the trial court's order. (Id. at pp. 296-297.) In Mesler, the Supreme Court concluded the trial court should have allowed plaintiff to amend to add an alter ego issue because: the trial court denied the amendment stating it would result in continuing plaintiff's time for trial yet plaintiff requested the amendment; defendant was not surprised by plaintiff's reliance on the theory; the related concept of agency had been alleged in the original complaint; and plaintiff had relied on the alter ego theory in opposition to other motions. (Id. at p. 297.)