Kala Sellers

Attorneys Kyle Findley, Noah Wexler, and our trial team secured a record-setting $2.065 billion verdict on behalf of John Barnes, a Georgia resident who developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after two decades of Roundup use. From 1999 to 2019, Mr. Barnes regularly purchased and applied the glyphosate-based herbicide at his home, trusting Monsanto’s marketing that the product was safe. In reality, Monsanto had known since the 1980s that glyphosate could cause cancer—and actively concealed this truth.

At trial, we exposed decades of corporate misconduct. Internal documents, expert testimony, and regulatory records revealed Monsanto’s efforts to suppress scientific studies, mislead federal agencies, and brand Roundup as “harmless” despite mounting global evidence of its dangers.

In March 2020, Mr. Barnes was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The jury’s award, including compensatory and punitive damages, is the largest single-plaintiff injury verdict in Georgia’s history and the first Roundup case tried in the state. This landmark victory sends a clear message: corporations that prioritize profit over public health will be held accountable.

Against all odds, Arnold & Itkin secured a $141 million verdict against five defendants for a plant explosion that took three lives and injured many more. The defendants refused to take responsibility, stretching out litigation for seven years while offering a pittance to settle.

Attorney Kyle Findley secured the nine-figure verdict for nine plaintiffs who survived a fatal explosion at a paper and containerboard plant in Deridder, Louisiana. Our clients were among over a dozen workers who were grievously harmed or killed due to the negligence and poor management of the five defendants, including a defendant who oversaw an accident eerily similar to this one in 2008.

In 2017, our clients were working at the paper mill during a shutdown, which allowed contractors to do much-needed maintenance and repair work. This procedure included “hot work,” or work involving high-heat tools such as grinders, welders, and cutters. The hot work was conducted near two storage tanks that management knew emitted flammable gases; however, they ordered employees to continue working nearby regardless of the risk. As a result, the storage tanks exploded, robbing three workers of their lives and injuring several more.

This incident would never have happened under more cautious and competent management. The defendants’ failures are especially egregious considering an incident almost exactly like this one happened at a defendant’s plant in Wisconsin in 2008. It was clear that they didn’t learn their lesson then, so we needed to make the lesson loud and clear with our case.

These defendants offered our clients an extremely small amount to settle prior to trial and only raised their offer slightly after closing arguments. This was an enormous miscalculation on their part—the jury ended up awarding our clients more than 10 times what the defendants offered to settle. Our firm is enormously proud of our result, and we’re thrilled our clients can now live their lives in peace and security.

Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team secured a $120 million settlement on behalf of multiple workers who were injured during a refinery explosion. The workers sustained extensive injuries, including orthopedic and spinal injuries, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological damages. We aggressively prosecuted the case and utilized our vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants knowingly created the conditions that resulted in the explosion. After numerous depositions of the defendants and their employees, we obtained this nine-figure settlement on behalf of our clients, ensuring they will be taken care of in the future.

Attorneys Kurt Arnold and Kyle Findley secured $40 million on behalf of three Jones Act seamen who suffered injuries during a vessel collision. As a result, the seamen were left unable to work and provide for their families. They looked to Arnold & Itkin for help. Using our maritime litigation skills, vast knowledge of the offshore industry, and numerous resources, we developed evidence to show the management failures that led to the vessel losing control—ultimately causing the collision.

After numerous depositions, we proved that the defendant’s management failures at the top level led to this tragic event. After proving the defendants were the sole cause, the defendants continued to minimize and deny the workers’ injuries. Our team continued to develop evidence proving that the clients’ injuries justified millions of dollars to ensure they received full and fair compensation. After several days of trial, our team secured a tremendous settlement on behalf of our clients, taking care of them for life.

Attorneys Kurt Arnold and Kyle Findley secured $31 million on behalf of a Jones Act seaman who suffered a head injury on the Mississippi river. At the outset of the case, the defendants denied all responsibility and attempted to limit their liability by placing blame on other entities. Our attorneys at Arnold & Itkin fought back on behalf of the seaman—refusing to accept the defendant’s excuses. By using our courtroom skills, vast knowledge of maritime law, and numerous resources, we were able to protect the rights of our client. Numerous depositions were taken, multiple (ultimately failed) mediations were held, and the defendants still refused to take full responsibility. As a result, our legal team took the case to a jury trial, where we fought to hold the company accountable. After a week of trial, we secured a tremendous result for our client.