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Kurt Arnold

Founding Partner

Kurt Arnold's Headshot
Kurt Arnold's Headshot

Kurt Arnold is a fierce trial lawyer who has won more than $10 billion in verdicts and settlements for his clients since founding Arnold & Itkin. In fact, Kurt routinely wins more than $1 billion each year in recoveries on behalf of his clients and holds most of the records across the country for the highest verdicts and settlements. Kurt cares deeply about his clients and refuses to take “no” for an answer. One of his favorite parts of being a trial lawyer is helping individuals defeat companies that have continued to deny responsibility. His dedication to justice has resulted in dozens of jury verdicts and settlements more than $100 million, hundreds of jury verdicts and settlements in excess of $10 million, and thousands of recoveries exceeding $1 million. Kurt is also proud that his work has resulted in multiple nationwide product recalls. He is one of the nation’s most accomplished, skilled advocates both in and out of the courtroom. Kurt believes results matter, and his track record proves it.

“We take the cases we must win because it’s the right thing—the ones we have to win. Even if it’s hard. Especially if it’s hard.

Biography

Profile

Kurt has won numerous record-setting jury verdicts, including $117 million for the largest single-plaintiff personal injury verdict in Louisiana, $42 million for the largest verdict in Hawaii, and $44 million for the largest single amputee verdict in the United States. Kurt has recovered more than $10 billion dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients, including routinely securing more than $1 billion in recoveries every year. These record-setting recoveries for individual clients include $125 million, $92.7 million, $87 million, $81 million, $78 million, $77.5 million, $72 million, and $68 million. Additionally, Kurt has set records in Texas and Louisiana for workplace accident settlements of $357.7 million and $171 million. Kurt recently secured a $193 million settlement for two individuals injured offshore and a $139 million settlement for injuries resulting from an onshore explosion.

He has shattered records across the country with his results:

  • Largest settlement for an individual burned at a worksite in United States history.
  • Largest settlement for a wrongful death case in United States history.
  • Largest settlement for a man killed offshore in United States history.
  • Largest settlement for Jones Act injured seaman in United States history.
  • Largest settlement for families injured in a plant explosion in United States history.
  • Largest settlement for an undocumented worker in United States history.
  • Largest settlement for a worker injured in Texas oilfield.
  • Largest jury verdict for a single amputee in the United States.
  • Largest jury verdicts in multiple states throughout the country.

Kurt’s accomplishments on behalf of his clients have earned him inclusion in some of the most distinguished organizations in the country. The National Law Journal named Arnold & Itkin to the top 50 Elite Trial Lawyer list in the country. Lawdragon has also named Kurt as one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America and one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers. Kurt was also honored to join the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, which is an invitation-only group of the top 100 plaintiff lawyers in the country.

The Best Lawyers in America® has recognized Kurt for his extraordinary work in Admiralty and Maritime Law, as well as Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. When the Deepwater Horizon exploded, killing 11 workers and injuring dozens more, 27 of the men and women on the rig chose Kurt as their lawyer. Kurt represented more workers on the Deepwater Horizon than any other lawyer in the country. His hard work resulted in unprecedented settlements on their behalves, ensuring they would be taken care of for life. Kurt understands the unique complexities of maritime litigation and has been a leader in every major maritime accident litigation from the Deepwater Horizon explosion to the El Faro cargo ship tragedy. His work in these maritime accidents resulted in the highest settlements in the country. Recently, Kurt secured a $193 million settlement for two men injured offshore—the largest in United States history.

Kurt has represented clients injured in the largest worksite accidents, plant explosions, industrial disasters, and land rig accidents across the nation, securing numerous verdicts and settlements in excess of $100,000,000. Notably, Kurt secured the largest settlement in Texas history for a workplace accident. After taking nearly 30 depositions, the company agreed to pay $357.7 million. Similarly, Kurt secured multiple eight-figure jury verdicts against a large energy company for its role in a plant explosion in Louisiana that injured dozens. Defendants refused to offer his clients a fair settlement offer before trial, so Kurt tried two back-to-back jury trials and obtained multiple eight-figure jury verdicts in each trial. After these jury verdicts, the defendants gave in and paid Kurt’s clients settlements that were more than ten times higher than the defendants had offered them before trial.

Kurt has also fought for the rights of thousands of families who were harmed by giant pharmaceutical companies’ defective drugs and has recovered billions of dollars in settlements on behalf of his clients. He has also recovered more than a billion dollars in recoveries against trucking companies with thousands of verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million for his clients. These successes have earned Kurt the reputation among his peers as the leader in catastrophic personal injury litigation. As a result of his track record for obtaining exceptional value for his cases, lawyers from around the world have asked Kurt to try their cases.

After co-founding his law firm at the age of 25, the success Kurt has achieved in the subsequent years is unparalleled. He has won bigger settlements and verdicts for his clients than anyone else his age in the country. Kurt largely attributes this to the personal approach he takes to each case. No client is just a number. Kurt knows his clients’ families, knows their stories, and knows their hardships. He cannot take “no” for an answer because it is personal to him.

Kurt graduated from the University of Texas with High Honors at only 19 years of age. Three years later, he graduated from the University of Texas Law School with Honors in the top 5 percent of his class. Kurt is licensed to practice in Texas and Pennsylvania, before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and before the U.S. Supreme Court. Kurt is proud of the firm he has built and takes pride in his team’s commitment to protecting clients and fighting for justice. He and his wife Tara, who is also a lawyer, live in Houston with their son Jaxon and daughter Isla. They are members of St. Paul’s Methodist Church and are founders of the Arnold & Itkin Foundation, which supports numerous charities.

Get to Know

Kurt Arnold

“It is truly a joy to go to work every day and know you’re helping so many people with so many different types of cases and knowing they’re relying upon you to ensure their life is put back together. It’s a great responsibility, but honestly it’s one of my favorite parts about being a trial lawyer.”
Kurt Arnold Founding Partner
Play Video Get to Know Kurt Arnold

Check Out Kurt In The News

Our Clients Are More Than Cases

Stories About the Lives That We've Helped

  • “I told him, “Kurt you’re my hero. You’re my knight in shining armor.” Because that’s how I feel toward him. He’s there to protect me, and I feel so safe. They are driven. They are aggressive. They will not quit for you. They will not give up for you. That’s what makes them special.”
    Mildred Solar Cortes El Faro Widow
    Play Video Mildred Solar Cortes
  • “They’re unstoppable! They definitely have the experience you need. They're fighting for these little people that can’t handle themselves when a giant comes. Almost like the David and Goliath. It’s an amazing thing to see.”
    Shawn Thomas Workplace Explosion Victim
    Play Video Shawn Thomas
  • “I really feel like Arnold & Itkin brought justice to my family. Not only my family but many other families. It was just unreal how tirelessly they worked. Our trial lasted around 10 days. Every night, they were working ‘til way after midnight. There were a couple nights they never even slept. It was just amazing to me and my family.”
    Terry Yount Father of Risperdal Victim
    Play Video Terry Yount
  • “They told me they were pretty much going to handle everything, I wasn’t going to have to worry about anything—which they held up to that.”
    Tinisha Thomas El Faro Widow
    Play Video Tinisha Thomas
  • “Sometimes I would think about the level of stress that I had going through this whole thing, and I think about Arnold & Itkin taking on that stress for me. They picked it up and they ran with it. They have allowed me to close that chapter and feel good about it and move forward without looking back with regrets. I feel great.”
    Denver & Jodie Colter Gas Line Explosion Victims
    Play Video Denver & Jodie Colter
  • “Whatever I needed, they gave it to me, they made sure I had it. Just one call and they were there to do it.”
    Desmond Calloway Pipeline Fire Victim
    Play Video Desmond Calloway
  • “This firm has impacted every aspect of my life, past, present, future. They pulled off some miracles. They stood up for me when nobody else would.”
    Christopher Devall Workplace Explosion Victim
    Play Video Christopher Devall
  • “I felt like family because they were there to listen and hear—not just brush you off because 'you're just a client.' They let me know when I met them that everything was going to be all right.”
    Veronica Sowell Workplace Explosion Victim
    Play Video Veronica Sowell
  • “They were very helpful in me evolving through this tragedy, basically. The stress that I was under—they made me feel relaxed. I know that if I called them now and I needed something, they would help me get whatever I needed.”
    Donna Deason
    Play Video Donna Deason

Kurt's Case Results

Check Out His Victories

  • Record-Setting $357 Million Largest Workplace Accident Settlement in Texas History
    Arnold & Itkin LLP secured a massive nine-figure settlement against a transnational corporation for a workplace incident. The settlement set a Texas record for being the largest personal injury ...
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  • $205 Million Confidential Settlement Obtained for Numerous Clients
    Arnold & Itkin reached a record $205,000,000 settlement on behalf of clients after several years of hard-fought litigation. The case settled just before trial was set to begin.
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  • $193 Million Settlement Won for Victims of Pipeline Explosion
    Offshore injury lawyers at Arnold & Itkin fought for two workers who were injured in a pipeline explosion at sea, one of whom passed away. Our relentless investigation and advocacy resulted in a ...
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  • Record-Setting $171 Million One of the Largest Confidential Settlements in History
    Arnold & Itkin worked over the course of several years to represent clients in a case that many other law firms turned down. In the end, we were able to obtain a record-setting confidential settlement ...
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  • Record-Setting $139 Million Massive Settlement Achieved for Victims of an Oilfield Incident
    Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a huge $139,000,000 settlement for injured families affected by an oilfield incident in the eastern United States, settling one week before trial.
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  • $125 Million Settlement Won for Widow of Dredge Worker
    Offshore lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP won a nine-figure settlement for a woman who lost her husband in a pipeline explosion. By pushing the case toward trial, our firm pressured the defendant into ...
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  • Record-Setting $117 Million Largest Single-Event Personal Injury Verdict in Louisiana History
    Arnold & Itkin represented a pregnant woman who experienced stomach pain and called Acadian Ambulance. The driver of the ambulance drove the ambulance into the back of a sugar cane truck causing the ...
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  • $116 Million Confidential Settlement
    Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a massive nine figure settlement on behalf of their clients after several years of hard fought litigation.
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  • Record-Setting $110 Million Record Settlement for Victims of Defective Products
    Arnold & Itkin obtained a record settlement for individuals harmed by defective, dangerous products. The result exemplifies our commitment to clients and justice for those seriously injured by the ...
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  • Record-Setting $105 Million Record Settlement for Dangerous Product Victims
    Arnold & Itkin’s legal team helped represent those harmed by dangerous products. We were successful in recovering a $105 million settlement.
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  • $98 Million Settlement Reached on Behalf of Families
    Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin secured a $98 million settlement on behalf of several families.
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  • $97 Million Massive Settlement Secured for Refinery Workers
    Arnold & Itkin is proud to share that after months of preparation for trial, our firm was able to secure a huge settlement for clients who were injured in a refinery fire. Find out more now.
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  • Record-Setting $92.7 Million Record Settlement for Burn Injury Victim
    Arnold & Itkin LLP secured a substantial settlement for a man who suffered severe burns in an accident at his job. The settlement set a new record statewide for workers with similar injuries.
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  • $87 Million Confidential Settlement for Worker Who Suffered Life-Threatening Burn Injuries
    Arnold & Itkin was able to secure a multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of a man who was caught in life-threatening flames while performing his work duties. Find out how our firm secured the ...
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  • Record-Setting $81 Million Record Settlement Achieved for Wrongful Death Case
    Arnold & Itkin LLP secured a record settlement of $81,000,000 in a wrongful death case on behalf of two adult children who lost their mother in an incident.
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  • $78 Million Massive Settlement for Severely Injured Client
    Our firm helped reach a $78 million settlement for a severely injured client.
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  • $77.5 Million Settlement Reached for Houston Man Injured in a Forklift Incident
    Our legal team won a $77.5 million settlement for a Houston family man paralyzed in a workplace incident.
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  • $75 Million Confidential Settlement Achieved on Behalf of Multiple Clients
    Arnold & Itkin LLP reached an eight-figure settlement on behalf of a group of clients against a large defendant.
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  • Record Victory $72 Million Record Victory for Severely Injured Worker
    Arnold & Itkin has achieved a record settlement for a worker who was injured in a severe oilfield accident less than 2 years after the incident. His accident was a result of negligence from multiple ...
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  • $68 Million Settlement Obtained for Injured Dredge Worker
    Arnold & Itkin LLP secured $68 million for an injured offshore worker who was hurt in a pipeline explosion. Our relentless advocacy compelled the defendant to settle with our client to take care of ...
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  • Record-Setting $51 Million Settlement for Plant Workers Injured in Explosion
    Arnold & Itkin LLP secured a $51,000,000 settlement for contract workers injured in a plant explosion after taking more than 40 depositions.
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  • $46.5 Million Massive Settlement Reached on Behalf of Injured Workers
    Our attorneys reached a massive $46.5 million settlement on behalf of workers catastrophically injured following a serious workplace incident.
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  • $44.6 Million Record-Setting Settlement Secured for 3 Refinery Workers
    Arnold & Itkin secured an eight-figure settlement for a group of Gulf Coast refinery workers who were severely or fatally injured. Rather than do right by our clients and their families, the refinery ...
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  • Record-Setting $44 Million The Largest Verdict Ever Won for an Amputee Victim
    Arnold & Itkin represented a construction superintendent who required a leg amputation after a crane collapse. At the time of the collapse, our client had been standing behind a safety fence 100 feet ...
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  • Record-Setting $41 Million The Largest Commercial Litigation Verdict in Hawaii
    Our client was a Houston-based investor who was cut out of a deal to acquire Honsador Lumber Corporation, one of Hawaii’s largest lumber suppliers. The jury found Key Principal Partners LLC and its ...
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  • $40 Million Settlement Reached for Injured Jones Act Seamen
    Our team represented several offshore workers severely injured in a vessel collision. After several days of trial, we reached a settlement offer of $40 million on their behalf.
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  • $36.5 Million Settlement Secured for Injured Oilfield Worker
    Arnold & Itkin achieved a huge settlement of $36.5 million for an injured oilfield worker after more than two years of litigation.
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  • $35.5 Million Settlement Reached for Family Injured in Truck Accident
    Arnold & Itkin’s truck accident lawyers fought for justice on behalf of a family injured by a reckless truck driver, securing a massive $35.5 million settlement.
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  • $31 Million Settlement Obtained for Seaman Hurt in Vessel Collision
    Our team reached a $31 million settlement on behalf an injured Jones Act seaman—despite the defendants denying all responsibility for the incident causing the injury.
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  • Record-Setting $29 Million The Largest Known Settlement for a Wrongful Death Offshore
    Kurt Arnold, Jason Itkin, and Cory Itkin successfully secured a record settlement for a single family who tragically lost a loved one. It is the largest known settlement for a death that occurred ...
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  • $28.5 Million Hard-Won Case Settled for Significant Amount
    Arnold & Itkin fought on behalf of our clients to achieve a significant $28.5 million settlement after more than 50 depositions.
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  • $28 Million Massive Confidential Settlement Obtained
    Arnold & Itkin is thrilled to announce that we have secured a massive settlement for our clients.
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  • $26 Million Settlement Takes Care of Client for Life
    Arnold & Itkin LLP represented an individual involved in an explosion who suffered orthopedic injuries as well as post traumatic stress disorder as a result.
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  • $25.8 Million Settlement Reached for Maritime Workers Injured in a Barge Explosion
    Our firm obtained a $25.8 million settlement for several barge workers and their families following an explosion off the Texas Gulf Coast.
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  • $22.9 Million Fighting For a Worker Burned in a Plant Incident
    Arnold & Itkin LLP settled a case for $22,900,000 on behalf of a worker who sustained second degree burns in a plant incident.
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  • $23 Million Settlement Reached for Louisiana Worker Injured in Plant Explosion
    Arnold & Itkin LLP recovered approximately $21,900,000 for a Louisiana man injured on the job when the plant exploded.
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