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Meet

Kurt Arnold

Kurt Arnold is one of the most recognized and successful trial lawyers in the country. He has achieved more thus far in his career than most attorneys will ever accomplish, and he shows no signs of stopping. His advocacy has resulted in billions in life-changing compensation for the injured and wronged, with more than a billion recovered in a single year multiple times. Kurt is driven to secure the best outcome for every client he represents, and these results are proof of his commitment—and skill.

Making History with Record-Setting Verdicts & Settlements

Kurt is constantly setting state and national records for his fearless representation of clients in some of the most notable cases our country has ever seen. Take the $117 million recovery that set the record for the highest single-plaintiff personal injury verdict in Louisiana, the $44 million recovery that marked the largest single amputee verdict in the nation, and the $42 million recovery that set the record for Hawaii’s largest commercial verdict. He also recently obtained $193 million for two people hurt offshore, as well as $139 million for a case involving an onshore explosion.

His track record is a testament to his ability and unwavering drive to help others:

  • 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

Some of Kurt’s record individual recoveries include $125 million, $92.7 million, $87 million, $81 million, $78 million, $77.5 million, $72 million, and $68 million. In fact, he has secured dozens of settlements and verdicts in excess of $100 million, hundreds in excess of $10 million, and thousands in excess of $1 million each. He has set records with multiple eight- and nine-figure jury verdicts and has played a pivotal role in the nationwide recall of numerous consumer products. Kurt Arnold is an attorney who refuses to take no for an answer.

Recognized by His Peers & Awarded for His Results

Kurt has been recognized numerous times by the National Law Journal, for his record-setting verdicts and when Arnold & Itkin was named to the Top 50 Elite Trial Lawyers list in the U.S. The Best Lawyers in America® recognized Kurt’s exemplary work in both Admiralty and Maritime Law as well as Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. Lawdragon also recognized Kurt, as one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers and the 500 Leading Lawyers in America.

In 2019, Kurt received the honor of joining the Inner Circle of Advocates. This esteemed invitation-only group is comprised of the top 100 plaintiff lawyers in the U.S.

Making a Name for Himself Since an Early Age

Kurt was only 19 years old when he graduated from the University of Texas with High Honors. He graduated in the top 5% of his class from the University of Texas Law School with Honors 3 years later and established Arnold & Itkin when he was just 25 years old. Kurt has consistently achieved higher settlements and verdicts than other attorneys his age ever since he started practicing law.

Today, Kurt is recognized as one of the nation’s top trial attorneys. He is licensed to practice in Texas and Pennsylvania, before the U.S. Supreme Court, and before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Unparalleled Success Across Numerous Practice Areas

Kurt has made a name for himself in the complex field of maritime law. He is the attorney that more workers from the Deepwater Horizon chose to represent their interests after the explosion that claimed 11 of their co-workers and injured dozens of others. He was chosen by families who lost loved ones in the tragic El Faro sinking. In both of these incidents, he was able to secure life-changing recoveries for his clients. In fact, his work resulted in the highest settlements in the country. His understanding of maritime law and every complex matter that affects offshore workers and seamen continues to lead to exceptional results in this field.

A tireless advocate for workers in the most hazardous industries, Kurt has represented workers and families who have suffered unthinkable injuries and losses in plant explosions, worksite accidents, land rig accidents, and industrial disasters. The results? Numerous settlements and verdicts in excess of $100 million for these clients. A recent case involved a plant explosion in Louisiana that left dozens of people seriously injured. The defendants refused to negotiate a fair settlement with Kurt and his clients prior to trial, so Kurt argued two cases in front of juries, back-to-back, ultimately winning multiple eight-figure verdicts for his clients. The defendants thought twice before facing him in court again, offering settlements that were ten times the amount they had offered prior to trial.

Kurt is a firm believer in holding negligent corporations accountable for putting profits over the well-being of innocent people. He has fought for thousands of clients who were injured or lost loved ones because of the negligence and wrongdoing of trucking companies, pharmaceutical giants, manufacturers, and distributors. His wins have included several recoveries of over $100 million, earning him recognition by peers as the top catastrophic personal injury trial lawyer. Hundreds of attorneys have turned to Kurt to try their most challenging cases.

Dedicated to Family & His Community

Kurt lives in Houston with his wife and fellow attorney, Tara, along with their son Jaxon and daughter Isla. He and Tara are members of St. Paul’s Methodist Church and are active in their community. They are founders of the Arnold & Itkin Foundation, which is proud to support numerous charities.

Kurt fights every day to help good people going through the worst times of their lives. He takes great pride in what he and his firm have accomplished thus far and is always fighting to build a better future for all workers, consumers, and families across the country.

ADMISSIONS

  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States District Court,
    Southern District of Texas
  • United States District Court,
    Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court,
    Western District of Texas
  • United States District Court,
    Northern District of Texas
  • Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Second Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Third Circuit Court of Appeals
  • State Bar of Texas
  • State Bar of Pennsylvania

EDUCATION

  • University of Texas, B.A. in Government with High Honors
  • University of Texas Law School, J.D. with Honors (Top 5% of His Class)

AWARDS

  • Member of the Inner Circle of Advocates
  • Best Lawyers® for Admiralty and Maritime Law (2016-2024)
  • Best Lawyers® for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (2018-2024)
  • Best Lawyers® for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Action – Plaintiffs (2022-2024)
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2017-2023)
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers (2019-2023)
  • The National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyer Top 50 List
  • Texas Super Lawyers® List - One of the Youngest Lawyers in Texas History to Receive This Honor (2013-2023)
  • Texas Super Lawyers® Rising Stars℠ List (2005-2006, 2009-2013)
  • Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers (2017)
  • Top 100: Houston Super Lawyers (2015 - 2018)
  • Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers
  • Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers
  • Member of the Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®
  • Top 40 Under 40 Award by the Houston Business Journal
  • Top Lawyers for the People by H Texas Magazine
  • Founding Member of the Nation's Top 100 Attorneys by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel

“Always bet on justice. It takes a lot of time and resources to win a case against big defendants, and some cases are easier to win than others. But this doesn’t matter at Arnold & Itkin. We take the cases that 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.”

- Kurt Arnold

Get to know Attorney Kurt Arnold, one of the founding partners of Arnold & Itkin.

Awards & Honors

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