Kurt Arnold, a founding partner of Arnold & Itkin, is an aggressive trial attorney whose work has secured over $20 billion in verdicts and settlements for his clients. Year after year, Kurt consistently achieves over $1 billion in client recoveries, holding numerous national records for the highest verdicts and settlements. Driven by a deep commitment to his clients, Kurt pursues justice with relentless intensity, especially in cases where individuals face off against large corporations. His passion for advocacy has yielded dozens of jury verdicts and settlements exceeding $100 million, along with hundreds over $10 million, and thousands above $1 million. In addition to massive results for his clients, Kurt's trial work has led to several significant national product recalls. Recognized as one of the country's most effective plaintiff advocates, both inside and outside the courtroom, Kurt's results-driven approach and exceptional skill set stand as a testament to his dedication to justice.
Get to Know Kurt Arnold
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Biography
One of the fiercest trial lawyers practicing, Kurt Arnold has secured more than $20 billion in verdicts and settlements since founding Arnold & Itkin at 25. Results are part of what Kurt does. He’s routinely recovered over a billion dollars for clients in a single year. His relentless pursuit of justice led him to win dozens of jury verdicts and settlements above $100 million, hundreds above $10 million, thousands exceeding $1 million, and multiple nationwide product recalls. Kurt also holds many of the records across the U.S. for his verdicts and settlements. His track record has validated his reputation as one of the country’s most accomplished, skilled advocates. By making the case personal, Kurt learns about a client’s needs and always fights for the results they truly need.
Kurt knows clients deserve the best, and he fights to make them happen, no matter what. His history of cases proves he’s always ready for a challenge. Kurt is the person behind record-setting verdicts. He secured $117 million in the largest single-plaintiff personal injury verdict in Louisiana history, $42 million in the largest verdict in Hawaii history, and $44 million for the largest single-amputee verdict in U.S. history. His history also includes recoveries of $125 million, $92.7 million, $87 million, $81 million, $78 million, $77.5 million, $72 million, $68 million, $55 million and $49 million. These results (and others) have shattered records across the country, including in Texas and Louisiana, for workplace accident settlements of $357.7 million, $171 million, $150 million, and $120 million. He recently recovered $193 million for two individuals injured offshore, $177 million for six industrial workers, and $139 million following an onshore explosion. Kurt gets these results by never backing down. When the other side sees he’s on a case, they know they’ll have to be fair–or they’ll have to face Kurt in a trial.
The records he currently holds include:
- 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 verdicts in multiple states throughout the country.
The National Law Journal has recognized Kurt for many of his record-setting jury verdicts and has named his firm to the nationwide top 50 Elite Trial Lawyer list. He has also been named one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America and one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers by Lawdragon. In 2024, Lawdragon named Kurt a “Lawdragon Legend,” an honor given to only 33 lawyers in America that year. Kurt was also invited to join the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only group of the top 100 plaintiff lawyers in the United States. He has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for his industry-defining work in Admiralty and Maritime Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Kurt is deeply familiar with the complexities of maritime litigation and is particularly regarded for the results he’s earned for offshore workers. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon exploded and killed 11 workers, injuring dozens. Of all the crew members on the rig that night, 27 put their trust in Kurt–more workers than any other lawyer in the country. He won unprecedented recoveries for them, ensuring they would have whatever they needed for the rest of their lives. He also won substantial victories for widows of the El Faro sinking.
The success that Kurt has achieved is unparalleled. He has represented the injured and their families in the most significant workplace accidents, plant explosions, industrial disasters, and land rig accidents in the U.S., obtaining verdicts and settlements worth more than $100,000,000. No one Kurt’s age has won verdicts or settlements as large as his. In a recent case, Kurt secured numerous eight-figure verdicts against an energy company for a plant explosion in Louisiana that injured dozens. When the defendants refused to offer a fair settlement to his clients, Kurt tried two trials back-to-back and obtained multiple massive verdicts in a row. After these verdicts, the defendants eventually gave in and settled for $171 million.
In virtually every arena in injury law, Kurt has achieved massive results. His success has earned him a reputation as a catastrophic personal injury litigation leader. With a track record that includes victories in nearly every area of injury law, hundreds of lawyers worldwide have enlisted Kurt to try their cases.
The key to Kurt’s success is his compassion for his clients and his refusal to take “no” as an answer. He cares deeply about everyone he represents and refuses to let at-fault parties off the hook for harming his clients. To him, one of the most rewarding aspects of his job is beating companies that refuse to own up to what they did. His team’s commitment to justice and advocacy makes Kurt proud to be one of Arnold & Itkin’s cofounders.
At 19 years old, Kurt graduated from the University of Texas with High Honors. At 22, he graduated with honors from the University of Texas Law School in the top 5% of his class. He is licensed to practice law in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Arizona, before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and before the U.S. Supreme Court.
He and his wife Tara, a fellow attorney, live in Houston with their son Jaxon and daughter Isla. They are members of St. Paul’s Methodist Church and support numerous charities as founders of the Arnold & Itkin Foundation.