Arnold & Itkin Won a Third of 2023’s Top 10 Verdicts in Texas

Arnold & Itkin is proud to announce that we secured 3 of the top 10 verdicts in Texas last year, as reported by Top Verdict, a journal that compiles the nation’s largest case results. Our firm achieved the second, third, and tenth-largest verdicts in Texas, recovering more than $1.6 billion in these 3 cases alone.

Among the 15 law firms featured on this year’s list, Arnold & Itkin is the only firm named three times. We were also the only personal injury firm to win contested cases on the list. These landmark cases not only reflect our firm’s commitment to excellence but also underscore the importance of never backing down no matter the challenge. We could not be prouder of our results last year and clients who honored us with their trust.

We wanted to take a moment to highlight the stories behind each of these significant verdicts and honor the dedication of our team to achieving justice.

$860 Million for Mother of Young Woman Killed by Crane Collapse

Arnold & Itkin represented the mother of Kiersten Smith, a young woman tragically killed when a crane collapsed onto her apartment building. On June 8, 2019, Kiersten was making dinner with her fiancé in their Dallas home when the crane crashed into their living room. Greystar, a multinational real estate company, failed to properly secure the crane in response to a storm forecast, causing it to topple over and crash into the apartment building. Instead of taking responsibility, Greystar spent nearly four years blaming other companies and the crane operator.

When our firm finally took Greystar to court, the jury saw through the company’s dishonesty and rendered a fair and reasonable verdict.

This verdict was won by Jason Itkin and Cory Itkin.

$557 Million for Woman Maimed by Union Pacific

Arnold & Itkin represented a young woman whose life was irreparably changed by the callous disregard of human life by Union Pacific. On March 5, 2016, our client briefly rested near some railroad tracks after losing her friends during a night out. Minutes later, Union Pacific train operators spotted her unmoving body on the tracks from a distance and identified her as a person. Inexplicably, they made no effort to slow down or stop the train.

The impact resulted in catastrophic injuries, including the loss of her leg, multiple fingers, and severe brain damage. These injuries caused our client immense physical pain and emotional suffering. Her capacity to earn a living was drastically reduced, and she faced overwhelming medical expenses.

Our team demonstrated at trial that the train operators could have avoided the impact if they had acted appropriately. The jury agreed and awarded our client $557 million from Union Pacific, ensuring she will have the resources needed to manage her losses.

This verdict was won by Kyle Findley, Kala Sellers, John Grinnan, and Trevor Courtney.

$209.2 Million for the Family of a Man Killed by an Energy Company’s Failure to Value Human Life

Our firm represented the wife and children of Karl Schneider, an oil and gas employee in the prime of his life. Karl, husband to high school sweetheart Laura and father of three children, had recently begun work as a company man for Terra Energy in Western Colorado. Tragically, he contracted a rare illness called Hantavirus while working. The virus is carried by rodents and is common in the area the Karl was working.

Terra Energy was aware of both the risk of Hantavirus and the fact that its facilities were infested with mice that could transmit it. However, Karl was not informed about the virus nor equipped to recognize its symptoms. The company delayed seeking medical attention for him. By the time he went to the ER, the virus had progressed too far, and he passed away before his wife could reach him to say goodbye.

Our firm tirelessly pursued justice, overcoming numerous delay tactics from Terra Energy. Ultimately, we brought the company to court, where the jury saw the extent of the company’s negligence and the damage to his family. The jury awarded $103.6 million in compensation and imposed an additional $105.6 million in punitive damages on Terra Energy.

This verdict was won by Caj Boatright and Roland Christensen.

Over $20 Billion Recovered for Our Clients

We feel it’s important to commend our attorneys and staff for their exceptional achievements. These verdicts represent $1.6 billion in recovery for our clients, accounting for 36% of the top 10 recoveries combined. We are honored to be included in the 2023 Top Verdicts in Texas list and even more honored by the clients who continue to entrust their future and well-being to us. We do not take that responsibility lightly. Our results reflect that.