More About Our History and Practice
RK & M offers comprehensive and high quality representation within the increasingly complex areas of its specialization. The Firm has been a leader in the development of California Workers’ Compensation law and RK & M has also pioneered the field of third party civil damage liability, pursuing claims on behalf of injured workers against contractors, property owners, product manufacturers and others arising out of jobsite injuries. The Firm has successfully appeared as counsel for Plaintiff in many landmark cases: construction accidents, poorly made medical devices, toxic chemicals, consumer rights, and workers’ rights.
In 1975, RK & M spearheaded the asbestos litigation in California, bringing the first lawsuits on behalf of insulators and shipyard workers against asbestos manufacturers. The Firm obtained the first successful jury verdict in Southern California against the asbestos manufacturers and has since taken a lead role nationally through service on various bankruptcy reorganization committees including Manville and UNR Industries. As an acknowledged leader in asbestos litigation, the Firm maintains its highly specialized asbestos practice in both Workers’ Compensation and Product Liability on behalf of victims of a wide variety of asbestos exposures.
OUR SERVICES
RK & M continues to serve the needs of those injured on or off the job as a result of all manner and type of accidents, including
- equipment failures
- design or manufacturing defects in products used in households or for industrial or construction purposes
- dangerous premises
- hazardous public property
- exposure to toxic substances
RK & M also applies its skills to the resolution of other injury claims: auto accidents, slip and fall cases, and the like. In addition, the Firm continues to successfully represent insurance policy, employment relations, and professional negligence claimants. On behalf of these victims, RK & M maintains its record of tenacious advocacy; achieving with regularity substantial results, including a significant number of seven figure recoveries.
Our services are generally offered on a contingency fee basis, with the Firm usually advancing all costs necessary to the successful prosecution of the case. Attorney referrals are encouraged under typical fee-sharing arrangements.
Among the Firm’s partners are certified Workers’ Compensation specialists, including members of the State Board of Legal Specialization. RK & M partners include four past presidents of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA), as well as a past president of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). Members of the Firm have served and continue to serve on the boards of these associations, as well as on the boards of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA), local Applicants’ Attorneys Associations and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA). RK & M attorneys frequently appear as speakers at legal seminars, as “friends of the court” to argue appeals in major cases, and as witnesses before the major policy committees of the state legislature, sharing their expertise with fellow lawyers and lawmakers.