Keith P. More

With 30 years of big wins under his belt, More continues to lead the workers’ compensation field with some of the biggest personal injury claims in California.

His recent wins include a $6 million settlement with the Los Angeles Unified School District on behalf of a man who was paralyzed during a fall that occurred while he was taking a class through the school district.

The district pointed to a code section that classified the man as an employee and exempted the district from liability, but More negotiated a settlement that he said is the largest ever in the district for workers’ compensation. His client, Daniel Garcia, is a former bodybuilder who now competes in paratriathlons. Garcia v. Los Angeles Unified School District, ADJ7277179 (Cal. Wrk. Comp. 2010).

More also secured $4 million for a machinist who was paralyzed after his boss ignored his complaints of neck pain, which led to emergency surgery. The man’s employer said the injury wasn’t work-related, but More had the denial overturned and secured benefits that will provide his client lifetime medical care and financial security. Tinsley v. Vertis Communications, ADJ7604060 (Cal. Wrk. Comp. 2010).

“What motivates me is my desire to help people. I know that sounds cliché, but that’s it. The motivation is literally helping people get a better life,” More said.

More also represents a survivor of the 2015 massacre at San Bernardino County Department of Public Health meeting, and he’s helping other lawyers “who don’t really understand how to get the victims their full value of their case.”

“If you watched 14 different co-workers get killed, you’d be pretty messed up, and there’s no way you’re going back to work,” More said. “But doctors in the work comp system are basically using a standard formula to figure out the permanent disability.”

A $1.26 million settlement reached in May is awaiting approval from the County of San Bernardino, More said. Peraza v. County of San Bernardino, ADJ10227800 (Cal. Wrk. Comp. 2015).

More also secured a $4.7 million settlement after trying several issues before the workers’ compensation board, some regarding medical issues and fact stipulations. More prevailed on appeal, too. Guindon v. Robertson’s Ready Mix, ADJ7628834 (Cal. Wrk. Comp. 2014). More also recently negotiated a $5.2 million settlement for a warehouse manager who was paralyzed after a 700-pound box fell on him and severed his spine. Ramirez v. Kuehne and Nagel Inc., ADJ6893931 (Cal. Wrk. Comp. 2009).

More said he works “legitimately around the clock” and has no plans to slow down. He opened Bentley & More in 2016 with Gregory L. Bentley.

“Until we can get a safe working environment, I don’t know that I’m going to rest,” he said.

— Meghann M. Cuniff