Practice Areas: Personal Injury; view more
Licensed in Missouri since: 2001
Education: University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2012 - 2023 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2011 Call today:
816-474-0202
Free Consultation Griggs Injury Law, LLC
800 W 47th StSuite 705
Kansas City, MO 64112 Visit website
Details
I focus my practice on representing clients who have sustained traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or families who have lost a loved one due to a wrongful death cause of action or dram shop case. These injuries and losses often result from serious automobile and trucking accidents, fire and gas explosions, slip/trip and fall cases, and car accidents caused by drunk drivers. I represent clients across the nation and throughout Missouri and Kansas, including areas surrounding Kansas City, Columbia, Chillicothe, Hannibal, Harrisonville, West Plains, Kirksville, Clinton, Warsaw, and Springfield, Missouri.
I am actively involved in my profession and the legal community. In 2016 I was appointed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to serve on the Missouri Brain Injury Advisory Council for the State of Missouri. I also serve on the board for the Brain Injury Association of Missouri and on the Board of Governors for the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA). I am a mentor in the Denise Henning AWLF Connections program for female attorneys. I have been the Chair of the MATA Women's Caucus and a Board Member for the Association for Women Lawyers (AWL) of Greater Kansas City for 7 years. I was admitted to the US Supreme Court Bar Association in 2014 and am a member in good standing of the Missouri and Kansas Bar Associations. Additionally, I hold memberships with the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Clay County Bar Association, the American Association for Justice.
I am also dedicated to serving my local community. I offer pro bono services through the Missouri State Public Defender's office and spend time volunteering with the American Red Cross, Harvesters and Habitat for Humanity. I have also served as a Board Member for Hope Haven of Cass County, a shelter serving families affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence, for four years.
Throughout the years I have been honored to receive various awards and acknowledgments for my work mentoring new/young attorneys and women lawyers. I have been recognized by my peers in Kansas and Missouri as Best of the Bar in plaintiff's personal injury law for both wrongful death and traumatic brain injury law and as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers in 2015.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: PlaintiffFocus areas
Brain Injury, Dram Shop Laws, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 100% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2001, Missouri
Professional Webpage: https://www.griggsinjurylaw.com/l-annette-griggs/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Member of Kansas Bar Association admitted in 2002, member to present date
- Clair of Judicial Committee, Association of Women Lawyers of KC; Board of Directors, 2013
- American Association for Justice (AAJ) - Law School Committee member, 2014
- Member, Clay County Bar Association, 2003 to present date
- University of Missouri-Kansas City- Inn of Courts - Holliday Inn - 2010 and 2011
- Missouri Bar Association, 2001 to present date
- Admitted as a member of U.S. Supreme Court bar, to present date, 2014
- Vice Chair of CLE Committee for Association of Women Lawyers of KC; Board of Directors, 2011
- Member, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA) - 2001 to present date
- Association of Women Lawyer’s of KC (AWL-KC),, 2017
- Chair of MATA Women's Caucus - KC, MATA Board of Directors; 2013 and, 2014
- U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri, 2001 to present date
- Chair of Judicial Committee for Association of Women Lawyers of KC; Board of Directors, 2014
- Ross T. Roberts Trial Academy for US District Court - Master, 2015
- Board Member for Association of Women Lawyers (AWL-KC); to present date, 2016
- Member, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA) - 2001 to present date
- Board of Governors, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA), to present date, 2017
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Co-Author, Changes to Dram Shop Law May Be Only A Shot Away, Association of Women Lawyers - The Link
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Outstanding PACE Student Award for overall achievement - UMKC undergraduate, 1998
- Highest Academic Rank of 1998 graduating class at University of Missouri - Kansas City undergraduate, 1998
Educational Background:
- University of Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, B.A., 1999, 1999
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Pro Bono work for the Missouri Public Defender’s Office, 2007
- Salvation Army - Christmas Charity Bell Ringer, 2010
- Board of Directors, Hope Haven of Cass County, MO - Shelter for Abused Women, 2012 to present date, 2015
- Mata Emergency Response Team (ERT) partnered with the American Red Cross
- Habitat for Humanity with Association of Women Lawyers, 2010
- MATA - Emergency Response Team - Joplin Relief, 2011
- American Red Cross - Joplin tornado volunteer - providing legal advice to victims, 2011
- UMKC Professor Robert Downs Scholarship Golf Tournament – committee member, 2015
- NBC Action News “Ask A Lawyer Night” through KCMBA-Young Lawyers Section, 2003
- Harvesters, 2011
- Better Business Bureau
- Pro Bono Wall of Fame, Missouri Bar Association, 2011
Honors/Awards:
- Nominated by peers as Best of the Bar in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases, Wrongful Death and Catastrophic Personal Injury cases., Best of the Bar - Personal Injury Law, KC Business Journa, Best of the Bar - Personal Injury, Kansas City Business Journal, 2014
- McCollum & Griggs honored as AWL Law Firm of the Year, 2011
- American Business Women's Award, University of Missouri
- Dean's list, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, 1998
- Nominated by peers as Best of the Bar in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases, Wrongful Death and Catastrophic Personal Injury cases., Best of the Bar - Personal Injury, Kansas City Business Journal
- This award recognizes more experienced attorneys who have dedicated time, leadership and guidance to help attorneys achieve success who are within their first 10 years of practice. , Mentor Award for Up and Coming Lawyers, Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2016
- Better Business Bureau, AVVO Excellent Rating
- Received Honors for Highest Overall GPA in Graduating Class, University of Missouri
- Urban Lawyer, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, 1999 - 2001
- Nominated by peers as Best of the Bar in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases, Wrongful Death and Catastrophic Personal Injury cases., Best of the Bar - Personal Injury Law, KC Business Journal, 2013
- Received recognition for being a Top 100 National Trial Lawyer, Top 100 National Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers, 2015
- Appointed by Gov. Nixon to serve on the Missouri Brain Injury Advisory Council for the State of Missouri. The council’s mission is to lead in the development of a collaborative statewide system of prevention, public awareness, and provision of services and supports driven by the needs of individuals with brain injury and their families., Missouri Brain Injury Advisory Council, State of Missouri, 2016
- Nominated by peers as Best of the Bar, 2011
- Up & Coming Lawyers, 2011
- Outstanding PACE Graduate Award, University of Missouri, Award, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 1998
- Advanced Legal Writing - award for Highest Grade in class, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, 2001
- Nominated by peers in the Greater KC legal community for Best of the Bar in Plaintiff's Personal Injury , Best of the Bar - Personal Injury, Kansas City Business Journal, 2012
- McCollum & Griggs, LLC received this award for my work on the board and our contributions as a firm to AWL-KC, Law Firm of the Year, Association for Women Lawyers, 2011
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Loss of Consortium Claim for spouse of man severely injured in a Semi-Truck tractor trailor accident; $1,000,000, 2014
- Brown v. Allinder, Jackson Co: 0916-CV40080 - 2011 - Automobile negligence - Jury Trial - ($70,000 plaintiff's verdict for rotator cuff repair), 2011
- Confidential v. Confidential – Jackson Co, MO – 2008 – Products liability ($2,125,000 settlement involving a young woman who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury while restrained only by a lap belt in a minivan), 2008
- Smith v. Bush, Lafayette Co: 10LF-CV00715 – 2011 – Civil Negligence – ($2,268,979 plaintiff’s judgment in a bench trial for serious personal injuries sustained when a throttle stuck open on defendant’s motorcycle), 2011
- Motorcycle accident resulting in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and other serious injuries; settled for policy limits of $1,150,000, 2014
- Harris v. MHTC – Jackson Co, MO: 0816-CV00420- 2009- Wrongful Death – $100,000 Arbitration – award for plaintiff for improper warning of dangerous condition allowed to exist on I-70 bridge over Manchester), 2009
- Clough v. Taylor, Clay Co: 11CY-CV04226 – 2011- Wrongful Death ($1,100,000 settlement for 21 year old man hit and killed while riding his bicycle on public street), 2011
- Confidential v. Confidential, $750,000 wrongful death settlement in a dram shop case involving a bar in Jackson County that overserved alcohol to a visibly intoxicated patron who then wrecked car and killed plaintiff's daughter, 2011
- Lafayette County, Missouri. Settled during litigation for $2,200,000. Negligent Entrustment of a gun to a mentally ill person. Case Narrative: Colby Sue Weathers of Wellington, Missouri suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and depression throughout her adult life. In May 2012, she purchased a handgun from Odessa Gun & Pawn in Odessa, Missouri. Fearing she was at risk of committing suicide, her family took away the weapon. Three weeks later, knowing that Colby was about to receive a check, her mother Janet Delana called Odessa Gun & Pawn, provided her daughter’s information and explained that she was dangerously mentally ill, and begged them not to sell Colby another gun should she try to purchase one." On June 27, 2012, two days after her mother’s phone call, Colby returned to Odessa Gun & Pawn and was sold a .45 caliber Hi-Point semiautomatic pistol. She returned to her family home, and an hour later, she shot and killed her father, Tex C. Delana. With the assistance of the Brady Center, we filed suit against Odessa Gun & Pawn for Janet Delana on March 12, 2014. The complaint alleges that the dealer knew or should have known, based on Janet’s phone call two days earlier, that Colby Sue Weathers was a danger to herself and others, but that the store ignored this clear warning and negligently sold her the gun. The suit argues that Odessa breached the duty shared by all gun dealers to use reasonable care in selling firearms to prevent access to guns for people who are foreseeably dangerous. After the trial court partially granted the defendants’ motion for summary judgment, Brady Center attorneys briefed and argued an appeal to the Supreme Court of Missouri. In April 2016, the Supreme Court decided the negligent entrustment claim in Janet Delana’s favor. This decision set important precedent, holding that negligent gun dealers across the state can be held accountable to victims of their negligence, and that negligent entrustment applies to gun sellers. We were honored to serve as co-counsel for the Delana family with the Brady Center under the direction of Jon Lowy and Alla Lefkowitz. Read the press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit: Brady Center Lawsuit Targets Missouri Gun Dealer for Gun Sale to Mentally Ill Woman Who Killed Father. Read the press release announcing the Missouri Supreme Court Victory: Victory in Brady Case Against Missouri Gun Dealer for Sale to Mentally Ill Woman Who Killed Father. Read the Trace’s coverage of the case: Lawsuits Against Gun Sellers Almost Never Make it to Trial. This One Will., 2016
- Confidential v. Confidential – Jackson Co, MO - 2010 - Dram Shop ($4,000,000 settlement for a brother and sister injured by drunk driver over-served at local establishment), 2010
- McCurley v. Bridges – Wyandotte Co, KS: 2004-PR-000323 – 2005 – Wrongful Death ($300,000 settlement for negligence of homeowner resulting in natural gas explosion), 2005
- Lull v. Benjamin Surry, et al., $1,000,000 Verdict in Jackson County, MO for a Wrongful Death Case arising from an Automobile Accident in which the defendant was illegally Drag Racing with the driver of the victim's car, 2012
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- U.S. Supreme Court bar member - admitted to practice, 2014
Selections
12 Years Super Lawyers
1 Year Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2012 - 2023
- Rising Stars: 2011
Top Lists
Top 50: Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers: 2016 - 2023- Top 50: 2023 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2022 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2021 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2020 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2019 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2018 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2017 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2016 Women Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2022 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2021 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2020 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2019 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2018 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2017 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2016 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
