Vanessa Gross devotes her practice to civil trial work. She routinely handles complex cases in both state and federal courts and has successfully tried both plaintiff and defense cases to verdict.    In 2023 and 2024, she was selected by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in Missouri.

Vanessa currently focuses her practice on the plaintiff’s side, representing individuals and families of individuals who have suffered personal injuries and/or wrongful death. She has represented hundreds of clients involved in mass tort actions throughout the country, including pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer product actions, and other actions involving toxic torts.

Such work has included representation of clients who have been injured by Pelvic Mesh Repair System products, Talcum Powder, Xarelto, Zantac, Roundup, and by the contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.  Vanessa also works extensively in the Chemical Hair Relaxer litigation and has been appointed by the Honorable Mary M. Rowland to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Leadership Development Committee in that MDL.

For the first decade of her practice, Vanessa represented hospitals, doctors, nurses, dentists, and other healthcare providers in malpractice matters. She also represented physicians in matters pending before the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts and the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts and represented dentists before their respective Dental Boards.

Vanessa’s experience also includes appellate work, including briefing before various appellate courts, as well as oral argument before the Missouri Court of Appeals.

Vanessa grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, attended the University of Florida for her undergraduate degree, and then attended Vanderbilt University Law School.  Following law school, she moved to Kansas City and began working for Wagstaff & Cartmell.  After 14 years in Kansas City, Vanessa returned to her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.  She continues to work for Wagstaff & Cartmell and to represent clients from around the nation.