John Grinnan

Attorney

John Grinnan's Headshot

John is a trial lawyer focused on one thing: getting the best results possible for clients. He accomplished this mission by aggressively and creatively representing plaintiffs against corporate giants across the United States. His practice is focused on catastrophic injury and death.

“At Arnold & Itkin, being a trial lawyer isn’t just a job—it’s our passion. We’re 100% committed to doing whatever it takes to get the best possible results for our clients. No matter what.”

Biography

John grew up in Dallas and attended Jesuit College Preparatory School. He eventually moved to Austin, where he studied government at the University of Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas, John moved to Houston to attend law school at South Texas College of Law.

During law school, John became a varsity advocate for the law school’s nationally-ranked moot court program under the late Thomas Gerald Treece. John received two awards for his performance in the classroom, including one for obtaining the highest grade in the law school's Advanced Products Liability course. Additionally, John was listed on the Dean’s List for four consecutive semesters.

John graduated from law school cum laude in the top fifteen percent of his law school class. He received two graduating honors as he was admitted into the Order of Lytae and received an Academic Merit Scholarship.

John spent nearly a decade litigating product liability and mass tort cases prior to joining Arnold & Itkin. During this time, he took on some of the largest companies in the world and won time and again. John’s work in litigating the first three transvaginal mesh trials in Federal Court against Boston Scientific Corporation pressured the defendant into resolving thousands of individual cases around the United States. In the first two trials, juries returned verdicts against Boston Scientific for $26.7 million and $18.5 million. The day before closing arguments in the third trial, Boston Scientific agreed to settle the case.

John has a track record of obtaining seven-figure settlements in single-plaintiff personal injury litigation as well. One of his proudest victories was on behalf of a worker catastrophically injured while building a new pipeline. The defendants refused to take responsibility and used their extensive resources to defend the suit. John did not back down. He aggressively litigated the case and secured a multi-million dollar settlement for his client.

When John isn’t working, he is spending time with his wife Sarah and his daughter Clare. He enjoys golfing and rooting for his favorite football, basketball, and baseball teams.

John's Case Results

  • Record-Setting $2.07 Billion

    Largest Single Plaintiff Injury Verdict in Georgia

    Attorneys Kyle Findley, Noah Wexler, and our trial team secured a record-setting $2.065 billion verdict on behalf of John Barnes, a Georgia resident who developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after two decades of Roundup use. From 1999 to 2019, Mr. Barnes regularly purchased and applied the glyphosate-based herbicide at his home, trusting Monsanto’s marketing that the product was safe. In reality, Monsanto had known since the 1980s that glyphosate could cause cancer—and actively concealed this truth.

    At trial, we exposed decades of corporate misconduct. Internal documents, expert testimony, and regulatory records revealed Monsanto’s efforts to suppress scientific studies, mislead federal agencies, and brand Roundup as “harmless” despite mounting global evidence of its dangers.

    In March 2020, Mr. Barnes was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

    The jury’s award, including compensatory and punitive damages, is the largest single-plaintiff injury verdict in Georgia’s history and the first Roundup case tried in the state. This landmark victory sends a clear message: corporations that prioritize profit over public health will be held accountable.

  • $177.5 Million

    Settlement for Workers Burned in Industrial Incident

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team secured a $177.5 million settlement on behalf of several workers who were burned in an industrial incident. Our attorneys filed suit against multiple companies for creating a hazardous condition and causing the explosion that changed our clients’ lives forever. We aggressively prosecuted the case and utilized our vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants were responsible for the incident. On the eve of the trial, we obtained a nine-figure settlement and ensured our clients would be cared for for life.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $72,574,650.42

  • $141 Million

    Verdict Won for 9 Survivors of Explosion

    Against all odds, Arnold & Itkin secured a $141 million verdict against five defendants for a plant explosion that took three lives and injured many more. The defendants refused to take responsibility, stretching out litigation for seven years while offering a pittance to settle.

    Attorney Kyle Findley secured the nine-figure verdict for nine plaintiffs who survived a fatal explosion at a paper and containerboard plant in Deridder, Louisiana. Our clients were among over a dozen workers who were grievously harmed or killed due to the negligence and poor management of the five defendants, including a defendant who oversaw an accident eerily similar to this one in 2008.

    In 2017, our clients were working at the paper mill during a shutdown, which allowed contractors to do much-needed maintenance and repair work. This procedure included “hot work,” or work involving high-heat tools such as grinders, welders, and cutters. The hot work was conducted near two storage tanks that management knew emitted flammable gases; however, they ordered employees to continue working nearby regardless of the risk. As a result, the storage tanks exploded, robbing three workers of their lives and injuring several more.

    This incident would never have happened under more cautious and competent management. The defendants’ failures are especially egregious considering an incident almost exactly like this one happened at a defendant’s plant in Wisconsin in 2008. It was clear that they didn’t learn their lesson then, so we needed to make the lesson loud and clear with our case.

    These defendants offered our clients an extremely small amount to settle prior to trial and only raised their offer slightly after closing arguments. This was an enormous miscalculation on their part—the jury ended up awarding our clients more than 10 times what the defendants offered to settle. Our firm is enormously proud of our result, and we’re thrilled our clients can now live their lives in peace and security.

  • $120 Million

    Settlement for Workers Injured in Refinery Explosion

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team secured a $120 million settlement on behalf of multiple workers who were injured during a refinery explosion. The workers sustained extensive injuries, including orthopedic and spinal injuries, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological damages. We aggressively prosecuted the case and utilized our vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants knowingly created the conditions that resulted in the explosion. After numerous depositions of the defendants and their employees, we obtained this nine-figure settlement on behalf of our clients, ensuring they will be taken care of in the future.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $50,462,396.95

  • $49 Million

    Settlement for Worker Burned in Plant Explosion

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team secured a $50 million settlement on behalf of a worker who was burned and sustained life-changing injuries as a result of a plant explosion. Our client suffered burns to nearly half of his body, in addition to a severe head injury with post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional injuries. We filed suit against multiple companies for creating a hazardous condition and causing the explosion that ultimately changed our client’s life forever. Our attorneys aggressively prosecuted the case and utilized their vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants were responsible for the incident. On the eve of trial, Arnold & Itkin obtained an eight-figure settlement and ensured our client would be taken care of for life.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $20,603,236.87

  • $37.65 Million

    Settlement for Worker Burned at Disposal Well Site

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our legal team secured a $37.65 million settlement on behalf of a worker who was seriously burned as a result of a flash fire at a disposal well site. The attorneys filed suit against several different defendants involved with the site that contributed to the fire that devastated our client’s life forever. Arnold & Itkin aggressively litigated the case, overcame numerous legal obstacles, and obtained evidence of gross negligence against the defendants. After numerous depositions, Arnold & Itkin ensured our client was taken care of for life with settlements totaling eight figures.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $16,622,221.13

  • $33 Million

    Settlement Secured for Victim of Plant Explosion Burns

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team secured a $33 million settlement on behalf of a worker who was burned and sustained life-altering injuries as a result of a plant explosion. Our client suffered third-degree burns to his body, as well as multiple rib fractures and orthopedic injuries, all of which contributed to severe emotional issues. The attorneys filed suit against multiple companies for creating a hazardous condition and causing the explosion. Our attorneys at Arnold & Itkin aggressively prosecuted the case. They utilized their vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants were responsible for the incident. On the eve of trial, Arnold & Itkin obtained an eight-figure settlement and ensured our client would be taken care of for life.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $13,699,795.78

  • $33 Million

    Settlement Won for Plant Explosion Burn Victim

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team won a $33 million settlement on behalf of a worker who sustained life-changing injuries as a result of a plant explosion. Our client endured second- and third-degree burns to his body and suffered a debilitating head injury as a result of the explosion. The attorneys filed suit against multiple companies for creating a hazardous condition and causing the explosion that ultimately changed our client's life forever. Our attorneys at Arnold & Itkin aggressively prosecuted the case. They utilized their vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants were responsible for the incident. On the eve of trial, Arnold & Itkin obtained an eight-figure settlement and ensured our client would be taken care of for life.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $13,802,866.33

  • $27.5 Million

    Settlement Reached for Workers Hurt in Plant Explosion

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our legal team secured a $27.5 million settlement on behalf of workers who were burned and injured as a result of a plant explosion. Our attorneys filed suit against the refinery owner for creating hazardous conditions that resulted in a massive explosion. Based on our vast experience in these types of cases, we were able to obtain an eight-figure result for our clients.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $11,400,055.10

  • $22 Million

    Settlement Achieved for Employee Burned in Plant Explosion

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team secured a $22 million settlement on behalf of a worker who sustained severe injuries as a result of a plant explosion. Our client experienced serious burns to his face and extremities, and his mental and emotional well-being was severely compromised. Our attorneys filed suit against multiple companies for creating a hazardous condition and causing the explosion that ultimately changed our client's life forever. We aggressively prosecuted the case and utilized our vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants were responsible for the incident. On the eve of the trial, Arnold & Itkin obtained an eight-figure settlement.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $9,192,692.41

  • $19.4 Million

    Settlement Obtained for Worker Injured in Plant Explosion

    Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Kyle Findley, and our team secured a $19 million settlement on behalf of a worker who sustained severe injuries as a result of a plant explosion. Our client experienced severe burns to his extremities and now suffers from ongoing mental and emotional disorders as a result of the incident. The attorneys filed suit against multiple companies for creating a hazardous condition and causing the explosion that ultimately changed our client’s life forever. Our attorneys aggressively prosecuted the case and utilized their vast experience with explosion events to obtain key evidence and testimony proving the defendants were responsible for the incident. On the eve of trial, Arnold & Itkin obtained an eight-figure settlement and ensured our client would be taken care of for life.

    Attorney's fees and expenses totaled $8,053,838.37

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