Colson Hicks Eidson and Bartlett Chen File Lawsuit Against Boeing on Behalf of Plane Crash Victim Aboard Lion Air Flight 610

November 15, 2018 / 12:38 pm

Dr. Rio Nanda Pratama was killed in a plane crash shortly after takeoff from Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (Nov. 15, 2018) – Attorney Curtis Miner, a partner at Coral-Gables, Florida-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson and lead counsel for the plaintiff, today announced the filing of a lawsuit on behalf of one of the passengers on Lion Air Flight 610 against The Boeing Company, the manufacturer of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft that crashed 13 minutes after takeoff on October 29, 2018.

“We have filed a complaint against The Boeing Company in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, where Boeing is headquartered, on behalf of our clients, the parents of Dr. Rio Nanda Pratama, who perished when the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft crashed into the sea,” said Miner. “Tragically, Dr. Pratama, a young medical doctor, was flying back home from a conference to get married this week.”

Lion Air Flight 610 was a flight from Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to Depati Amir Airport in Pangkal Pinang. The aircraft was a virtually brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 that was designed and manufactured in the United States. All 189 passengers and crew were killed in the accident. Investigators have focused on a new automated flight-control system on the Boeing 737 MAX that was not included in prior versions of the 737. The flight-control system is intended to help the flight crew avoid mistakenly raising a plane’s nose dangerously high, but under certain conditions can push the nose down unexpectedly and so strongly that the pilot cannot pull it back up in time to avoid a crash. This automated feature can be triggered even if pilots are manually flying the aircraft and don’t expect flight-control computers to kick in.

On November 7, 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a new Emergency Airworthiness Directive on the Boeing 737 MAX directed to what it determined to be an “unsafe condition” that is likely to exist or develop in other Boeing 737 MAX airplanes. It has been reported that Boeing withheld information about the potential hazards associated with this new flight-control system, and that U.S. aviation regulators have launched a high-priority review of the safety analyses that Boeing performed over the years and what information it did or did not disclose to airlines about this new flight-control system.

Austin Bartlett of Chicago, Illinois- based law firm BartlettChen LLC, who jointly filed the lawsuit, stated that “it is particularly surprising to hear from safety experts and the heads of pilots unions that Boeing failed to warn its customers and the pilots of its new 737 MAX aircraft about this significant change in the flight-control systems and failed to include appropriate instructions in its instruction manuals.”

Regarding the investigation of the accident, Miner stated that, pursuant to international treaties, the official governmental investigation in Indonesia is typically prohibited from making determinations of liability or fault, but instead will make safety recommendations for its aviation industry and for the future.

“This is why legal actions by the families of the victims are so vital,” said Miner, “the government investigators typically will not make a determination of who is at fault, and just compensation to these families will not be provided by the governmental investigations; that is the critical role of private lawsuits in a tragedy like this.”

H. Irianto, the father of the late Dr. Rio Nanda Pratama, stated that: “all of the families of the victims want to know the truth and causes of this tragedy, same mistakes must be avoided in the future and those responsible must be brought to court. I seek justice for my son and all of the people who lost their lives in the crash.”

The Colson Hicks Eidson law firm has handled many international aviation accidents on behalf of passengers for nearly 50 years, including prior accidents in Indonesia and a prior accident involving Lion Air (the November 30, 2004 crash landing of Lion Air Flight 538 in Solo City, Indonesia). The BartlettChen law firm likewise focuses on handling claims for passengers in aviation accidents and brings a unique perspective as its co-founder, Austin Bartlett, formerly represented defendants in aviation accidents for 17 years.

For more information, contact Curtis Miner at 305-476-7400 or curt@colson.com

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Colson Hicks Eidson is thrilled to announce that seven of its attorneys have been named in the 2025 edition of Florida Super Lawyers. Stephanie Casey, Dean Colson, Joseph J. Kalbac Jr., Julie Braman Kane, and Curtis Miner have been named Super Lawyers. Zachary A. Lipshultz and Sabrina S. Saieh have been recognized as Rising Stars.

Super Lawyers uses a rigorous screening process including independent research, peer nominations, and evaluations to rate lawyers. Only 5 percent of lawyers in Florida are rated by Super Lawyers, and no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers under 40 or with fewer than 10 years of practice are selected as Rising Stars.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Congratulations to Colson Hicks Eidson President and Senior Partner Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson and Partner Curt Miner on being selected by the American Association for Justice to receive a prestigious award at the organization’s annual convention.

Mike will receive the Leonard M. Ring Champion of Justice Award, which honors AAJ members of outstanding integrity and character who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to civil and human rights. A past AAJ president and long-respected national trial lawyer, Mike has spent decades advancing justice and protecting the right to trial by jury. 

“I am honored to receive this recognition,” Mike said. “It’s a privilege to be part of a legal community that shares a commitment to protecting people’s rights and ensuring access to justice.”

Curt was part of the team of attorneys who will receive the Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award, which honors plaintiffs’ attorneys and their clients who bring cases that highlight the vital role of the American civil justice system. Curt will be recognized for his role as one of the court-appointed leaders in the Champlain Towers Condominium Collapse litigation, where he worked alongside a dedicated team of lawyers to help secure $1.2 billion in settlements for the families and victims. 

“It was one of the highlights of my career to work with the team of lawyers appointed by the Court, and our dedicated team at Colson Hicks Eidson, to help the many families that were impacted by this tragedy,” Curt said. 

The awards will be presented in July at the AAJ Annual Convention in San Francisco. Register here.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson has been recognized as one of Florida’s top four trial law firms by Chambers and Partners in the 2025 Chambers USA Guide. We’re especially honored that five of our attorneys were individually recognized for their leadership, legal skill, and commitment to our clients.

Congratulations to Stephanie Casey, Julie Kane, Lewis S. “Mike” Eidson, Roberto Martínez, and Curt Miner.

We are grateful for the recognition and thankful to our clients and peers for continuing to place their trust in us.

The rankings are a result of the firm’s exceptional track record of securing multimillion-dollar judgments and settlements for its clients in areas that include commercial litigation, medical malpractice, products liability, class actions, multidistrict litigation, and aviation and automobile accidents.

To schedule a consultation, do not hesitate to contact an attorney at our law office. We have experience in a wide variety of cases for clients located throughout the nation and around the globe.


About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

Colson Hicks Eidson is thrilled to announce that Managing Partner, Dean Colson, has been named in the 2025 Lawdragon 100 Managing Partners Guide. Lawdragon selected attorneys based on their roles in growing, leading, and innovating their firms.

Dean is renowned as a top trial lawyer in the U.S. with 40 years of experience in complex civil litigation, personal injury, product liability, and professional malpractice. He has successfully represented large plaintiff classes and handled multimillion-dollar cases, including high-profile litigation such as the AeroPeru airplane crash and a Ponzi scheme settlement.

Dean has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service through various leadership roles. He has been actively involved with the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, supporting access to the arts. He’s also been president of the Orange Bowl Committee and chaired the Super Bowl XXIX Host Committee. He served on the Florida Commission on Ethics and chaired the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. He previously served as President of the Dade County Bar Association and as a distinguished member of the Florida Bar Board of Governors. Most recently, the Coral Gables Community Foundation recognized Dean at its 2024 Annual Gala with the Education Award.

Click here to read the full guide.


About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

MIAMI (March 12, 2025) – Every day, the lawyers at Colson Hicks Eidson are privileged to deliver meaningful litigation results for our clients while working alongside some of the finest attorneys and people we know. We are honored that Lawdragon recognizes our dedication to our craft and are pleased to announce that all nine of our partners have been named in the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers guide.

Lawyers for this guide are selected through Lawdragon’s process of independent journalistic research and submissions. Their selection process emphasizes lawyers who have demonstrated consistent excellence and have made notable impacts in their fields.

Click here to read the full guide.

The Firm’s recognized attorneys are listed below.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

MIAMI (March 6, 2025) – This Women’s History Month, Colson Hicks Eidson congratulates partners Julie Braman Kane and Stephanie Casey who were named Florida Trend Legal Elite NOTABLE: Women Leaders in Law for their significant contributions and leadership in the legal profession.

Stephanie was recognized for her representation of injured consumers and her skills in complex litigation, including recent successes in ERISA health insurance benefits cases. Acknowledged by Chambers USA as “an excellent lawyer,” she actively contributes to the legal community as a Board member and former President of the South Florida Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, reflecting her commitment to mentorship and leadership in the profession.

Julie was recognized for her representation of plaintiffs in high-stakes personal injury and complex class action cases, leveraging over three decades of experience. Her accomplishments include serving as lead and liaison counsel in significant multidistrict and consolidated national litigation and securing notable verdicts and settlements in products liability, medical malpractice and negligence cases. A strong advocate for the underrepresented, she has spearheaded efforts to safeguard electoral access and has held leadership roles in the American Association for Justice and the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers. Julie’s legal knowledge is further acknowledged by Lawdragon and Chambers USA, underscoring her significant impact on the profession and her commitment to advancing justice.

We are proud to celebrate Julie and Stephanie, whose recognition reflects their outstanding achievements and the firm’s exceptional success in securing significant judgments and settlements across various areas of law.

Read more: http://digital.floridatrend.com/december-2024/page-86

To schedule a consultation, do not hesitate to contact an attorney at our law office. We have experience in a wide variety of cases for clients located throughout the nation and around the globe.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.