Colson Hicks Eidson Files Lawsuit In Elmiron Case Against Janssen Pharmaceuticals

May 7, 2020 / 4:28 am

This Medication Can Cause Severe Eye Damage

Coral Gables, Fla. (May 2020) – Coral Gables-based Colson Hicks Eidson has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Plaintiff who sustained severe eye damage after taking Elmiron, also known as pentosan polysulfate sodium, Elmiron is a prescription drug used to treat interstitial cystitis (also known as “bladder pain syndrome” or “IC”).

The lawsuit alleges that Elmiron caused the Plaintiff harmful retinal damage and maculopathy, which ultimately resulted in impaired vision. The lawsuit alleges that Janssen Pharmaceuticals knew or should have known that Elmiron, when taken as prescribed or intended, causes eye damage.

In 2018, researchers at the Emory Eye Center at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA discovered that the retinal cells of those taking Elmiron accumulated pentosan polysulfate sodium over time, leading to the retinal damage and maculopathy. These findings were later confirmed by findings presented to the American Academy of Ophthalmology and others.

The Plaintiff in the case filed by Colson Hicks Eidson is Tara O’Flaherty. She was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, and took Elmiron as prescribed by her physician from approximately 1994 through 2019. She was given no warning and had no knowledge of the serious risk of retinal damage and vision loss posed by Elmiron. Her attorneys say she suffers from maculopathy, blurriness, and distorted vision.

The Plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for lost earnings in the past; loss of earning capacity in the future; medical expenses incurred in the past; medical expenses to be incurred in the future; other economic damages; pain and suffering; disability; physical impairment; disfigurement; mental anguish; inconvenience; aggravation of a disease or physical defect; loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life sustained in the past and to be sustained in the future; and other non-economic damages.

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About Colson Hicks Eidson

The Law Firm of Colson Hicks Eidson is a trial firm it has more than 50 years of experience handling local, national, and international litigation and arbitration cases. Members of Colson Hicks Eidson have been involved and numerous high-profile and landmark cases resulting in precedent-setting and impactful rulings.

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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.