Nicholas C. Johnson is of counsel at Cohen Milstein and a member of the Complex Tort Litigation practice. His practice focuses on catastrophic injury and wrongful death, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, and personal injury cases.

Prior to joining Cohen Milstein in 2014, Mr. Johnson worked for two South Florida defense firms, gaining valuable experience representing Fortune 500 insurance companies in the defense of claims and lawsuits. Earlier in his career, he practiced as an Assistant Public Defender in Palm Beach County, where he represented indigent clients charged with misdemeanors and felonies, ranging from DUI to crimes punishable by life in prison. He was awarded the Best Advocate Award at the Florida Public Defender College in November 2008. Mr. Johnson tried approximately 30 jury trials to verdict as an Assistant Public Defender. Eager to resume his representation of individuals, Mr. Johnson joined Cohen Milstein.

Some of his past successes include:

  • Doe. v. JFK Medical Center (Cir. Crt., Palm Beach Cnty., Fla.): In April 2019, Cohen Milstein settled a medical malpractice lawsuit against JFK Medical Center on behalf of a client who had a documented seizure disorder, for which he was prescribed twice daily anticonvulsant medication. During a medical evaluation, one of the doctors employed by JFK Medical Center withheld our client's anticonvulsant medication, causing him to suffer a severe and debilitating seizure. The seizure resulted in comminuted shoulder fractures, a reverse total shoulder replacement surgery, and severe permanent functional impairment to both shoulders.
  • Doe v. Florida Medical Corporation: Cohen Milstein represented the family of a woman who tragically died while being held in the Marion County Jail. Upon booking, she immediately exhibited symptoms of MRSA, a deadly disease, which the jail medical staff failed to include in her differential diagnosis. Her condition continued to deteriorate during her incarceration, leading to her death from bacterial endocarditis, a condition of her untreated infection. She left behind an 8-year-old-son, the sole beneficiary of her estate. 
  • Skiles v. Boca Raton Regional Hospital (Cir. Crt., Palm Beach Cnty., Fla.): Cohen Milstein represented the Estate of Mr. Skiles in a medical malpractice, wrongful death case, arising from the defendant’s failure to perform an x-ray on Mr. Skiles to rule-out a potential bowel perforation following a colonoscopy procedure. The x-ray was never performed, and Mr. Skiles was sent home. Later that day, Mr. Skiles returned to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. He was diagnosed with a perforated bowel, ultimately leading to bowel resection surgery. Although Mr. Skiles initially survived his surgery, he later died due to complications of sepsis. The case settled for a confidential sum.
  • Doe v. Unnamed Hospital (Cir. Crt., Orange Cnty., Fla.): Cohen Milstein represented the widow and children of a man against an unnamed hospital in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Our client checked into the hospital’s Emergency Room complaining of severe chest pain and shortness of breath. The hospital-employed physicians ran tests, evaluated him only for cardiac related issues, and gave an order to discharge him. While he was still in the hospital, our client suffered a massive pulmonary embolism and died. The complaint alleges that the physicians failed to recognize the signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism, and thereby fell below the standard of care. The case settled for a confidential sum.
  • Doe v. Unnamed Hospital (Cir. Crt., Seminole Cnty., Fla.): Cohen Milstein represented a client in a medical malpractice lawsuit against an unnamed hospital. Our client, a patient at the hospital, was dropped on his head during a routine surgical procedure, allegedly as a result of the hospital technicians’ failure to properly secure him to the operating room table. The fall resulted in a mild traumatic brain injury with debilitating consequences, including significant emotional, behavioral, and memory deficits. After extensive litigation, including over 40 depositions, the case settled for a confidential sum.
  • Doe v. Unnamed Hospita(Cir. Crt., Highlands Cnty., Fla.): Cohen Milstein represented an emergency room patient of an unnamed hospital, who was never notified by the hospital of the results of a “critical” blood culture, ultimately leading to irreversible damage of his spinal cord and paraplegia. The case settled for a confidential sum.
  • Pavlov v. PBSO (S.D. Fla.): Cohen Milstein represented the mother of a 28-year-old mentally disturbed man who was shot and killed by a Deputy Sheriff of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Johnson was instrumental in litigating this case, which at that time, resulted in the largest settlement paid out by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
  • Negligent Security Matter (Cir. Crt., Palm Beach Cnty., Fla.): Cohen Milstein represented the mother of a 20-year-old man who was shot and killed in the parking lot of a West Palm Beach nightclub, which had been plagued with violent crimes over the years. The complaint alleged that the nightclub failed to provide adequate security that led to this tragic incident.  On October 6, 2017, the parties entered into a confidential settlement.
  • Patient v. Confidential Defendant (Cir. Crt., Alachua Cnty., Fla.): On March 17, 2016, Cohen Milstein successfully negotiated a confidential settlement on behalf of their client who had suffered permanent bodily damage at the hands of a Florida Cardiologist. Mr. Johnson exposed the Defendant’s misconduct and medically negligent treatment when using a stent inappropriately.
  • Nursing Home Neglect Litigation (Cir. Crt., Alachua Cnty., Fla.): Cohen Milstein represented the spouse of an 85-year-old man who experienced a series of falls in a nursing home before finally fracturing his hip, which required hip replacement surgery. Mr. Johnson was instrumental in reaching a confidential settlement in this case that alleged neglect on the part of the nursing home.

Mr. Johnson has been selected by National Trial Lawyers as a “Top 100 Plaintiff Civil Trial Lawyer” in the State of Florida. He is consistently recognized by the “Best Lawyers in America” as a “Best Lawyer” in the field of Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs, as well annual recognitions by Florida Trend, Florida Super Lawyers and Palm Beach Illustrated.

In June 2019, Mr. Johnson was appointed to serve on the Florida Justice Association’s (FJA) Board of Directors.

Mr. Johnson is Past President of the prestigious F. Malcolm Cunningham, Sr. Bar Association. He has been a member since 2014.

In October 2020, Mr. Johnson was appointed to serve on The Florida Bar’s Grievance Committee and will serve until 2023. He is a 2016 alumnus and active member of The Florida Bar’s Wm. Reece Smith, Jr. Leadership Academy, and currently serves as Chair for the Academy’s 2021-2022 term.

Mr. Johnson has served as an appointed member of the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Judicial Campaign Practices Commission since 2018. In addition, he served on the North County Section’s Board of Directors between 2017 and 2019.

Mr. Johnson is also an active member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ). He is involved in several AAJ committees, including the Minority Caucus, the Voter Protection Committee, and the Public Education Committee. In June 2019, Mr. Johnson was appointed to serve on AAJ's Board of Directors by FJA as the minority state delegate. Mr. Johnson is an alumnus of AAJ's Leadership Academy (2016-2017).

Mr. Johnson is a community advocate and was appointed to the Board of Scholar Career Coaching in June 2018.

Mr. Johnson is also a prolific writer, and his articles have been published in Florida Justice Association Journal and AAJ’s Trial magazine.

Mr. Johnson was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and graduated from Boston University with a B.A. in Economics and completed his Master’s in Sports Management at the University of Florida. He graduated cum laude from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2007.

  • Assistant Public Defender, Palm Beach County, Florida
  • Chair, The Florida Bar Wm. Reece Smith, Jr.  Leadership Academy
  • Member, Grievance Committee, The Florida Bar, 2020-2023
  • Member, The Caribbean Bar Association
  • Member, Board of Directors, American Association for Justice
  • Member, Board of Directors, Florida Justice Association
  • Member, Nominating Committee, Florida Justice Association
  • Member, Diversity Committee, Florida Justice Association
  • Member, Voter Protection Committee, American Association for Justice
  • Member, Public Education Committee, American Association for Justice
  • Member, PAC Task Force Committee, American Association for Justice
  • Member, Lawyers for Literacy Committee, Palm Beach County Bar Association, 2019-2020 
  • Member, Law Related Ed Committee, Palm Beach County Bar Association, 2019-2020
  • Member, Board of Directors, Scholar Career Coaching, Inc., 2018
  • Member, Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Judicial Campaign Practices Commission, 2018
  • President, F. Malcolm Cunningham, Sr. Bar Association, Executive Board 2017-2018
  • Director, Board of Directors, North County Section, Palm Beach County Bar Association, 2016-2019
  • Appointed Member, Leadership Academy Committee, Florida Bar, 2016-2018
  • Fellow, Leadership Academy, American Association for Justice, 2016-2017
  • Fellow, The Florida Bar Wm. Reece Smith, Jr.  Leadership Academy, 2015-2016
  • Board Member, Young Lawyer Section, Florida Justice Association, 2014-2016