Maria Sterling
Founding Partner
Twelve years trying medical-malpractice and catastrophic-injury cases in Miami-Dade and Broward. Stetson J.D. 2013, board-certified civil trial.
Stetson J.D. ’13Board Cert. Civil TrialSuper Lawyers 2022–24
Full bio
South Florida Personal Injury Attorneys
Hurt in an accident? You don’t pay unless we win.
$47M+ recovered for clients across Miami-Dade and Broward since 2015. Free, confidential case review — usually within the hour. Disponible en español.
● No fee unless we win● Available 24/7● English & español● Florida Bar Member
Recognized by
The Florida BarAdmitted
Avvo10.0 Rating
Super Lawyers2024
Million DollarAdvocates Forum
National Trial LawyersTop 100
UnivisiónLocal 23
AVVO Clients’Choice
$47M+
Recovered
for clients across South Florida since 2015
1,000+
Cases handled
auto, premises, medical, wrongful death
9
Years fighting
for the injured — founded 2015 in Miami
94%
Resolution rate
settled or won at trial, last 24 months
Practice areas
Six case types. One deliberate caseload.
A boutique trial firm by choice. We cap caseload so a founding partner stays on every file from intake through resolution — not a screener, not a junior associate the insurance carrier has never heard of.
AutoCar Accidents
Rear-end, T-bone, hit-and-run, rideshare — full Florida no-fault PIP claim handled end-to-end.
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CommercialTruck Accidents
Federal carrier-liability + insurance stacking. ELD log preservation in 48 hours.
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PremisesSlip & Fall
Big-box stores, restaurants, condo lobbies. Florida Statute 768.0755 mode-of-operation pursuit.
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WorkersWorkers' Compensation
Construction, hospitality, healthcare. Third-party negligence claims that the comp carrier won’t file.
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MedicalMedical Malpractice
Florida Statute 766 pre-suit, board-certified expert review, surgical-error and birth-injury focus.
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LossWrongful Death
Florida Wrongful Death Act survivor claims. Quiet, deliberate counsel for families in grief.
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Our process
We handle the insurance company. You focus on healing.
Every new case is reviewed by a founding partner within 24 hours. From the first call to the final check, the same senior attorney stays on your file — no transfers, no case managers, no hand-offs to a junior associate the carrier has never heard of.
- 01
Intake
Senior attorney call within 24 hours. We pull your records, file the FR-10, and put spoliation letters on every carrier.
- 02
Investigation
Reconstruction, witness statements, surveillance preservation. We retain the experts the carrier knows by name.
- 03
Negotiation
Demand packet built to settle for the right number. If the offer isn’t fair, we file suit — quickly and without theater.
- 04
Trial
Two senior trial attorneys on every file. We try cases. The carriers know who they’re dealing with from the first phone call.
Case results
A record we don’t hide behind disclaimers.
A selection of recent verdicts and settlements. Every result is the aggregate of long preparation, the right experts, and the carrier knowing we’re ready to try the case.
Mar2025
Truck Accident
$4.8M settlement
Underride collision on I-95 north of Hollywood. Federal Motor Carrier 49 CFR 393 violations, ELD spoliation, eight-figure demand reduced to confidential pre-trial settlement.
Plaintiff: J.M., 47
Nov2024
Medical Malpractice
$3.2M verdict
Failure to diagnose pulmonary embolism, Broward jury verdict after 9-day trial. Plaintiff was 38 with three children. Affirmed on appeal.
Plaintiff: R.S., 38
Aug2024
Premises Liability
$2.4M settlement
Rear-end at Doral intersection, two surgeries, full LOEC + future medical. Carrier opened at $180k; settled mediated at policy limits + UM excess.
Plaintiff: C.D., 52
May2024
Wrongful Death
$1.95M settlement
Negligent security at Hialeah condo property, single father of two. Florida Statute 768.0755 mode-of-operation theory, settled pre-mediation.
Estate of A.T., 41
Sep2023
Workers' Comp / Third Party
$1.4M recovery
Construction fall, third-party premises claim against general contractor. Workers’ comp lien fully resolved, net to client $920k.
Plaintiff: M.G., 34
Apr2023
Car Accident
$985k settlement
T-bone at Kendall intersection, traumatic brain injury, three-year course of cognitive rehab. Stacked UM + bodily injury limits achieved at mediation.
Plaintiff: L.O., 29
Dec2022
Slip & Fall
$640k settlement
Big-box retailer floor-mat negligence at Aventura. Surveillance preserved by spoliation letter within 72 hours of intake.
Plaintiff: E.K., 63
Jul2022
Rideshare Accident
$725k recovery
Rideshare driver at fault, dual policy stacking (driver + platform $1M liability layer). Pre-suit demand granted in full.
Plaintiff: V.N., 41
Oct2021
Birth Injury
$2.8M settlement
Failure to monitor fetal heart strip, hypoxic-ischemic injury. Florida Statute 766 pre-suit, two board-certified OB experts retained.
Family of baby R., infant
Feb2021
Premises Liability
$1.1M verdict
Negligent maintenance at Coral Gables apartment complex, Miami-Dade jury verdict. Stairwell handrail code violation.
Plaintiff: D.W., 71
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is judged on its own facts. Names have been initialized to protect client confidentiality. Florida Bar Rule 4-7.13 compliance.
Meet the firm
Senior attorneys on every file.
David Reyes
Founding Partner
Bilingual lead on auto, trucking, and premises-liability cases throughout South Florida. UM J.D. 2011, Florida Justice Association board.
Miami Law J.D. ’11FJA Board MemberAV-Preeminent
Full bio
Alicia Marrero
Senior Associate
Lead on workers’ compensation and third-party claims. Stetson J.D. 2016, Hispanic Bar Association of Florida.
Stetson J.D. ’16HBAF OfficerBilingual EN/ES
Full bioClient voices
First-name reviews. Real cases.
Florida Bar rules require initials for case-specific testimonials. Full reviews are on Google and Avvo — we link out from each.
★★★★★
They explained everything in Spanish, came to my house when I couldn’t drive, and got us more than the first offer. David answered his cell every Sunday.
Carolina V.
★★★★★
Sterling & Reyes sent the spoliation letter the same day. Two months later the trucking company settled. I felt heard the entire way.
James T.
★★★★★
Maria walked us through the Chapter 766 pre-suit step by step. We never met a single screener — only attorneys. That is rare.
Estela R.
Frequently asked
The questions clients ask before they hire us.
What does a free case review actually include?
A 30-minute call with a founding partner — not an intake screener — to walk through what happened, pull initial records, and tell you honestly whether you have a case worth filing.
What is your contingency percentage?
Florida Bar capped: 33⅓% pre-suit, 40% if we file suit, 45% if we go to trial. No hourly billing. No fees if we don’t recover.
How long do personal injury cases take in Florida?
Pre-suit settlements typically resolve in 3–9 months. Filed cases that resolve at mediation are usually 9–18 months. Trial cases run 18–36 months. We tell you up-front which path your case is on.
Will I have to go to trial?
Most cases settle. About 8% of ours go to verdict. We prepare every case as if it will — carriers know that, and it usually moves the offer.
What is Florida’s statute of limitations?
Two years for most personal injury claims arising after March 24, 2023 (HB 837). Four years for older claims. Medical malpractice has its own 766 pre-suit timeline. Don’t wait.
¿Hablan español?
Yes. David Reyes, Alicia Marrero, and our paralegal team are bilingual. All forms, mediation, and intake available in Spanish.
What should I bring to my first meeting?
If you have them: police report, photos of the scene and injuries, ER records or discharge papers, insurance cards (yours and the at-fault party’s). If you don’t — still come. We’ll obtain what’s missing.
Do I owe you anything if my case doesn’t settle?
No. No fees, no costs. Case investigation, expert retention, depositions, and filing fees are all advanced by the firm and reimbursed only from recovery.
Tell us what happened
Free, confidential, and a partner answers.
A founding partner reviews every new case within 24 hours. No screeners, no intake forms longer than the conversation. English or español, 24/7.
No fee unless we win24/7 availabilityEnglish & españolFlorida Bar Member