Meet Our South Florida Attorneys

Erick Santana has been evaluating personal injury cases for over 18 years, and has successfully settled thousands of cases for his clients, in some instances collecting in excess of $1 million.

Prior to becoming an attorney, he was employed for seven years as an insurance adjuster for State Farm Insurance Co. As a result of his previous employment within State Farm, Mr. Santana knows first-hand what challenges clients face when dealing with insurance companies, which differentiates him from most personal injury attorneys in the area. Mr. Santana uses his expertise and knowledge to work on his client's behalf. Currently, his responsibilities include meeting with clients and explaining the legal issues associated with their cases, negotiation of settlements, trial preparation, and serving the firm's growing Hispanic client base in the areas of personal injury law.

Mr. Santana's experience has made him an expert in the field of personal injury law and has been called upon by the local media for legal advice. Mr. Santana has been a guest on television and radio shows in South Florida as an expert in personal injury law, and has taken part in live question and answer sessions, helping the audience better understand their case and legal rights. He is also the author of "Your Legal Rights," a monthly column published in several South Florida magazines.A member of the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association, Mr. Santana received his Juris Doctorate degree Cum Laude from the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University. He has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Florida International University. He has lived in South Florida for more than 20 years and speaks Spanish fluently.

Attorney Michael Cecere is a Board Certified Civil Trial lawyer and cofounder of the personal injury firm Cecere Santana, PA.

Mr. Cecere grew up in South Florida. He attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. After graduating from Rollins College, he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants baseball team and played professionally for two seasons.

Returning to South Florida, he received his Juris Doctorate degree Summa Cum Laude from Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University while working as a claim specialist with State Farm Insurance Company. As a claim specialist, he handled: no-fault (PIP), homeowner's, property damage, bodily injury liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims.

Prior to founding Cecere Santana, PA, Mr. Cecere was a defense attorney for a leading Broward law firm representing several of the largest insurance companies in the country. He has also tried an excess of 50 trials.

Mr. Cecere gained extensive trial experience while working as a defense attorney. He handled complex cases involving wrongful death, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. He decided to leave the insurance defense practice to become a plaintiff attorney representing the interests of injured victims. He has successfully handled in excess of 50 jury trials and litigated claims in the areas of automobile accidents, slip and falls, premises liability, negligent security, faulty products, professional negligence, homeowner's property damage and wrongful death.

Diana I. Castrillon is a leading worker’s compensation, medical malpractice and personal injury attorney.

Mrs. Castrillon, who was named Outstanding Female Lawyer by the Woman’s Lawyers Journal in 2004, is also a member of the Board of the Florida Worker’s Advocates, sits on the Executive Council for the Florida Bar Workers Compensation Division and serves on the board of the Broward County Bar Workers Compensation Section.

During her career, Mrs. Castrillon has fought to ensure the right to benefits of undocumented workers who are injured while working. In 2007, she won a precedent setting case in which she successfully argued that the employer cannot use a person’s immigration status as both a shield and a sword; by using his illegal status to be able to pay him reduced wages without tax consequences, but then use this same fact to deny him benefits.

Throughout her years as an attorney, Ms. Castrillon has been able to use her knowledge and experience to obtain significant economic results for individuals who have suffered as a result of the negligence of others.

Recently, Mrs. Castrillon was able to obtain a $350,000.00 settlement for a client who was struck in the face by a sheet of metal at the mechanic shop he worked at, injuring his face, neck and back. She was able to get him much-needed medical care which saved him from future disfigurement and disability. In the end, he and his family were delighted with the results which helped them pay off their debt and purchase a home to get back on their feet.

At Cecere Santana, Mrs. Castrillon leads the firm’s efforts on worker’s compensation cases, along with contributing her knowledge and expertise to the areas of personal injury and medical malpractice.

Contact the attorneys of Cecere Santana today at (866) 913-3948 or complete our web form. We have helped numerous clients in South Florida including in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Sunrise, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Miami, Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Naples and surrounding areas.