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Sawgrass Expressway Accident Attorney — Broward County, FL

High-speed Sawgrass Expressway crashes cause severe injuries. We fight for the serious compensation you deserve.
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The Sawgrass Expressway — SR-869 — is the primary toll expressway connecting western Broward County’s communities to I-95, I-75, and the broader regional highway network. Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate, and Tamarac all feed daily commuter and commercial traffic onto the Sawgrass, which then converges at interchanges with some of the highest traffic densities in the county. The expressway carries vehicles at sustained highway speeds through a network of interchanges — with I-95, I-75/Turnpike, US-441, and University Drive — where merging and weaving movements, commercial truck presence, and complex lane configurations create conditions for high-speed, high-impact crashes that cause catastrophic injuries.

When you or a family member is injured on the Sawgrass Expressway, you are entering a legal process that involves large insurance companies, commercial trucking companies, and — in some cases — government entities with their own legal defenses. You need a trial attorney with the experience and credentials to take that on. Eric A. Hernandez at HLM Injury Lawyers has more than 25 years of South Florida trial experience and the background of a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and former law clerk to Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles T. Wells. He is a recognized Super Lawyer and Florida Trend Legal Elite, bilingual in English and Spanish, and admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Call (305) 842-2100 for a free consultation.

Why the Sawgrass Expressway Has So Many Accidents

  • High-speed merging at interchanges: The Sawgrass Expressway’s interchanges — particularly at I-95, I-75, and University Drive — create concentrated merging and weaving movements at sustained highway speeds. Drivers entering the expressway must accelerate to match highway traffic while through-traffic often refuses to yield lane space.
  • Commercial truck volume: The Sawgrass connects major industrial and distribution corridors in western Broward County to the regional highway network. Tractor-trailers operating at 65–70 mph through interchange zones and long expressway segments create extreme collision risk for smaller vehicles in their path.
  • Toll plaza approach and exit behavior: Drivers decelerating for toll collection and re-accelerating after toll plazas create variable speed zones that following drivers do not always anticipate — leading to rear-end and sideswipe crashes in plaza approach and exit areas.
  • Lane complexity at major interchanges: The Sawgrass/I-95 and Sawgrass/Turnpike interchange areas involve multiple lanes that split and merge with limited distance for drivers to make positioning decisions. Drivers unfamiliar with the interchange geometry make abrupt, unexpected maneuvers.
  • Aggressive driving and tailgating: The Sawgrass Expressway’s function as a primary commuter route means it sees significant aggressive driving behavior during peak hours — following too closely, lane weaving, and late merging — all at highway speed.
  • Nighttime and low-visibility conditions: The Sawgrass passes through stretches with limited lighting and frequent fog or rain events that reduce visibility. Drivers who do not adjust speed for conditions make crashes inevitable.

Common Injuries in Sawgrass Expressway Crashes

  • Severe traumatic brain injury: The kinetic forces of a Sawgrass crash at highway speed produce TBI at levels that cause permanent cognitive impairment, behavioral changes, loss of employment, and lifetime care needs.
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis: High-energy expressway crashes fracture vertebrae and damage the spinal cord, causing permanent partial or complete paralysis that fundamentally alters every aspect of a survivor’s life and care requirements.
  • Complex pelvic and lower extremity fractures: Crashes at highway speeds transmit enormous force through vehicle structure into occupants, causing multiple simultaneous fractures of the pelvis, femur, and tibia that require surgical repair and extended rehabilitation.
  • Aortic and cardiac injury: Seat belt restraint during high-speed crashes — while critical for survival — can cause traumatic aortic injury and blunt cardiac trauma that require immediate surgical diagnosis and intervention.
  • Internal organ damage: Blunt thoracic and abdominal trauma from expressway crash forces lacerates the liver, spleen, and kidneys without obvious external signs — injuries that are life-threatening without prompt emergency imaging and treatment.
  • Wrongful death: The Sawgrass Expressway’s crash profile — high speeds, commercial trucks, and complex interchanges — makes fatal outcomes more common than on local roads. Eligible surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim.

What to Do After an Accident on the Sawgrass Expressway

  • Move to safety immediately: The Sawgrass Expressway has no safe extended roadside. Get your vehicle to the shoulder, an emergency pull-off, or an exit ramp as quickly as possible. Stay behind the barrier and away from the travel lanes.
  • Call 911 and Florida Highway Patrol: FHP has jurisdiction on the Sawgrass. An official crash report is essential and documents fault indicators, vehicle positions, and any citations issued.
  • Document carefully from safety: Photograph all vehicle damage, road positions, skid marks, and visible injuries from the shoulder — do not enter the travel lanes. Note any commercial vehicle names, DOT numbers, and plate numbers.
  • Accept EMS transport: The forces involved in a Sawgrass crash can cause internal injuries with delayed symptoms. Emergency hospital evaluation on the date of the crash documents your injuries contemporaneously — foundational evidence for your claim.
  • Contact an attorney immediately: Commercial carrier and trucking company claims teams respond to serious crashes quickly. Electronic data from vehicles involved in the crash is time-sensitive. Legal intervention to preserve that evidence must begin without delay.

Florida Law — Your Rights After a Sawgrass Crash

Florida’s PIP system requires drivers to begin treatment within 14 days of an accident to access $10,000 in coverage for initial medical expenses and lost wages. Sawgrass crash injuries routinely exceed PIP limits, making the at-fault driver’s bodily injury coverage or your own UM/UIM coverage the essential source of full compensation.

Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule reduces your recovery proportionally by your fault. If you are found 51% or more responsible, you cannot recover. Commercial truck crashes on the Sawgrass also implicate FMCSA federal regulations — violations of which provide additional liability grounds against commercial carriers.

Florida’s 2023 tort reform law, HB 837, gives you two years from the accident date to file a negligence claim. Electronic data, Sunpass records, and interchange camera footage are time-sensitive — act without delay.

Why Hire Eric Hernandez

  • Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar: Eric’s credentials extend to the highest court in the country — a distinction that reflects his command of the federal law that applies to commercial carrier crash cases.
  • Former federal prosecutor: The experience of pursuing major litigation as an Assistant U.S. Attorney translates directly to taking on national trucking companies, commercial carriers, and major insurers that defend Sawgrass crash claims.
  • 25+ years of South Florida trial experience: Eric has tried cases before juries and judges throughout Broward and Miami-Dade County — giving him real-world knowledge of how these cases are evaluated and what it takes to litigate them.
  • Bilingual representation: Full legal services in English and Spanish for all Broward County clients, including western communities served by the Sawgrass corridor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is liable when a commercial truck causes a Sawgrass crash? Liability can extend to the truck driver, their employer, the company that loaded the cargo, the entity responsible for vehicle maintenance, and in some cases the truck’s manufacturer. Eric investigates all potentially responsible parties to build the strongest possible claim.

What if a Sawgrass design or maintenance defect contributed to my crash? Claims against government entities — including the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, which operates the Sawgrass — have specific procedural requirements and shorter notice deadlines than standard negligence claims. Contact an attorney immediately if you believe a road defect played a role.

Is Sunpass data useful as evidence in a Sawgrass crash case? Yes. Toll transaction records can confirm vehicle presence and timing, and in some cases interchange camera data can be obtained through proper legal channels. This evidence is time-sensitive — early legal action to preserve it is critical.

Can I recover if I was injured on the Sawgrass while commuting to work? Yes. A commuter injured by another driver’s negligence on the Sawgrass has the same rights as any other accident victim. If you were operating a vehicle in the course of employment at the time, workers’ compensation may also apply alongside a personal injury claim.

Contact HLM Injury Lawyers — Free Consultation

A Sawgrass Expressway crash demands an attorney with the credentials and experience to match the legal forces you are facing. Do not wait. Call HLM Injury Lawyers at (305) 842-2100 for a free consultation. Eric Hernandez represents accident victims throughout Broward County, including Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate, Tamarac, Pompano Beach, and Deerfield Beach.