Introduction
Martindale-Hubbell rates attorneys on two criteria, legal ability and ethics, and the highest possible combined rating is AV. Butler and Boyd has earned that AV designation after 43 years serving personal injury clients in the Tampa Bay area, a record few Florida plaintiff firms can match in both duration and top-tier peer recognition. The firm specializes in bicycle accidents, car accidents, pedestrian accidents, and boating injury cases across the Tampa Bay region, from Plant City to Sarasota and throughout Hillsborough County.
Practice Areas
Car Accidents. Butler and Boyd handles car accident cases throughout the Tampa Bay area, representing clients injured in high-speed crashes, low-speed collisions, rear-end impacts, distracted driving incidents, and drunk driving accidents. The firm takes a direct representation approach, avoiding referral services that connect accident victims to chiropractors rather than attorneys. The attorneys manage insurance negotiations, property damage claims, and medical treatment coordination.
Bicycle Accidents. Bicycle crash cases involving serious injuries are handled across the Tampa Bay region. The firm represents injured cyclists against motorists and in premises-related cycling incidents.
Pedestrian Accidents. Pedestrian injury cases, where individuals on foot are struck by vehicles or injured by other hazardous conditions, are part of the firm practice across the Tampa Bay area. Florida consistently ranks among the most dangerous states for pedestrians, and the Tampa Bay region’s wide arterial roads, high speed limits, and inconsistent sidewalk infrastructure contribute to a disproportionate number of pedestrian injuries and fatalities each year.
Boating Accidents. Tampa Bay area boating accident statistics reflect how water-heavy the region is. Pinellas County, surrounded by water on nearly all sides, reported 7,972 boating incidents in a recent year. The firm represents both swimmers injured by irresponsible boaters and boat operators victimized by another boater negligence. Boating under the influence cases receive particular attention. The attorneys handle boating insurance policy reviews and have taken many boat accident cases to trial across the Tampa Bay region.
Attorney Profiles
Chris Boyd co-founded Butler and Boyd. He has been a visible opponent of referral services such as 411 Pain and ASK GARY, which the firm describes as connecting accident victims to chiropractors rather than qualified attorneys. Boyd built the firm practice around direct legal representation, refusing participation in lawyer referral programs due to ethical concerns about financial relationships between doctors and attorneys built on insurance gains. The firm contact for Tampa Bay car accident cases is 813-229-3232.
Location and Service Area
Butler and Boyd serves the Tampa Bay area, with a geographic range described as extending from Plant City to Sarasota. The firm has decades of service history in Brandon and throughout Hillsborough County. The practice has experience in courtrooms across the Tampa Bay area.
Phone: 813-229-3232
Website: butlerboyd.com/
Client Focus
The firm concentrates on personal injury clients in the Tampa Bay area who need direct attorney representation rather than being routed through referral networks. Butler and Boyd stated philosophy is that client issues are handled with the same importance as if the client were an employee at the firm or a family member. The attorneys take time to know clients personally and consider individual circumstances when building cases. The stated goal is to make the legal experience as manageable as possible so clients can recover and move forward. The 43-year presence in the Tampa Bay market means the firm has handled personal injury claims through multiple changes in Florida insurance law and court procedure, giving its attorneys historical perspective on how local courts handle accident litigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell?
AV is the highest rating Martindale-Hubbell assigns, recognizing both legal ability and ethics. Butler and Boyd has earned this designation after 43 years in practice.
What makes Butler and Boyd different from referral-network firms?
Co-founder Chris Boyd has been a public critic of services like 411 Pain and ASK GARY that connect accident victims to chiropractors rather than attorneys. Butler and Boyd does not participate in referral programs and provides direct legal representation without an intermediary.
Does the firm handle boating accident cases?
Yes. The firm handles boating accident cases throughout the Tampa Bay area, representing both swimmers struck by boats and boat operators injured by other boaters. The firm also reviews boating insurance policies.
How long has the firm been practicing?
Butler and Boyd has over 43 years of personal injury practice in the Tampa Bay area.
What areas does the firm serve?
The firm serves the Tampa Bay area from Plant City to Sarasota, with particular history in Brandon and Hillsborough County.
Closing
Butler and Boyd stands among the longest-tenured personal injury firms in the Tampa Bay area, with 43 years of courtroom experience, an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and a direct representation philosophy that distinguishes it from referral-based competitors. The firm handles bicycle, car, pedestrian, and boating accident cases across the region from Plant City to Sarasota. For more information or to discuss a case, call 813-229-3232 or visit butlerboyd.com/