Florida Injury and Workers' Compensation Attorneys — Fighting for the People Who Need It Most Since 1982

When you're hurt, denied, or up against an insurance company that has already decided what your case is worth, you need attorneys who have seen it before. Barbas Nunez Sanders Butler & Hovsepian has practiced workers' compensation, personal injury, labor and employment, and Social Security disability law since 1982.

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About Our Team

Since 1982, this firm has done one thing: represent people navigating the legal consequences of getting hurt, getting denied, or getting treated unfairly. Workers' compensation. Personal injury. Social Security disability. Labor and employment. Estate planning. Five practice areas that grew from the same conviction — that individuals facing institutional opponents deserve experienced attorneys in their corner. We haven't merged, rebranded, or pivoted. We've just kept working.

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What We Fight For

Legal Help Across Every Claim Type

Every practice area at this firm was built around a common reality: individuals facing institutional opponents with experienced legal teams on their side. Our job is to put that same caliber of representation on yours.

Workers' Compensation

Claimant-side representation for workplace injuries across every industry in Florida. From the first filing through settlement or hearing, we handle your claim against the employer's carrier — and we know that carrier's playbook from the inside.

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Personal Injury

Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, and more. When someone else's negligence caused your injury, Florida law gives you the right to recover what it actually cost — including pain and suffering.

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Longshore & Harbor Workers

Federal maritime injury claims under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act require specialized knowledge most firms don't have. We represent Florida's port and maritime workforce in federal LHWCA proceedings.

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Labor & Employment

Workers' comp retaliation, long-term disability denials, and employment discrimination — often arising from the same workplace event. We handle all three, and we understand how they interact.

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Social Security Disability

Denied SSDI? The majority of successful claims are won at the ALJ hearing stage — with representation. One of our attorneys brings a nursing background to every disability file, which means the medical record we build tells the full story of your condition.

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Estate Planning

Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives prepared by attorneys who understand what's at stake — particularly for clients navigating injury, disability, or a major life transition.

Case Results That Speak for Themselves

We update our case results regularly because we think you deserve to see real numbers before you decide who to trust with your claim.

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Personal Injury

Autoclave explosion resulted in the client suffering from third degree burns over 80% of his body.

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Back Taxes

Paid by multiple oil companies for back taxes owed to the City of Tampa.

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Workers' Compensation

Client fell off ladder/scaffold and suffered from quadriplegia.

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Workers' Compensation

Client fell from ladder and became partial quadriplegia.

Why Choose Barbas Nunez Sanders Butler & Hovsepian?

What Sets Us Apart

Four decades of practice teaches you something: the firms that win consistently aren't the ones with the biggest billboards. They're the ones with the right people, the right experience, and the kind of institutional knowledge that only comes from doing this work for a very long time.

Two Board Certified Workers' Comp Specialists


Florida Bar Board Certification in Workers' Compensation is held by fewer than 200 attorneys in the state. Two of them practice here — and both are available to handle your case.

Your Attorney Speaks Your Language


Two of our founding partners are fully bilingual in Spanish and English — not support staff, not a translation service. Spanish-speaking clients work directly with an attorney who communicates in their language at every stage of the case.

One of Our Attorneys Is Also a Nurse


One of our attorneys holds a nursing degree alongside her law license. On injury and disability claims, that means the medical record built for your case reflects what actually happened to your body — not just what the insurance company's physician documented.

Inside Knowledge of the Defense Side


Several of our attorneys represented employers and carriers before they represented claimants. They crossed the table because they believed the work mattered more on this side — and they brought everything they learned with them.

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What Our Clients Say

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Meet the Attorneys

Our seven-attorney team was built around one principle: individuals facing institutional opponents deserve the same caliber of legal representation those institutions deploy against them. Several of our attorneys spent time on the defense side — they know how carriers minimize claims, delay benefits, and pressure people to settle for less.

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Stephen M. Barbas

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Kelly Barcia Nuñez

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L. Gray Sanders

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Jimmie Butler

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Steven E. Hovsepian

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Kristen Emerson

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Alexis Ercia

Answers to Questions We Hear Before the First Call

  • What types of cases does Barbas Nunez Sanders Butler & Hovsepian handle?

    We handle workers' compensation, personal injury, Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act claims, labor and employment matters including long-term disability denials and employment discrimination, Social Security disability, and estate planning. These are not peripheral services — they have been the firm's practice since 1982.

  • Do I need a lawyer for a workers' comp or personal injury claim in Florida?

    You're not legally required to hire one, but represented claimants consistently recover more than those who navigate these systems alone. Insurance carriers have experienced legal teams on every claim. A free consultation costs nothing and tells you exactly where you stand.

  • How much does it cost to hire your firm?

    For workers' compensation and personal injury cases, we work on contingency — no fee unless we recover compensation for you. SSDI attorney fees are federally regulated and paid only from back benefits if we win. For employment and estate planning matters, fee structures are discussed in the initial consultation.

  • Do you offer services in Spanish?

    Yes. Two of our founding partners are fully bilingual — your attorney speaks Spanish, not just your intake coordinator. Indicate your language preference when you call or submit a form and we'll route your consultation accordingly.

  • Can you represent me if I'm not near Tampa?

    Yes. We represent clients throughout Florida through virtual appointments by phone and Zoom. Offices in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Land O' Lakes serve in-person clients, and we regularly work with clients in Sarasota, Lakeland, Clearwater, and across the state who have never visited an office.

  • How do I know if I have a case worth pursuing?

    That's exactly what the free consultation is for. In one conversation, we evaluate your situation, tell you what type of claim applies, explain the realistic timeline and process, and recommend next steps — with no obligation to retain us afterward.

Talk to an Attorney Today — It's Free.

Forty years of experience. A seven-attorney team. Board Certified specialists. Zero cost to start. If you've been injured at work or in an accident anywhere in Florida, the conversation that changes your case starts with one call.