Behind the Verdict: How Gray Broughton Injury Law Won a $20 Million Verdict for a 13-Year-Old Abuse Survivor

In this episode of Behind the Verdict, the Trial Lawyer’s Journal speaks with Gray Broughton and Sharif Gray of Gray Broughton Injury Law about the case of Charlie, a 13-year-old boy who was abused while living at a psychiatric residential treatment facility in Virginia. Although Charlie’s physical injuries were relatively minor, the case centered on something far more difficult to quantify: the loss of trust, dignity, and hope suffered by a child who had been placed in the facility to heal from earlier trauma.

Broughton and Gray discuss how their team evaluated an unconventional damages case, used focus groups to understand its potential value, and built the trial around the facility’s breach of trust. They also recount the fight over missing surveillance footage, the decision to proceed without expert witnesses of their own, and the defense’s aggressive approach before and during trial. After an initial $60,000 offer and a $500,000 offer shortly before trial, the case went to a jury. Following roughly three hours of deliberation, the seven-person jury returned a $20 million verdict for Charlie.