--- title: "Jury Awards $842k in Brain Injury Facility Abuse Case" meta: "og:description": "A Florida jury awarded $842,900 after a volunteer at a brain injury clubhouse exploited a vulnerable patient under the guise of a weight-loss program." "og:title": "Jury Awards $842k in Brain Injury Facility Abuse Case" description: "A Florida jury awarded $842,900 after a volunteer at a brain injury clubhouse exploited a vulnerable patient under the guise of a weight-loss program." --- March 6, 2026 # **Jury Awards $842k in Brain Injury Facility Abuse Case** A Florida jury awarded $842,900 after a volunteer at a brain injury clubhouse exploited a vulnerable patient under the guise of a weight-loss program. [**Personal Injury**](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case/jury-verdict/category/personal-injury) [**Medical Malpractice**](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case/jury-verdict/category/medical-malpractice) ### **Outline** Author ![](https://media.jurimatic.com/cdn-cgi/image/q=70/profile_images/shared_image_1.webp) **Sohini Chakraborty****Sohini Chakraborty is a lawyer, with over two years of experience in legal research and analysis. She specializes in working closely with expert witnesses, offering critical support in preparing legal research and detailed case studies.** ![Article Image](https://media.jurimatic.com/cdn-cgi/image/q=70/images/JESSICA_TOWLES1.webp) Following a catastrophic ten-story fall that resulted in a traumatic brain injury, Gabriel Reeves sought refuge and recovery at the Brooks Brain Injury Clubhouse. Instead of a safe haven, he encountered Eric Powell, a volunteer who used his position of trust to orchestrate a scheme of sexual exploitation. Under the pretense of helping Gabriel lose weight, Powell lured him into private offices to take nude "progress photos" and sent him sexually explicit messages. This betrayal shattered Gabriel's recovery, triggering severe behavioral setbacks, physical aggression, and a diagnosis of PTSD. While the facility argued these actions were outside their control, a Duval County jury held them responsible for the conduct of their apparent agent, awarding significant damages for the lifelong care Gabriel will now require. ## **Case Background** This legal dispute centered on the alleged exploitation of a young man during his rehabilitation at a specialized brain injury facility in Jacksonville, Florida. Gabriel Reeves had survived a catastrophic fall from a bridge in 2020, which left him with significant brain damage and physical limitations. By 2021, he had enrolled in the Brooks Brain Injury Clubhouse, a "facility" designed to help brain injury survivors regain their independence through daily activities and social involvement. The case arose when a clubhouse volunteer, Eric Powell, allegedly used his position of trust to engage in a series of disturbing and unauthorized interactions with Gabriel, leading Gabriel's mother to sue the facility's parent company, Genesis Health Inc., for failing to protect her son. ### **Cause** The trouble began when Eric Powell, a volunteer Gabriel considered a friend, offered to help him with a weight-loss program. Powell reportedly used the pretense of "progress photos" to lure Gabriel into private offices at the clubhouse, where he instructed the young man to strip naked for photographs. Powell also allegedly sent Gabriel sexually explicit images and messages through various social media apps. The situation escalated when another clubhouse participant, Darrell Stevenson, was accused of touching Gabriel in a sexual manner while they worked together in the clubhouse kitchen. These incidents occurred without any supervision or monitoring from the facility’s staff. ### **Injury** The psychological impact on Gabriel was devastating. Following the discovery of the photos by his family in August 2021, Gabriel’s behavioral health took a sharp turn for the worse. His doctors documented that he had lost significant ground in his recovery, becoming frequently angry and physically aggressive toward his family. In addition to the aggravation of his existing brain injury, Gabriel was diagnosed with PTSD and required extensive, ongoing psychological care to manage the trauma of the exploitation. ### **Damages Sought** Jessica Towles-Reeves sought compensation for the total harm inflicted on her son, initially filing a claim for more than $50,000. The lawsuit demanded payment for all past and future medical expenses, including the cost of specialized psychiatric treatment. Beyond medical bills, the Plaintiff asked for damages to cover Gabriel’s mental anguish, humiliation, loss of the capacity to enjoy life, and the permanent emotional disability caused by the betrayal of the caregivers. ## **Key Arguments and Proceedings** ### **Legal Representation** **Plaintiff(s):** Jessica Towles-Reeves, acting as the mother and legal guardian of Gabriel Reeves. - **Counsel for Plaintiff(s):** John A. Moran III | Robert Elliott Jameson - **Experts for Plaintiff(s):** [Randy G. Reese](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Randy-Reese/1572618) | [Kenneth Ngo](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Kenneth-Ngo/1572619) | [Michelle Benjamin](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Michelle-Benjamin/1572620) | [Kelly Shurman](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Kelly-Shurman/1572621) | [Cheryl Dietly](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Cheryl-Dietly/1572622) | [Tony Villena](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Tony-Villena/1572623) | [Eric Hollebeek](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Eric-Hollebeek/1572624) **Defendant(s):** Genesis Health Development Inc., doing business as Brooks Health System. - **Counsel for Defendant(s):** Linda M. Hester | Brian M. Pederson - **Expert for Defendant(s):**[Michael J. Herkov](https://expertwitnessprofiler.com/expert-witness/Michael-Herkov/1519818) ## **Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel** The Plaintiff's legal team argued that the clubhouse had a non-delegable duty to supervise its volunteers and protect its members. They contended that the facility encouraged volunteers to build personal bonds with members but then left those members vulnerable by failing to monitor those relationships. In response, the Defense argued that any misconduct by Powell was a personal act outside the scope of his volunteer duties. They further claimed that Gabriel’s behavioral issues were a natural result of his original injury rather than any actions taken at the clubhouse. ### **Claims** The lawsuit presented three main legal theories: - **Negligence:** The facility failed to properly train and supervise Eric Powell and Darrell Stevenson. - **Vicarious Liability:** The clubhouse was responsible for the actions of its agent, Eric Powell, who used his authority to exploit Gabriel. - **Statutory Violation:** The facility violated Florida law (Section 415.1111) regarding the protection of vulnerable adults. ### **Defense** The Defense maintained that they had no knowledge of any improper behavior and denied that Gabriel qualified as a "vulnerable adult" under the specific legal definitions at the time. They also invoked the "impact rule," arguing that Gabriel could not claim damages for emotional distress because there was no evidence of a physical injury resulting directly from the incidents. ## **Jury Verdict** The jury reached a verdict on August 19, 2025, finding in favor of the Plaintiff on the claim of vicarious liability. The jurors determined that while Eric Powell was not an employee acting within his standard scope of work, he operated as an **apparent agent** of Brooks Health Development. They specifically found that Powell engaged in sexual acts without Gabriel Reeves's informed consent and that this conduct was the legal cause of Gabriel's injuries and losses. While the jury did not find the facility liable under the specific vulnerable adult statute, they awarded significant financial compensation for Gabriel's medical needs. The total damages awarded to Gabriel Reeves amounted to **$842,900**. This sum included $10,400 for medical expenses already incurred and $832,500 for medical and psychological care he will require in the future. The jury did not award specific damages for past or future pain and suffering. Foreperson Paul Newman signed the final verdict form, concluding the legal proceedings in Duval County ### **Court Documents** [Complaint](https://exlitem.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/ContentMarketing/IQDuoQDBSq5ATL4jF9ifToqPARNlA5TrDKqCpBd-tAvSt1U?e=RBzVfr) [Jury Verdict](https://exlitem.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/ContentMarketing/IQDkBrcAuaItR6-E48ymFUmSAap3sDEmb97zX6mz5-y8J1o?e=dl74xt) [Share with Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case) [Share with X](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case&text=x) [Share with LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case) [Share with Email](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case/mailto:?body=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case&subject=email) [Share with WhatsApp](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case%20whatsapp) ### **Find your next Expert Witness today** ![Sanjay Adhia](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **Sanjay Adhia** Forensic Psychiastry ![George Reis](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **George Reis** Forensic Imaging ![Maria Babinetz](https://exlitem.com/jury-verdict/jury-awards-842k-in-brain-injury-facility-abuse-case/_ipx/q_80/user-default.svg) ###### **Maria Babinetz** Vocational Rehabilitation Find and retain experts without brokerage or upcharge. ### Looking for more? 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