Jury delivers $300 million verdict in Cumberland Hospital trial

RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond civil court jury has ruled in favor of three young women who alleged they were sexually abused while patients at the Cumberland Hospital in New Kent County.

After roughly seven hours of deliberations, the jurors returned a $300 million verdict in the case, awarding each plaintiff $60 million in compensatory damages and $40 million in punitive damages.

"Our clients had trouble believing in themselves at one point in their lives," said plaintiffs' attorney Kevin Biniazan. "To have a group of people a group of strangers to look at them to listen to them to tell them that they believe them that they believe in them, it broke them down, it broke them down in tears immediately," said Biniazan. "It broke us all down in tears."

This was the 15th day of the trial, which stemmed from a $930 million lawsuit filed against Cumberland Hospital and its former medical director, Dr. Daniel Davidow, by 46 former patients.

WATCH: Both sides rest in the civil trial against Cumberland Hospital and its former medical director

In this trial, the first of what could be several, the plaintiffs all alleged they were inappropriately touched by Davidow during admissions exams. The next trial is scheduled for March.

Davidow has denied the accusations, and earlier this year a judge in New Kent acquitted him of criminal charges that were brought as the result of similar allegations from two different former patients.

CBS 6 Investigative Reporter Laura French was inside the courtroom when the verdict was announced For live updates follow her on X @lfrenchnews . She has been investigating this story for the last five years.

Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip .