$30.2 Million Jury Verdict in Clallam County Negligence Case After Deputy Suffers Leg Amputation

$30.2 Million Jury Verdict in Clallam County Negligence Case After Deputy Suffers Leg Amputation

Introduction

A Kitsap County, Washington, jury returned a $30,176,905 gross verdict on September 17, 2026, in favor of former Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Murphy, who suffered a catastrophic right-foot injury during a mandatory firearms qualification and ultimately underwent a below-the-knee amputation of his right leg. The case was tried in Kitsap County Superior Court before Judge Jeffrey P. Bassett under Cause No. 23-2-00428-18. The defendant was Clallam County, and the jury found the county negligent and determined that its negligence was a proximate cause of Murphy’s injuries. The verdict is commonly reported as approximately $30.17 million or $30.2 million.

The 2020 Firearms Training Accident

The underlying accident occurred on March 27, 2020, at the Port Angeles Firearms Training Facility in Clallam County. Murphy was participating in a mandatory firearms qualification as part of his duties as a sheriff’s deputy. During a required rifle maneuver involving a transition to his support-side shoulder, the three-point sling attached to the county-issued AR-15 became entangled with his over-the-head hearing protection. The rifle discharged unintentionally and struck Murphy in the right foot. The circumstances surrounding the equipment and training procedures later became central to the negligence lawsuit.

According to the plaintiff’s case materials and reporting about the verdict, Murphy was performing the maneuver as instructed when the sling became caught on his hearing protection. The lawsuit alleged that the combination of the three-point sling and the required maneuver created an unsafe entanglement risk. It further alleged that the county's training and equipment practices failed to adequately address that risk. These allegations formed the basis of Murphy's negligence claims against Clallam County.

Severe Injury and Amputation

The gunshot injury resulted in extensive medical treatment. Murphy underwent 10 surgical procedures over approximately four years in attempts to preserve his injured leg. Despite those efforts, doctors ultimately performed a below-the-knee amputation of his right leg in 2024. The injury permanently changed his physical abilities and ended his career in law enforcement. The damages evidence also addressed the continuing medical and financial consequences associated with the amputation and the long-term effects of the injury.

The case therefore involved more than the immediate consequences of the 2020 accident. Murphy's claim included damages for past and future economic losses as well as past and future non-economic harm. His wife, Margaret Conway, also brought a loss-of-consortium claim arising from the effects of Murphy's injury on their marital relationship. The jury considered these separate categories when determining the overall award.

Allegations Regarding Training and Equipment

Murphy's lawsuit alleged that Clallam County's firearms-training procedures and equipment choices contributed to the accident. According to the plaintiff's attorneys, the county required deputies to use a three-point rifle sling and over-the-head hearing protection while performing a maneuver that could allow the sling to become caught. The lawsuit also alleged that the county had failed to follow its own safety policies and that personnel supervising the exercise did not intervene before the rifle discharged. These statements describe the plaintiff's allegations rather than independent findings regarding every underlying training practice.

The jury ultimately found the county negligent and assigned it the overwhelming share of responsibility for the accident. The verdict therefore reflected the jury's determination after hearing evidence from both sides concerning the training exercise, equipment, accident, medical consequences, and damages. The county remained entitled to pursue any available post-trial legal remedies under Washington law.

Jury's Fault Allocation and Damages

The jury assigned 95% of the fault to Clallam County and 5% to Murphy. The gross verdict consisted of $5,176,905 in past and future economic damages and $20 million in past and future non-economic damages awarded to Murphy. The jury separately awarded $5 million to Margaret Conway for loss of consortium. Together, these amounts totaled exactly $30,176,905.

Because Murphy was assigned 5% comparative fault, the gross award is different from the amount potentially recoverable after application of that allocation. Applying the 5% reduction mathematically produces approximately $28.67 million, before any other court-ordered adjustments, statutory considerations, costs, interest, or post-trial rulings. Accordingly, the safest way to report the case is to identify $30,176,905 as the gross jury verdict, rather than describing that amount as the final amount Murphy will necessarily receive.

Trial Proceedings and September 2026 Verdict

The lawsuit was filed in 2023 and was tried in Kitsap County Superior Court. The proceedings followed an earlier trial that ended in a mistrial. During the subsequent trial, the jury heard evidence concerning the accident, Murphy's medical treatment, his permanent injury, economic losses, non-economic damages, and his wife's consortium claim. After deliberating for approximately three hours, the jury returned its verdict on September 17, 2026.

The verdict was subsequently reported by independent news outlets, including Police1, which confirmed the September 17 verdict date and approximately $30.17 million award, as well as the 95% fault allocation to Clallam County. The plaintiff's law firm separately published the exact gross figure of $30,176,905 and the detailed breakdown of damages.

Post-Verdict Status

Following the verdict, Clallam County indicated that it was reviewing the jury's decision and available legal options. Because post-trial proceedings or an appeal may affect the ultimate disposition of the case, the September 17 award should be described as a jury verdict rather than an amount that has necessarily become a final, unalterable judgment. For a September 2026 personal-injury verdict article, the verified publication figure is therefore $30,176,905 gross, returned on September 17, 2026, in Kitsap County Superior Court against Clallam County, arising from the 2020 firearms-training accident that ultimately resulted in Matthew Murphy's right-leg amputation.