3. FACTS
• Earl Gehring was a
student at St.
George’s University
School of Medicine
(SGU).
• The road race was
organized by the
students at their own
initiative.
4. FACTS
• The race took place in
Grenada in 85°F and
high humidity
• SGU provided no
provisions, however the
students did provide
water, ice, towels, and
medical staff but no
ambulance.
5. •Gehling was 25
years old, about
5’10”, 75 lbs.
overweight, and
suffered from
hypertension
•Before the race,
Gehling took
Ephedrine
6. FACTS
• He collapsed after the
race and was attended
to immediately
• An ambulance arrived
in 15 minutes to
transport him to St.
George’s General
Hospital
7. FACTS
• Gehling was
pronounced dead at
12:45AM on April 19,
1982
• No care by SGU
employees as
teachers or in any
other capacity
rendered care
8. FACTS
•Heat Stroke is a
frequent fatal disorder
•Gehling died from a
gastric ulcer
according to records
from Grenada…
9. FACTS
•Another autopsy was
performed and found
that Gehling died from
cardiac arrest
• What induced the
health problem was
the race under
tropical conditions
10. NO NEGLIGENCE
•SGU was
responsible for the
property, not the
runners
•No employees that
rendered medical
treatment to Gehling
were employed by
SGU
11. NO CAUSATION
•No connection
between the death
and the duty of
control
•Death was caused
by Gehling’s physical
condition/weather and
not malpractice
12. ASSUMPTION OF RISK
•Elected to participate
•Assumed all dangers
of the game
•As a sixth year
student at a medical
school, in charge of
his own knowledge
and condition
13. NO LIABILITY FOR SGU
HOSPITAL
•SGU General
Hospital is controlled
by Grenada not the
institution.
•No proof of medical
malpractice or
negligence
14. CONCLUSION
•No negligence by SGU/SGU General
Hospital
•Death was caused by assumption of risk
•Gehling was knowledgeable of his physical
condition, weather, and medicine
•No proof of medical malpractice or
negligence by SGU General Hospital at the
end of the race and the hospital
Editor's Notes
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Hello everyone, my name is Jonathan Luszcz and I am going to present the case, Gehling vs. St. George University.
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The case was decided in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on February 6, 1989. The plaintiff is the mother of the deceased Earl Gehring and the defendant is St. George’s University School of Medicine.
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Earl Gehring was in a sixth year as a medical student at St. george’s University School of Medicine in the Caribbean nation of Grenada. The students run a bi-annual road race.
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The race took place in the afternoon on an April day in approximately 85 degree heat with high humidity. St. George’s University sponsored the event but did not an ambulance nor provisions for the event. The students did provide provisions and a medical staff but no ambulance.
Gehling was 25 years old, about 5’10”, and 75 lbs. overweight. He also suffered from hypertension. Before the race, he took Ephedrine which increases the heart rate and blood pressure.
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At the end of the 2.5 mile race he fell. He tried to stand up again but continued to fall. Gehling eventually became hysteric and was necessary for him to be restrained. They attempt to cool him down with water and towels soaked in ice. He eventually is taken by an ambulance and delivered to St. George’s General Hospital
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Gehling was pronounced dead later on during his stay at the hospital. At the hospital no care was taken by employees as teachers.
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According to medical experts, heat stroke is a frequent fatal disorder. An autopsy report found that Gehling died from a gastric ulcer.
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When Gehling was flown back to the States, another autopsy was performed. These doctors concluded that Gehling died from cardiac arrest. The doctors said that Gehling’s health, weather, and medications induced the cardiac arrest.
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What the judge concluded is that St. george’s is responsible for the property where the road race took place, not the event. Also, none of the treatment that was rendered was employed by St. George’s. Therefore, there was no negligence by St. George’s
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The plaintiff failed to validate any connection between the death of Gehling and the duty of control by SGU. Gehling’s death was found to be caused by his physical condition, weather, and medication. Not malpractice, therefore there was no causation found.
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Gehling elected to participate in the event and was not pressured to do so. As a participant of the road race, he assumes all the dangers that come with the road race including the risk of heat stroke. Also, as a six-year medical student. He has the knowledge of the effects of Ephedrine on a high blood pressure human in unfavorable conditions. Therefore, Gehling assumes the risk of the road race.
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Finally, St. George’s Unijversity has no liability for Gehling. St. George’s Hospital is controlled by the government of Grenada. The institution has one member who sits on the board. The school uses the hospital to train its students but does not control the hospital. Therefore, the school cannot be held liable for medical malpractice by any persons employed by the hospital.
To conclude, no negligence was found by the institution/hospital. The death of Gehling is under his own risk and he was knowledgeable of his risks of his physical condition, weather, and medication he took. Finally, there is no valid proof of medical malpractice, negligence, or liability found by the hospital or the institution.
