Chad Gerlaugh, a quadriplegic man, underwent a scheduled kidney stone operation in April 2019. During his hospital stay, he developed sepsis, leading to the amputation of both legs above the knee, an arm above the elbow, and another arm mid-forearm. Gerlaugh filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Morton Plant Hospital and BayCare, alleging that the doctor overseeing his care failed to recognize septic shock and administer timely treatment.
Toria Sheffield joined the PEOPLE editorial staff in 2024. Her work as a writer/editor has previously appeared in places like Bustle, LAMag, and HelloGiggles. Tampa resident Chad Gerlaugh — a quadriplegic who prided himself on his independence — drove himself to the hospital in April 2019 for a scheduled kidney stone operation. Gerlaugh had become paralyzed after a car accident in 1998, and kidney stones were a recurring issue for him due to his catheter.
During in-patient recovery, he developed sepsis — an infection of the blood — and doctors were eventually forced to amputate both of his legs above the knee, an arm above the elbow, and his other arm mid-forearm due to complications from the infection, per Pinellas County Circuit Court records. Before the accident, Gerlaugh relied on his parents to help get him dressed in the morning, but other than that he lived quite independently. “Being able to just jump in my van and go get coffee sounds like the simplest thing in the world,” he said. “But I remember being so thankful for what I was able to do,” according to the Tampa Bay Times. “We can’t leave him; we can’t afford a nurse. So my husband and I just get through it the best way we can because we’re a family,” said Gerlaugh’s wife, speaking to the Tampa Bay Times. In 2021, Gerlaugh filed a medical malpractice suit against Morton Plant Hospital and BayCare, the nonprofit that runs the hospital, as well as the doctor who oversaw his treatment and care. In his suit, Gerlaugh and his attorney alleged that the doctor in charge of his care failed to “recognize septic shock” and neglected to order “appropriate lab and antibiotics” — among other complaints — per the court records. Gerlaugh’s attorney, Steve Yerrid, said: “I hope to give this young man some accountability because it’s been years and this hospital needs to be held responsible. You go in for kidney stones and you come out without legs and arms? Give me a break.” For their part, BayCare officials said in a statement to the outlet that Morton Plant Hospital is committed “to maintaining the highest standards of patient care possible.' They added: 'Our team makes patient safety a top priority and has carefully reviewed this patient’s journey to find any opportunities to learn from his experience.” PEOPLE reached out to Morton Plant Hospital of BayCare, as well as Gerlaugh’s attorney, for further information on Saturday, Feb. 8, but did not immediately receive a response
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE SEPTIC SHOCK HOSPITAL INFECTION AMPUTATION PATIENT SAFETY
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