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An Ohio woman is suing after her surgeon allegedly amputated the wrong leg when she underwent a below-the-knee amputation that the lawsuit says was required because of cancer in her right leg.
Sharon Jacks, who is now a double amputee, was scheduled to have a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg at Selby General Hospital in Marietta, Ohio, on Sept. 19, 2025, but she woke up to her left leg missing, according to the lawsuit, WBNS reported.
“She went into surgery, and when she woke up, the wrong leg had been taken off,” Jacks’ attorney Brad Layne told the outlet. “It defies explanation, obviously.”
The leg that was originally supposed to be amputated was later cut off as well, leaving her without either leg.
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Jacks’ lawsuit names the hospital, her surgeon and other members of the surgical team, accusing them of “a complete failure of basic safety procedures.”
Layne said in a press release that “there is simply no excuse” for what happened, adding that “complete and total failure by multiple medical professionals caused this catastrophe.”
“Despite several opportunities to identify the mistake and stop the procedure, the surgical team somehow never noticed they were operating on the wrong leg,” he said. “Now every day for the rest of her life, Sharon Jacks must live with the consequences of those failures.”
According to Jacks’ attorney, medical records he reviewed indicate the surgeon initially marked the correct leg, but the wrong leg was still amputated.
“The mark was still on the correct leg after the wrong leg had been taken off,” Layne said.
According to the complaint, the medical team had two surgical “time-outs” before Jacks’ procedure. The lawsuit notes that “time-outs” are conducted to confirm the patient’s identity, the planned operation and the correct surgical location before an incision is made.
“Every person in that operating room is responsible to make sure that that is verified before moving forward, and that includes the doctor, the staff, the nurses, the anesthesiologist, everybody that’s involved,” Layne said.
“The records say that happened twice, but somehow Ms. Jacks is missing a leg that should have not been removed,” he added.
Surgery on the wrong place is viewed as one of the most serious preventable medical errors and is often referred to as a “never event,” a term that is recognized in the healthcare industry, the lawsuit claims.
“It shouldn’t happen in any type of medicine. It shouldn’t happen anywhere. It shouldn’t happen in a veterinary setting, even,” Layne said.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for Jacks to cover previous and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent impairment and loss of enjoyment of life.
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Selby General Hospital confirmed an “adverse surgical event” happened in September 2025, saying the surgical team “responded immediately to address the medical needs of the patient involved and provide support to their family.”
“Our proactive review of what took place confirmed this was an avoidable event, and that our expected operating room procedures were not followed. Those involved were held accountable for their actions and are no longer in their positions,” the hospital said in a statement to WBNS.
The hospital said it has fully cooperated with a review by the Ohio Department of Health, saying the review confirmed its surgical protocols are “safe and effective” and that its clinical and leadership teams “have implemented corrective measures across our organization to prevent a situation like this from recurring.
“We are saddened by what occurred, and our team continues to keep this patient and their family in our prayers,” the statement reads.
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