Marietta, Ohio — A cancer patient who was scheduled to have her right leg amputated below the knee is now a double amputee after her left leg was allegedly removed instead, according to a lawsuit filed against an Ohio hospital, surgeon and members of the surgical team.
Sharon Jacks underwent the procedure at Selby General Hospital in Marietta on Sept. 19, 2025, expecting doctors to remove her right leg. According to her 32-page complaint, however, she woke up to discover that her left leg had been amputated.
Doctors later had to remove the right leg as originally planned, leaving Jacks without either leg.
Attorney Says Wrong Leg Was Removed
Jacks’ attorney, Brad Layne, described the situation as extremely difficult to explain.
“She went into surgery, and when she woke up, the wrong leg had been taken off,” Layne told a local news outlet. “It defies explanation, obviously.”
Jacks filed the lawsuit on Sept. 15, naming her surgeon, other members of the surgical team and the hospital as defendants.
The complaint alleges that multiple medical professionals failed to follow basic safety procedures that should have confirmed which leg was supposed to be operated on.
In a statement about the lawsuit, Layne argued that “there is simply no excuse” for what happened. He also alleged that a “complete and total failure by multiple medical professionals caused this catastrophe.”
Correct Leg Was Reportedly Marked
One of the most significant allegations in the lawsuit concerns the marking of the surgical site.
According to medical records reviewed by Jacks’ attorney, the surgeon initially marked the correct right leg before the operation.
Despite that, the lawsuit alleges that the surgical team ultimately removed the left leg.
“The mark was still on the correct leg after the wrong leg had been taken off,” Layne claimed.
The allegation raises questions about how the surgical team proceeded with the operation despite the marking that was reportedly still visible on the correct leg.
Layne also claimed that the team had multiple opportunities to recognize the mistake before the procedure was completed.
“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.
Two Surgical Time-Outs Were Reportedly Conducted
The lawsuit also points to two documented surgical “time-outs” that allegedly took place before Jacks’ operation.
These safety checks are intended to confirm the patient’s identity, the planned procedure and the correct surgical site before surgery begins.
According to the complaint, both time-outs were documented before Jacks’ amputation. Layne argued that responsibility for confirming the surgical site falls on everyone involved in the procedure.
“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 argued.
“The records say that happened twice, but somehow Ms. Jacks is missing a leg that should have not been removed,” he said.
Lawsuit Accuses Hospital Team of Serious Failures
The complaint describes wrong-site surgery as one of the most serious preventable medical errors and refers to it as a “never event,” a term used within the healthcare industry for incidents that should not occur when established safety procedures are followed.
“It shouldn’t happen in any type of medicine. It shouldn’t happen anywhere. It shouldn’t happen in a veterinary setting, even,” Jacks’ attorney said.
The lawsuit contains nine counts, including allegations of gross negligence, reckless conduct and corporate negligence.
Jacks is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent impairment and loss of enjoyment of life.
The allegations in the lawsuit have not been established in court, and the defendants will have an opportunity to respond through the legal process.
Hospital Confirms Adverse Surgical Event
Selby General Hospital confirmed that an “adverse surgical event” occurred in September 2025 but said it immediately responded to Jacks’ medical needs and supported her 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.
The hospital also said it fully cooperated with a review by the Ohio Department of Health.
According to the hospital’s statement, the review confirmed that its surgical protocols are safe and effective. The organization said its clinical and leadership teams have also implemented corrective measures designed to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
For Jacks, however, the consequences of the alleged error are permanent.
“Now every day for the rest of her life, Sharon Jacks must live with the consequences of those failures,” Layne said.
What do you think about this case and the safety procedures that were reportedly in place before the surgery? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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