Sharon Jacks says a preventable surgical error left her a double amputee after the correct leg later had to be removed.
MARIETTA, Ohio — A 74-year-old Ohio Army veteran is suing Selby General Hospital and members of her medical team after surgeons amputated her left leg during a procedure intended to remove her right leg below the knee, according to a lawsuit filed in Washington County.
Sharon Jacks of Meigs County underwent the operation at the Marietta hospital in September 2025 after doctors recommended removing her right lower leg as part of treatment for squamous cell carcinoma, according to the complaint. The lawsuit alleges Jacks consented only to surgery on her right leg and that the correct limb had been marked before the procedure. Her left leg was removed instead. Four months later, according to her attorney and published reports, doctors at another Ohio hospital amputated the right leg that had originally been scheduled for surgery, leaving Jacks a double amputee.
The 32-page complaint names nine defendants, including Selby General Hospital and members of Jacks’ medical and surgical teams. It accuses the defendants of medical negligence, gross negligence, battery and reckless conduct. The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for injuries that Jacks says include permanent disability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, medical expenses and loss of enjoyment of life.
The lawsuit alleges there were several opportunities for the surgical team to identify the mistake before the amputation. Medical records cited in the complaint indicate the correct leg was marked before surgery and that two surgical safety “time-outs” were documented. Those pauses are intended to confirm information including the patient’s identity, planned procedure and correct surgical site before an operation proceeds.
Despite those safeguards, the lawsuit alleges the medical team failed to properly identify and verify the correct leg and proceeded with surgery on the left side. Attorney Brad Layne, who represents Jacks and her husband, Dannie Jacks, told WTAP that his review of the records indicated everything initially appeared to be in order. He said the correct leg had been marked before surgery. The complaint characterizes the wrong-site operation as a failure of basic surgical safety procedures.
Memorial Health System, which operates Selby General Hospital, has acknowledged that an error occurred. In a statement reported by several news organizations, the health system called what happened an avoidable surgical event and said expected operating room procedures were not followed. The system said the people involved were held accountable and are no longer in their positions. It also expressed sympathy for Jacks and her family.
The lawsuit describes a wrong-site amputation as a preventable patient-safety event. Such incidents are often referred to in health care as “never events,” a term used for serious errors that established safety measures are designed to prevent. The complaint alleges the mistake was especially serious because the planned operation had been documented and the intended leg had been identified before surgery.
Jacks’ attorneys say the consequences now affect nearly every part of her daily life. Layne told WTAP that becoming a double amputee has created new needs involving prosthetics, transportation and changes to the couple’s home. Dannie Jacks left his job to help care for his wife, according to the report. Layne said routine activities now require considerably more effort and assistance.
“Every day is a struggle,” Layne told WTAP while describing Jacks’ mobility challenges. He said she must use a transfer board and wheelchair to move between locations in her home and complete ordinary daily tasks. Jacks’ attorneys have said the effects of the surgical error will be permanent and form a central part of the damages sought in the lawsuit.
The case also centers on consent. According to the complaint, Jacks agreed to a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg but did not consent to the removal of her left leg. Her attorneys argue that removing a different limb from the one authorized by the patient constituted not only negligence but an unauthorized medical procedure. The defendants will have an opportunity to answer the allegations through the court process.
The lawsuit remains pending in Washington County. No damages award has been announced, and the allegations against individual medical workers have not been resolved by a court. Memorial Health System has acknowledged the wrong-site surgery occurred while saying those involved were held accountable and are no longer in their positions.
Author note: Last updated October 2, 2026.