Surgeons Amputate Wrong Leg, Lawsuit Claims

An Ohio woman is suing a surgeon and Selby General Hospital, claiming a catastrophic surgical error led to the amputation of her healthy left leg instead of her cancerous right leg. The lawsuit alleges the surgical team mistakenly amputated the wrong limb during a planned below-the-knee procedure in September 2025, ultimately forcing a double amputation.

According to a 32-page complaint filed by Sharon Jacks and her attorney, Brad Layne, the incident constitutes a "never event" and a complete failure of basic patient safety protocols. Layne stated that despite multiple opportunities to identify and correct the error during the surgery, the team proceeded, resulting in a "catastrophe."

"Now every day for the rest of her life, Sharon Jacks must live with the consequences of those failures," Layne said in a statement, as reported by Fox 8.

The lawsuit claims Jacks has suffered severe physical injury, permanent disability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, and medical expenses. The complaint specifies that the surgeon had marked the correct leg prior to the operation, and the mark remained on the correct leg even after the incorrect one had been removed.

Selby General Hospital responded to WBNS, stating, "We are saddened by what occurred, and our team continues to keep this patient and their family in our prayers." The hospital also indicated that the medical professionals involved are "no longer in their positions," though further details were not provided. The hospital acknowledged that "our expected operating room procedures were not followed."

Named as co-defendants in the lawsuit are Selby General Hospital, Marietta Memorial Hospital, Marietta Area Health Care Inc., Marietta Health Care Physicians Inc., and First Settlement Orthopedics Inc., in addition to several individual physicians. The lawsuit alleges gross negligence.