A 74-year-old Army veteran has filed a lawsuit against an Ohio hospital after surgeons mistakenly amputated her healthy leg instead of the one requiring surgery.
Key facts
- •Sharon Jacks is a 74-year-old Army veteran who was undergoing treatment for squamous cell carcinoma.
- •The surgery was performed at Selby General Hospital in Marietta, Ohio, in September 2025.
- •Jacks became a double amputee after the correct leg was removed four months after the initial error.
- •The lawsuit names nine defendants, including the hospital and the surgical team.
- •The hospital stated that the staff involved in the procedure are no longer in their positions.
Sharon Jacks, a 74-year-old Army veteran, is suing Selby General Hospital in Marietta, Ohio, following a surgical error in September 2025. Jacks alleges that surgeons amputated her left leg despite the procedure being intended for her right leg. The surgery was part of a treatment plan for squamous cell carcinoma.
Details of the Lawsuit
Jacks and her husband have named nine defendants in the lawsuit, including the hospital and members of her medical and surgical teams. The suit alleges gross negligence, battery, and reckless conduct. According to her attorney, Brad Layne, the surgical team had marked the correct leg but proceeded to amputate the wrong one. The error was identified during the operation, and the family was notified before Jacks regained consciousness.
Hospital Response and Aftermath
Selby General Hospital described the incident as an “avoidable event” and stated that it has retrained its surgical staff. The hospital confirmed that the staff members involved in the operation are no longer in their positions. Jacks underwent the correct amputation four months later, resulting in her becoming a double amputee. Her attorney reports that she is currently cancer-free.
Timeline
- September 2025Surgeons at Selby General Hospital amputated the wrong leg of Sharon Jacks.
- Four months laterJacks underwent the intended amputation on her right leg.
- This monthJacks filed a lawsuit in Washington County Common Pleas Court.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NBC News Health.
