NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! An Ohio woman is suing after her surgeon allegedly amputated the wrong leg when she underwent a below-knee amputation that the lawsuit claims was necessary because of cancer in her right leg. Sharon Jacks, now a double amputee, was scheduled to undergo a below-the-knee amputation of her right leg at Selby General Hospital in Marietta, Ohio, on Sept. 19, 2025, but woke up without her left leg, according to the lawsuit, WBNS reported. “He went into surgery and when he woke up, they had removed the wrong leg,” Jacks’ attorney, Brad Layne, told the outlet. “It defies explanation, obviously.” The leg that was originally supposed to be amputated was also later cut off, leaving her without both legs. FLORIDA DOCTOR CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY REMOVING WRONG ORGAN DURING SURGERY Sharon Jacks was scheduled to have her right leg amputated below the knee at Selby General Hospital, but woke up feeling like her left leg was missing. (Google Maps) Jacks’ lawsuit names the hospital, his surgeon and other members of the surgical team, accusing them of “a complete failure of basic safety procedures.” Layne said in a news release that there is “simply no excuse” for what happened, adding that “the complete and utter failure of multiple medical professionals caused this catastrophe.” “Despite several opportunities to identify the error and stop the procedure, the surgical team somehow never realized 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 that the surgeon initially marked the correct leg, but the wrong leg was still amputated. “The mark was still on the right leg after the wrong leg was removed,” Layne said. According to the complaint, the medical team had two surgical “timeouts” before Jacks’ procedure. The lawsuit notes that “timeouts” are performed to confirm the patient’s identity, the planned operation and the correct surgical location before an incision is made. The lawsuit names the hospital, the surgeon and other members of the surgical team, accusing them of “a complete failure of basic safety procedures.” (iStock) “Every person in that operating room is responsible for making sure that that’s verified before we move forward, and that includes the doctor, the staff, the nurses, the anesthesiologist, everyone involved,” Layne said. “The records say that happened twice, but somehow Mrs. Jacks is missing a leg that should not have been removed,” he added. a term recognized in the healthcare industry, the lawsuit states. “It shouldn’t happen in any type of medication. It shouldn’t happen anywhere. It shouldn’t even happen in a veterinary setting,” Layne said. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for Jacks to cover past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent impairment, and loss of enjoyment of life. DURING BENIGN CYST SURGERY The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for Sharon Jacks to cover past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent impairment, and loss of enjoyment of life. (Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Elby General Hospital confirmed that an “adverse surgical event” occurred in September 2025, saying the surgical team “responded immediately to address the medical needs of the patient involved and provide support to his family.” 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 that 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 happening again.”
