WASHINGTON COUNTY — A woman is suing an Ohio hospital after the hospital removed the wrong leg during a scheduled amputation.
Sharon Jacks went to Selby General Hospital in September 2025 for a planned below-the-knee amputation of her right leg, according to our news partners, WBNS.
Jacks’ attorney, Brad Layne, said the error left his client a double amputee after doctors later removed the leg that was originally scheduled for surgery.
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“She went into surgery, and when she woke up, the wrong leg had been taken off. Yeah, it defies explanation, obviously,” he said.
According to the lawsuit complaint, Jacks’ right leg was scheduled for amputation due to cancer. The complaint alleges that the surgical team removed the left leg during the surgery.
During his review of the medical records, Layne said the records indicate that the surgeon initially marked the correct leg before the operation.
“The surgeon actually marked the correct leg pre-surgery. The mark was still on the correct leg after the wrong leg had been taken off,” Layne said.
Selby General Hospital sent the following statement to our news partners, WBNS.
“In September 2025, an adverse surgical event occurred at Selby General Hospital. At that time, our team responded immediately to address the medical needs of the patient involved and provide support to their 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.
Caring for our patients is our daily work, and ensuring patient safety is a firm commitment across our organization. All our internal safety procedures and protocols were thoroughly reviewed by our partners at the Mayo Clinic and are aligned with industry standards that guide high-quality healthcare in the communities we serve. We also fully cooperated with a review by the Ohio Department of Health, which confirmed that our surgical protocols are safe and effective. “Our clinical and leadership teams have implemented corrective measures across our organization to prevent a situation like this from recurring. This included mandatory retraining of all surgical employees to reinforce our patient safety policies and procedures, as well as developing additional requirements where needed.
We are saddened by what occurred, and our team continues to keep this patient and their family in our prayers.”
According to the complaint, the surgical team conducted two “time-outs” before the procedure. The pauses are intended to confirm the patient’s identity, the planned operation, and the correct surgical site before an incision is made.
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