Ohio hospital sued after surgeon mistakenly amputates patient's left leg instead of right

Surgical error in Marietta

Sharon Jacks, a 74-year-old US Army veteran residing in Meigs County, Ohio, entered Selby General Hospital in Marietta on 19 September 2025 for a scheduled below-the-knee amputation of her lower right leg. The surgical procedure was recommended to treat a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer that is the second most common non-melanoma skin cancer. Instead of removing the diseased limb, the surgical team amputated her healthy lower left leg. Jacks had given consent exclusively for surgery on her right lower extremity and had not authorized any procedure on her left side. Prior to the operation, the attending surgeon marked the correct right leg in accordance with standard medical protocol. When Jacks woke up from anesthesia, the surgical ink remained clearly visible on her intact right leg.

Safety protocol failures

A 32-page legal complaint filed in Washington County court details a sequence of safety lapses that occurred inside the operating theatre. Medical personnel prepared and draped the healthy left leg, and staff placed a pressure cuff on the left thigh rather than the marked right leg. Hospital records document that the surgical team conducted two formal surgical time-outs prior to the incision. These designated procedural pauses exist specifically to verify patient identity, confirm the scheduled operation, and inspect the operative site. The legal filing alleges that despite multiple chances to identify the error, the surgical staff failed to correct the site mismatch during either check.

Every person in that operating room is responsible to make sure that is verified before moving forward.

Subsequent amputation and legal action

Four months after the mistaken surgery at Selby General Hospital, Jacks had to undergo the scheduled amputation of her cancerous right leg at a different hospital in Ohio. The consecutive procedures left the 74-year-old patient a double amputee. On 15 September 2026, Jacks and her husband filed a lawsuit naming nine defendants, including Selby General Hospital, the operating surgeon, and members of the surgical team. The 32-page complaint accuses the defendants of gross negligence, battery, and reckless conduct, alleging they acted with conscious disregard for catastrophic injury. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages along with punitive damages available under Ohio state law to cover medical bills, permanent disability, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Complete and total failure by multiple medical professionals caused this catastrophe.

Hospital response and staff dismissals

Selby General Hospital, which operates as part of the Memorial Health System in southeastern Ohio, acknowledged that standard clinical procedures were not maintained during the September 2025 surgery. In an official statement, the hospital confirmed that the amputation of the incorrect limb was an avoidable event and announced that all healthcare personnel involved in the surgery no longer work at the facility. Hospital leadership expressed sorrow regarding the outcome, stated that staff were praying for Jacks and her family, and noted full cooperation with ongoing inquiries. The facility also introduced mandatory training for all staff working across its operating rooms as legal proceedings move forward in Washington County.