Unthinkable Mistake in Surgery: Wrong Leg Amputated!

A serious surgical error that occurred in the state of Ohio, USA, became the subject of a lawsuit. According to the claim, 74‑year‑old U.S. Army veteran Sharon Jacks, whose right leg was to be amputated because of cancer, had her left leg mistakenly amputated by doctors. About four months later, Jacks also lost the right leg that was supposed to be operated on, and she filed a lawsuit against the hospital and medical staff.

The right leg was to be amputated because of cancer.

Sharon Jacks, who lives in the Meigs County area of Ohio, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. The treatment plan called for amputation of her right leg below the knee.

In September 2025, Jacks applied for surgery at Selby General Hospital in Marietta. According to the lawsuit file, Jacks had only approved the amputation of her right leg.

However, a serious error occurred during the operation. It was alleged that the healthy left leg was amputated below the knee instead of the right leg.

The correct leg had been marked.

One of the most striking details in the lawsuit file was that the correct leg had been marked before the surgery.

According to Jack's lawyer Brad Layne, the surgeon marked the right leg that was to be amputated before the operation. However, when the surgery was completed, it was discovered that the mark was still on the right leg, while the left leg had been amputated.

Despite two safety checks, the wrong leg was cut.

The file also states that the surgical team performed two separate surgical safety checks during the operation.

These checks require verification of the patient's identity, the planned operation, and the area to be operated on. Nevertheless, the cutting of the wrong leg became one of the most important allegations at the center of the case.

The plaintiffs argue that there were multiple opportunities to prevent the error, yet the basic safety procedures failed.

Four months later, he also lost the other leg.

The health struggle of Jacks did not end after the incident. The cancerous right leg needed to be treated.

According to his lawyer's statement, about four months later, in another hospital, the right leg also had to be amputated from the thigh, and he lost both legs at once.

It was reported that after the events, he faced serious difficulties in daily life, and, in order to be able to care for him, his wife Dannie Jacks also quit her job.

Hospital: It was a preventable incident.

Selby General Hospital, in its statement regarding the incident, acknowledged that the error could have been prevented.

The hospital stated that the procedures expected to be followed in the operating room were not adhered to, and announced that the individuals responsible for the incident had been held accountable and were no longer in their positions.

It was also reported that the surgical staff were retrained and the operating room security procedures were reviewed after the incident.

A lawsuit was filed against the hospital and the health team.

Sharon Jacks and her husband filed a lawsuit against the hospital and health workers, including a total of nine people and the institution, following the incident.

The lawsuit raised allegations of gross negligence, unlawful physical intervention, and callous conduct.

It was stated that Jacks suffered physical injury, permanent disability, pain, psychological distress, and loss of quality of life due to the wrong surgery, and that she demanded monetary and punitive damages. The amount of compensation requested was not disclosed to the public.