Ohio, USA: A 74-year-old Army veteran has sued a hospital because the doctors amputated the wrong leg. The woman was originally there for surgery on her right leg; instead, the doctors amputated her left leg.
In September 2026, Sharon Jacks, who is an Army veteran, filed a lawsuit at the Washington County Common Pleas Court in Marietta, Ohio, against Selby General Hospital. Sharon claimed that in September 2025, the doctors at Selby General amputated her left leg, although she was admitted there for the removal of her right leg.
According to reports, her attorney Brad Layne said that four months later, Sharon underwent the corrective surgery during which her right leg was amputated. After the original procedure, she became a double amputee; both of her legs were amputated below the knees.
In the lawsuit, Sharon and her husband named 9 defendants, which included the hospital where she had the first surgery and the medical and surgical team involved in the procedure.
Sharon has allegedly accused the hospital and doctors of gross negligence, battery, and misconduct.
As stated in the reports, the lawsuit mentioned that Sharon suffered “physical injury, permanent disability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses and other damages.”
According to the lawsuit, the defendants behaved with purposeful malice and extreme carelessness, ignoring the high probability of devastating damage.
According to the 32-page lawsuit, Sharon was suffering from a type of skin cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma; the surgical procedure for her right leg was part of her treatment.
Sharon’s attorney Layne said that the surgical team at the Selby General had initially marked the correct leg; however, due to confusion during the surgery, they made a mistake and amputated the wrong leg. According to the reports, the doctors realised the mistake mid-surgery. However, the family was told about it after the surgery was completed.
The lawsuit also states that documented surgical safety time-outs were conducted twice during the procedure. These checks are intended to confirm the patient's identity, the planned procedure, and the correct surgical site. According to attorney Brad Layne, medical records showed that the mark identifying the intended leg remained visible after the wrong leg was amputated.
The hospital said in a statement that the incident was avoidable. and that its expected operating room procedures had not been followed. Memorial Health System said the staff involved were held accountable and were no longer in their positions. The hospital system also said it reviewed its safety protocols with Mayo Clinic partners, cooperated with a review by the Ohio Department of Health, and introduced mandatory retraining for surgical employees, along with additional requirements where needed.
According to the reports, Dr. Gregory Krivchenia II, the main surgeon who performed Sharon’s surgery, is still allowed to practice in Ohio, as per the online records.
Dr. Gregory has not responded to requests for comment on the situation.
According to a receptionist at his previous workplace, First Settlement Orthopaedics, he is retired.
Layne said that the surgical error completely altered his client's daily life, stripping away her independence in basic tasks like dressing herself and preparing meals.
The impact has also extended to her family. According to WTAP, her husband, Dannie Jacks, quit his job to care for her. Her attorney said the family faces additional needs involving prosthetics, transportation, and housing modifications.
Sharon has been cancer-free since she underwent the correct operation on her right leg.
(Rh/ARC)
