An Ohio couple is suing Selby General Hospital and its surgical team after a procedure that they claim resulted in the amputation of the wrong leg. Sharon Jacks had made the difficult decision to undergo an elective right-leg amputation below the knee due to cancer in that leg, according to details from the lawsuit. However, during the surgical procedure, surgeons instead amputated her left leg.
The lawsuit's general allegations section outlines that prior to the surgery, appropriate checks were conducted, and the correct leg was marked. Brad Layne, the attorney representing the Jacks family, emphasized that "everything seemed to be in order" regarding the correct limb before the operation commenced, from what he could determine. The filing further states that in September 2025, Sharon Jacks went in for another below-the-knee amputation, this time for a chronic ulcer.
As a direct consequence of these events, Sharon Jacks and her husband, Dannie, are now confronting the profound daily challenges associated with her status as a double amputee. Attorney Layne detailed the extensive adjustments required for their lives, including the need for specialized prosthetics, significant modifications to their transportation, and changes to their home environment to ensure accessibility and safety.
The personal toll on the family has been substantial. Dannie Jacks made the decision to quit his job to serve as his wife's full-time caregiver. Layne explained that Sharon Jacks could not be left alone as a double amputee to manage their home, which was not adapted for her needs. Layne described Sharon Jacks as an Army veteran, a person of notable determination and toughness, yet acknowledged the immense struggle she endures daily. He stated, "Every day is a struggle," highlighting her reliance on transferring herself from a board to a wheelchair simply to access the bathroom, get into bed, change clothes, or move about their home.
In response to the lawsuit and the incident, Selby General Hospital issued a statement categorizing the event as "an adverse surgical event." The hospital system publicly confirmed that their internal, proactive review of the circumstances determined that the incident was an "avoidable event" and that their "expected operating room procedures were not followed." The hospital statement also indicated that those staff members directly involved in the incident were held accountable for their actions and are no longer employed in their previous positions.
The gravity of the situation is further underscored by specific allegations within the lawsuit itself. Exhibit 2, page 24 of the legal filing, explicitly classifies a wrongful-site amputation as a "catastrophic, foreseeable and preventable patient safety event." This designation is significant, as such an event is further classified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations as a "never event," signifying a serious, largely preventable medical error that should never occur. The lawsuit therefore highlights critical failures in patient safety protocols that led to life-altering consequences for Sharon Jacks and her family.