74-year-old army vet sues hospital after surgeons amputate wrong leg

Marietta, Ohio, where Sharon Jacks claims surgeons at Selby General Hospital amputated the wrong leg. Carolyn Kaster / APShareAdd NBC News to GoogleSept. 30, 2026, 11:53 AM EDTBy Matt LavietesAn Ohio woman is suing a hospital, accusing its doctors of amputating the wrong leg during surgery.

Sharon Jacks, 74, filed a lawsuit this month in Washington County Common Pleas Court in Marietta, Ohio, claiming that her left leg was amputated at Selby General Hospital in September 2025. The surgery was meant to remove her right leg.

Jacks, an Army veteran, underwent the originally intended procedure four months later, making her a double amputee, according to her attorney Brad Layne. Both of her legs were amputated below the knee.

Jacks and her husband named nine defendants in the suit, including the hospital and Jacks’ medical and surgical teams, accusing them of gross negligence, battery and reckless conduct.

Jacks “suffered physical injury, permanent disability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses and other damages,” the lawsuit states.

“Defendants acted willfully, wantonly, recklessly, maliciously, and with conscious disregard for the substantial certainty of catastrophic injury,” the suit added.

The operation was recommended as part of a treatment plan for Jacks’ squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, according to the 32-page lawsuit.

Layne said the surgical team practitioners amputated the wrong leg after marking the correct one. He added that the team realized the error during the procedure and told Jacks’ family members before she woke up.

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stageFOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammatesFOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticismFOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coastsFOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisisFOR SUBSCRIBERSMore oil is getting out of the Middle East. Why is it still so expensive?FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source saysFOR SUBSCRIBERSThe complicated bargain between ‘looksmaxxing’ influencer Clavicular and the women in his orbitFOR SUBSCRIBERSSenators unveil bipartisan bill to deliver essential newborn supply kits to new momsFOR SUBSCRIBERSAI agents promise to run your errands. Websites are fighting back.FOR SUBSCRIBERSDemocrats face a staggering spending disadvantage in Georgia’s tight race for governorFOR SUBSCRIBERSObama boosts Senate Democrats with October fundraiserFOR SUBSCRIBERSTheir owner is suspended, their draft picks taken. The Clippers still believe they can win.FOR SUBSCRIBERSMLB wants a salary cap for competitive balance. Does the playoff field already have it?FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe Data Dive: Steve Kornacki on whether Democrats can loosen Trump’s hold on IowaFor SubscribersFOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stageFOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammatesFOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticismFOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coastsFOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisisFOR SUBSCRIBERSMore oil is getting out of the Middle East. Why is it still so expensive?FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source saysFOR SUBSCRIBERSThe complicated bargain between ‘looksmaxxing’ influencer Clavicular and the women in his orbitFOR SUBSCRIBERSSenators unveil bipartisan bill to deliver essential newborn supply kits to new momsFOR SUBSCRIBERSAI agents promise to run your errands. Websites are fighting back.FOR SUBSCRIBERSDemocrats face a staggering spending disadvantage in Georgia’s tight race for governorFOR SUBSCRIBERSObama boosts Senate Democrats with October fundraiserFOR SUBSCRIBERSTheir owner is suspended, their draft picks taken. The Clippers still believe they can win.FOR SUBSCRIBERSMLB wants a salary cap for competitive balance. Does the playoff field already have it?FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe Data Dive: Steve Kornacki on whether Democrats can loosen Trump’s hold on IowaA spokesperson for the hospital, Jennifer Offenberger, did not immediately return a request for comment. The hospital said in a statement that the incident was an “avoidable event.” It said it retrained all of its surgical staff after the surgery and staffers involved in Jacks’ operation “are no longer in their positions.”

The surgeon who performed the surgery, Dr. Gregory Krivchenia II, who is listed a defendant, is still licensed to practice in Ohio, according to online records. Krivchenia did not immediately return a request for comment. A receptionist at First Settlement Orthopaedics Inc., where Krivchenia previously worked, said in a brief phone call that he is retired.

Layne said the wrong-site amputation has changed everything in his client’s life, from her ability to get dressed to her ability to cook for herself.

“I would be wrong if I said things were great, of course. They’re taking it, day by day, her and her husband, just trying to get through life,” Layne said.

Jacks has been cancer-free since the correct operation was performed, Layne said.

Matt LavietesI’m a reporter on NBC News’ breaking news team, covering crime, extreme weather, pop culture and more. I recently covered Hurricane Milton, which devastated the Tampa, Florida, metropolitan area, and the student-led protests at Columbia University.