CHARLESTON – Charleston Area Medical Center is seeking payment from one of its former doctors over claims she abandoned her clinic and defaulted on her loan.
CAMC filed the lawsuit in the Southern District Court of West Virginia on Jan. 14 against Dr. Leila Ellen Sakhai over claims she violated its recruitment contract and has yet to pay off her loan.
The plaintiff alleges that on June 25, 2012, the defendant entered into a Recruitment and Commercial Loan and Security Agreement with the CAMC Teays Valley Hospital Inc., who merged with CAMC. Pursuant to the terms, CAMC agreed to provide recruitment incentives to the defendant including a commercial loan to assist her in establishing a medical practice in the area served by CAMC.
Under the agreement, CAMC allegedly agreed to forgive each monthly payment so long as Sakhai continued her medical practice in the area. On June 1, 2015, the defendant allegedly informed CAMC that she was terminating her practice in the community and would be moving to Florida. She allegedly established a practice on July 1, 2015 with the Naples Women’s Center in Naples, Fla. The plaintiff claims that the defendant has not paid an outstanding balance of $164,437, which included the principle and unpaid interest, and $2,854 she owes under her Commercial Loan Promissory Note
The plaintiff is suing for $2,854 under the terms of the note together with a pre-judgment interest of 12 percent after Dec. 31, 2015, and a post-judgment interest rate at the maximum allowed by law. In addition, CAMC is seeking $164,437 together with a pre-judgment interest after Dec. 31, 2015, at the rate of 4.25 percent per annum and a post-judgment rate at the maximum rate allowed by law; and any other rewards deemed just by the court.
CAMC is represented by Debra Lee Hovatter and Megan E. McCullough of Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLC in Charleston.
U.S. District Court West Virginia Southern Case number 2:16-cv-00333