Family Ties

Doctors at Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas have filed a civil suit against former employee/partner Bryan Abernathy.

Family Practice Investments LC, Mark Bonner, Garland Thorn Jr., Larry Tuttle and Ann-Marie Magre are all named as plaintiffs in the complaint for declaratory judgment, mandatory injunction and quiet title filed April 5.

The doctors are all employed by MANA, into which FirstCare Family Doctors P.A. merged. Family Practice Investments LC is the entity in which the plaintiffs and Abernathy own certain real estate and other investments.

The suit claims that Abernathy violated terms of the member’s “buy-sell agreement,” which went into effect in 2002.

Upon his termination in January, provisions in the agreement went into effect. t

The plaintiffs are requesting that Abernathy sell his interest in Family Practice Investments for $83,167. Since Family Practice paid him $50,000 when he left, the doctors are asking for a sell price of $33,167.