The plaintiff consultant brought an action after being terminated one week into a six‑month consulting contract as research coordinator for a community health project.
The court found that a binding verbal consulting agreement had been formed despite the absence of a written contract.
Because the plaintiff was an independent contractor rather than an employee, the contract was terminable at will and damages were not the full contract value.
The court awarded compensation on a quantum meruit basis for six days of work performed and granted punitive damages due to the defendant’s harsh and deliberate manner of termination.
