Gwyneth Paltrow testifies in court over 2016 ski crash: The case against the Oscar-winning actor

The actor has denied that she was responsible for the collision and countersued Sanderson, accusing him of trying to exploit her fame for money.

What is the case against Paltrow?

The lawsuit against Paltrow, founder and CEO of a wellness and lifestyle brand called Goop, was filed by Sanderson in 2019. Initially, he sought $3 million but then dropped the amount to $300,000.

The incident took place on February 26, 2016, when, according to Sanderson, the actor allegedly crashed into him while they were skiing on a beginner’s slope at the Deer Valley Resort in Utah’s Park City.

The plaintiff has claimed that Paltrow was skiing behind him and the collision happened as the “celebrity had turned to watch her children ski and “as she turns her head back down, she screams, then skis into the back of Terry Sanderson,” The Washington Post reported.

The accident allegedly left Sanderson “facedown in the snow, unconscious”, one of his lawyers Lawrence Buhler said in court on March 21. He further added that after the crash, the actor didn’t stop to check on Sanderson and fled the spot. Later, when the plaintiff went to the hospital, the doctors told him that he had sustained a concussion and four broken ribs.

Buhler also alleged that as a result of the collision, Sanderson suffered a “permanent traumatic brain injury”, which caused him emotional damage. “Before this crash, Terry was an outgoing, charming, gregarious person,” the lawyer said. “But after the crash, he’s no longer charming.”

There is only one witness in the case, Craig Ramon, an acquaintance and ski companion of Sanderson’s, who said in his testimony that he heard a scream before he saw Paltrow crash into the retired optometrist.

What has Paltrow said?

In her testimony on March 24, the actor said that although the collision did take place, Sanderson was responsible for it and not her. She added that the incident left her “hurt and violated”.

“I was skiing and two skis came between my skis, forcing my legs apart and then there was a body pressing against me and there was a very strange grunting noise,” Paltrow said. “My brain was trying to make sense of what was happening. I thought, ‘Is this a practical joke? Is someone doing something perverted? This is really, really strange.”

Once the actor and Sanderson collided, according to Paltrow, they both toppled to the ground. “I remember pushing away because I was very upset,” the CEO mentioned in her testimony. “I pushed down the hill and I turned around and yelled at him … I said, ‘You skied directly into my […] back,’ and he said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’” The Washington Post reported.

Meanwhile, Paltrow’s lawyer, Stephen Owens, has claimed that after the incident, people who had accompanied the actor to the skiing trip did check on Sanderson, who said he was okay. Not only this, Owens has also alleged that initially the plaintiff or anyone else didn’t recognise the actor. However, once her identity was revealed a day later, “Sanderson wrote to his daughters, “I’m famous.” One of them responded, “I’m so glad you’re okay,” the news outlet said.

The Goop CEO has filed a counter lawsuit against Sanderson, seeking a symbolic $1 in damages and lawyer fees. In her court filing, she said that the retiree has made a “meritless claim” and his lawsuit is an “attempt to exploit her celebrity and wealth.”

What’s next?

The trial, which began on March 21, is expected to go on till Wednesday (March 29). As per the media reports, Paltrow’s husband, Brad Falchuk, her daughter, Apple, son, Moses, and some medical experts are expected to testify in the coming days.