Gwyneth Paltrow attended the trial related to her 2016 skiing accident. Terry Sanderson accused Paltrow of colliding with him on the slopes after skiing dangerously. This incident occurred at the Deer Valley Resort in Park City, and Sanderson claimed to be seriously injured. He claimed to have suffered from “permanent traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and disfigurement.”
Gwyneth Paltrow testifies during her trial
The retired optometrist is suing Paltrow for $300,000 for the damages. Sanderson sued the Shallow Hal actress for over $3 million, which was later reduced to $300,000. On 24 March 2023, Paltrow came forward with her side of the story and gave a statement in a Utah courtroom.
Sanderson collided with Gwyneth Paltrow on the slopes where she was skiing dangerously, as per the statement given by Sanderson. He also claimed that right after the collision, the Iron Man actress didn’t care to check up on him although he was evidently injured. Sanderson’s attorney mentioned in their lawsuit that,
“Gwyneth Paltrow skied out of control (…) knocking [Sanderson] down hard, knocking him out, and causing a brain injury, four broken ribs, and other serious injuries. Paltrow got up, turned, and skied away, leaving Sanderson stunned, lying in the snow, seriously injured.”
Terry Sanderson in the Court
In response to this claim, Paltrow said she was skiing with her instructor at the time of the accident. She stated that shortly after the collision, she and her instructor both checked on Sanderson but determined his injuries were minor.
Sanderson’s concussions, according to Paltrow’s attorneys, are exaggerated. They mentioned that he managed to travel to ten different countries in the years after the incident.
Paltrow stated on March 21, 2023, that she felt “violated” during the collision with the retired optometrist. During her deposition in the Park City courtroom, Gwyneth testified that she did think she was being sexually assaulted. While explaining her side of the story to the court, the 50-year-old actress said,
“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. 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.’”
After listening to Paltrow’s statement, Sanderson’s attorney asked her,
“Did you know if it was an intentional assault of a sexual nature? Was he grinding or thrusting? What made you think it was a sexual assault?”
To which Paltrow said,
“It was a quick thought that went through my head. There was a strange grunting noise and a body behind me so I was trying to make sense of what was going on. My mind was going very quickly.”
Paltrow confirmed that her knee and both of their skis were entangled as they crashed into each other together. She stated that their bodies were almost spooning, and she immediately moved away. The Contagion actress claimed that she did not inquire about Sanderson’s condition after they collided, but instead remained on the mountain to see if he was okay. The actress apologized to Sanderson for using foul language and yelling at him after the collision.
