Gwyneth Paltrow not liable in ski crash lawsuit, actress bows to complainant before exiting court

Gwyneth Paltrow is not liable for an accident on a swanky US ski slope, a jury ruled Thursday. The actress was cleared of charges that were levied on her by a retired optometrist.

Terry Sanderson, 76, had alleged a collision in Utah with the star left him with four broken ribs and lasting psychological damage, for which he demanded she pay $3.3 million. The actress had countersued him for a symbolic $1.

On the final day of the eight-day civil trial, the jury in Park City unanimously found Paltrow did not cause the 2016 crash, a position she had maintained all along.

"I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity," Paltrow, 50, said after the verdict. "I am pleased with the outcome," she added.

Gwyneth Paltrow won her court battle over a 2016 ski collision at a Utah ski resort after a jury decided Thursday that the movie star wasn’t at fault for the crash. https://t.co/1Y1hEsaJFO pic.twitter.com/tn6H9ffCjM — The Associated Press (@AP) March 30, 2023

The live-streamed hearing sparked headlines around the world, and became a hot topic on social media, generating memes and making perhaps unwitting stars of the lawyers involved.

The Oscar-winner was in court every day, listening attentively to evidence, including Sanderson's claims that she had run into him with such force that he became airborne.

"I got hit in my back so hard and it was right at my shoulder blades, a serious, serious smack. I've never been hit that hard, and I'm flying," he told the jury earlier.Last thing I remember, everything was black."

The plaintiff said the crash, which happened at the tony Deer Valley resort, had left him with permanent brain damage and had altered his personality such that he could no longer enjoy life.

Buhler asked the jury to award Sanderson $33 for every waking hour since the incident and continuing until his death, which he said actuarial tables indicate might come in 10 years.

That amounts to "$3,276,000 for the 17 years that Terry has to deal with this permanent brain injury."

Defied physics

Paltrow's defense team assembled a bevvy of experts who testified that Sanderson's version of the crash defied the laws of physics. The legal team also read out statements of Paltrow's two children Moses and Apple in the court, who were present with their mother on the fateful day.

The team argued Sanderson's medical complaints -- including problems with executive functioning -- existed before the crash.They also noted that he had previously suffered a stoke and had poor vision in one eye.

Lawyer Stephen Owens also produced a raft of photographs posted on Sanderson's social media accounts after the incident showing him travelling all over the world, and even skiing.

The jury was sequestered for around two hours before they returned to completely deny Sanderson's claim, and to award Paltrow the $1 that she had asked for.

Gwyneth Paltrow leaves Terry Sanderson with one final remark before exiting the courtroom: "I wish you well." pic.twitter.com/ARdiwtYUKr — Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) March 30, 2023

As she left the courtroom, Paltrow bent over to speak to Sanderson.He later told reporters that she had "wished me well."

The judge will later rule on the question of legal fees, with Paltrow claiming Sanderson should meet her costs.

(With agency inputs)

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