Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Crash Lawsuit Trial Begins

Attorneys for a retired Army optometrist said he was left with permanent brain injuries after he and Gwyneth Paltrow crashed while skiing at a Utah resort in 2016, but attorneys for the Academy Award winner and wellness mogul accused him of being overly dramatic.

Terry Sanderson, 76, originally sued Paltrow for $3 million, which was then reduced to $300,000, after he said she crashed into him while not paying attention to her surroundings at Deer Valley Resort in Utah, and on Tuesday, the trial over the lawsuit began. Paltrow has countersued, seeking only $1 and her legal expenses covered. Steve Owens, Paltrow’s attorney, called Sanderson’s claims “utter BS” and alleged that he was actually the one who rammed into her, describing it as a “full-body blow” that left Paltrow with minor injuries.  

Sanderson has said he broke four ribs and sustained a concussion and the traumatic brain injury after Paltrow crashed into him from behind, and during opening statements on Tuesday, his attorney, Lawrence Buhler, said he would present data that could prove the injuries hurt Sanderson’s “ability to cope with life.”

“Distracted skiers cause crashes,” Buhler said. “Defendant Gwyneth Paltrow knew that looking up the mountain and to the side, while skiing down the mountain, was dangerous.”