Gwyneth Paltrow wins ski crash case, doc asked to pay symbolic $1 in damages and legal fees
PARK CITY, UTAH: The 2016 ski collision case that topped the headlines throughout the eight-day trial has finally reached the verdict as Gwyneth Paltrow won the case against Terry Sanderson. The retired optometrist claimed that he was left with lasting brain damage following the crash at a Utah ski resort he claimed was caused by the actress.
Jurors found the 76-year-old at fault for the crash and the jury reached the verdict within just two hours and 20 minutes. The eight-day trial and courtroom testimonies were live-streamed and garnered worldwide attention. Paltrow was with her children along with the children of her then-boyfriend Brad Falchuk. The group was on a family holiday at the Deer Valley resort in Utah where Sanderson skied with a friend, according to Daily Mail.
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Plaintiff Terry Sanderson claims Gwyneth Paltrow showed 'disregard for people' in ski accident
'Distracted skiers cause crashes'
On day one of the ski collision trial, Sanderson's attorney Lawrence D Buhler who called the actions of the 'Goop' founder "reckless," stated, "Distracted skiers cause crashes. Defendant Gwyneth Paltrow knew that looking up the mountain and to the side, while skiing down the mountain, was dangerous," and told the jury that the award-winning actress "knew that skiing that way…was reckless."
The 50-year-old actress was sued by the retired vet as he accused her of fleeing the scene after plowing into him, leaving the 69-year-old man with permanent brain damage. He sought $300,000 in damages from the actress. However, Paltrow countersued him accusing him of being the one who caused the collision after plowing into her. She claimed that she stayed at the scene of the crash and sought $1 in damages "her injuries were relatively minor," and also the cost of her legal fees.
Paltrow denied Sanderson's claims since Day 1 of trial
"Ms Paltrow has been skiing since she was three years old, she considers herself an intermediate skier. She has skied about half a dozen times at Deer Valley ski resort," Buhler told the court. The actress previously denied the claims of the former Army optometrist that she slammed into him and that she was "uncaring" at the time of the crash. "The undisputed facts do not support the assertion that Paltrow committed a hit-and-run," said her lawyers, adding that "the evidence indicates that defendant Paltrow’s post-collision actions were 'reasonable under the circumstances'."