Gwyneth Paltrow found not liable for 2016 ski crash, jurors say man who sued her caused the collision
- Gwyneth Paltrow was found not liable for a 2016 ski crash that landed her in the spotlight this month.
- A Utah man accused Paltrow of violating ski etiquette and crashing into his back, causing brain injury.
A Utah jury has found Gwyneth Paltrow was not at fault in a 2016 ski collision with a retired optometrist, who alleged the crash caused him a permanent brain injury.
Jurors found that Terry Sanderson, who sued Paltrow initially, was at fault and fully liable for the collision, causing Paltrow harm. He was asked to pay $1 in damages, which Paltrow's team had asked for.
The Summit County jury came to their decision after just 3 hours of deliberations and two weeks of testimony from medical, physics, and ski experts, as well as people who responded to the crash. The courtroom was full as the verdict was read.
Paltrow, wearing a navy blazer, smiled and looked over at the jury after the verdict was read.
Terry Sanderson sued the Academy Award-winning actress in 2019, claiming she skied into him at Deer Valley Resort in Park City on February 26, 2016, causing him to break four ribs and giving him a concussion.
He testified that ever since the trial he has suffered from confusion and hasn't been the same.
Paltrow countersued, saying it was Sanderson who ran into her and that his health issues predated the crash. Sanderson claimed he suffered more than $3 million dollars in damages, while Paltrow asked the jury to award her just $1 plus attorneys' fees.
Paltrow was present for every day of the trial, and even took the stand at one point. She told the jury that when Sanderson crashed into her back she initially thought it might have been a sexual assault.
Statements from the actress' two teenage children, Apple and Moses Martin, were also read to the court. They each described their mother's anger towards Sanderson immediately after the crash.
Utah lawyers told Insider ski crash lawsuits are becoming increasingly common with more skiers on the mountains. Sanderson himself testified that it was so busy at the resort on the day of the crash that he chose to ski the edge of the trail.
The trial, which was livestreamed, quickly became a sensation on social media, where the public reacted to Paltrow's "courtcore" outfits, her animated facial expressions, and humorous portions of testimony — including an awkward line of questioning about how well Paltrow knows Taylor Swift.
Paltrow was mocked online for some out of touch comments made during her time on the stand, including her telling the jury about losing a half day of skiing over the crash.
It's been a chaotic few weeks for Paltrow's public profile. The trial started just days after she was slammed over a podcast interview, in which she detailed her spartan diet — a routine including intermittent fasting, bone broth lunches, and paleo dinners.