Gwyneth Paltrow ski accident court case: US star accused of hitting other skiers very hard | The Art News

Gwyneth Paltrow ‘slammed’ a fellow skier so hard he hit him in the back that he fell face-down in the snow, her trial has heard.

The Hollywood actress has been charged with “dangerous” and “reckless” conduct in a US court appearance over claims she seriously injured a man in a 2016 “hit and run” car accident.

The movie star, who is also a lifestyle influencer, allegedly went skiing “out of control” during a family vacation and bumped into retired optometrist Terry Sanderson at a Deer Valley resort in Utah.

The lawsuit claims Paltrow Ramped into him, “knocked him down with force, knocked him down and caused serious injuries including brain damage and four fractured ribs”.

“Paltrow stood up, turned and slid away, leaving Sanderson lying stunned in the snow,” it added.

However, the actress’ legal team told jurors Mr Sanderson was the one who hit her – a collision in which she suffered what they called a “full body blow”.

Gwyneth Paltrow in court.Photo: Associated Press
image:
Gwyneth Paltrow in court.Photo: Associated Press
Gwyneth Paltrow in court.Photo: Associated Press
image:
Photo: Associated Press

The first witness to appear in court was Craig Gramon, a skiing partner and “acquaintance” of Mr Sanderson, who he said was the only other person present when the collision occurred.

Mr Ramon said: “We were skiing down the piste and then I heard this yelling, this screaming and I looked… and then I saw this skier [Paltrow] Just slammed into Terry’s back.

“She hit him hard. She hit him straight in the back and his skis broke and he fell face down, so he sort of spread his arms and Gwyneth was on top of him… bounced off and slid about Five minutes or 10 feet.”

Paltrow, an Oscar-winning actress known for her roles in Shakespeare in Love and Marvel’s Iron Man films, claimed Mr Sanderson, 76, was actually to blame for the collision and had been exaggerating about him injury and trying to take advantage of her fame and fortune.

The American star appeared in a cream turtleneck jumper and brown trousers as the case began in the Utah ski town of Park City.

Mr Ramon said he had asked Mr Sanderson and Mr Paltrow if they were okay.

“Terry didn’t move, his face was buried in the snow … his helmet was stuck in the snow. [Paltrow] Just looking at me, I asked her again. She got up soon… [but] She never said a word,” he said.

Terry Sanderson in court.Photo: Associated Press
image:
Terry Sanderson in court.Photo: Associated Press

Ski instructor ‘yelled at’ Mr Sanderson

The ski instructor, later identified as Eric Christiansen, then arrived and started “yelling at” Mr Sanderson, Mr Ramon said.

He said Paltrow then “ran off” down the hill.

Mr Ramon added that Paltrow did not provide her name or contact information and did not ask Mr Sanderson if he was injured or needed help.

Mr. Sanderson’s representative, Lawrence Bueller, told jurors that Paltrow’s behavior on the hill in 2016 was “reckless” and he accused her of “willingly ignoring others on the hill”.

Mr Buhler claimed she “knew it was dangerous to look up the hill and the side while skiing down the hill”.

Who went further downhill?

On ski slopes, where Utah law gives downhill skiers right of way, a central question in the trial was who was under the beginners’ track at the time of the collision.

Both Mr Paltrow and Mr Sanderson claimed they were heading further downhill when another person hit them, causing their skis to become entangled and the pair to roll over together.

defense case

Paltrow’s legal team insists Mr Sanderson was the one who hit her.

Her lawyer, Steve Owens, called Mr Sanderson’s account of what happened during the incident “complete nonsense”.

He also said members of Paltrow’s group checked on Mr. Sanderson, who assured them he was fine — an interaction Sanderson did not deny but said in court documents he did not recall.

Mr Owens added that Paltrow had told her daughter that “some jerk” had hit her and that she “went crazy” and chose to finish skiing for the day.

Mr. Sanderson accused Deer Valley and its employees of engaging in a “cover-up” by failing to provide complete information on incident reports and failing to comply with the resort’s safety policies.

Mr Sanderson Paltrow sued for the first time in 2019seeking $3.1 million (£2.5 million) in damages.

He is now seeking $300,000 (£245,000) after the claim was dropped.

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actress Counterclaim for a nominal $1saying that Mr. Sanderson caused the accident.

Paltrow claimed she was so shaken by the crash that she stopped skiing with her family that day.

It added that Mr Sanderson apologized to her and said he was fine.

The trial is scheduled to last eight days.

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