Gwyneth Paltrow’s accuser in the ongoing trial over a 2016 skiing accident, who claims he became a “self-imposed recluse” in the aftermath, was grilled by lawyers over several photos on Facebook showing him traveling after the incident.
The Oscar-winner’s lawyers questioned the retired optometrist, who is suing her over a 2016 skiing accident that he claims left broken ribs and severe brain damage.
Terry Sanderson, 76, said he “lived a different life” after colliding with wife Paltrow on a Utah ski slope, which left him with broken ribs and serious brain injuries.
The retired doctor is suing Ms Paltrow for $300,000 for allegedly hitting him from behind in 2016. Ms Paltrow has countered the $1 civil lawsuit, claiming she is innocent and that he clashed with her.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Paltrow’s attorneys called Sanderson back to the witness stand for a second time to challenge his claims of life-changing injuries.
Terry Sanderson, 76, said he “lived a different life” after colliding with wife Paltrow on a Utah ski slope, which left him with broken ribs and serious brain injuries
A picture used as evidence in yesterday’s trial showed Terry Sanderson skiing
Photo albums on Facebook of vacations taken by Terry Sanderson after the 2016 collision
While on holiday, Mr Sanderson was also pictured engaging in activities including skiing and cycling
Mr Sanderson was pictured hiking after the collision in February 2016
Mr Sanderson rides a camel in a personal picture from a 2018 holiday
Mr Sanderson said the trips had been a struggle for him and he had not been able to travel alone
A picture from 2018 appears to show Mr Sanderson rafting with a group
Instead of re-examining his medical history or expert testimony, they asked questions about Sanderson’s post-crash luxury and adventure travel.
They introduced photos as evidence of Sanderson riding a camel in Morocco and trekking to Machu Picchu in Peru.
While on vacation, he has also been photographed engaging in activities such as skiing and cycling.
He also took a continent-wide loop around Europe with stops in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France and Belgium.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who is being sued by Mr Sanderson over the accident, was pictured in court yesterday
After the final arguments from both sides on Thursday, the jury is likely to make its decision on the same day or on Friday.
The retiree accepted that he had traveled to several countries and attended a Cinco de Mayo celebration and rock concert.
He claimed he travelled, he traveled because “it was part of the healing process” and that “several neurologists and cognitive therapists told him to return to his routine of traveling, which has happened “mostly since his retirement.”
He added that the trips have been a struggle for him and he has not been able to travel alone.
“Looking back on that time, I was determined to prove I didn’t have any mental health issues,” he said.
Speaking about the impact the case had on him, Mr Sanderson said it was “very difficult” to sue a celebrity and his life was “exposed”.
Also called on Wednesday to testify was Dr. Angela Eastvold, who told the court he drank “excessively” after the collision.
She testified that Mr. Sanderson reported to his doctors that he drank five to six drinks two to three times a week, at least ten a week.
dr Eastvold said that if Sanderson had had a “substantial” concussion, as he claimed, he would have had a “reduced tolerance to alcohol.”
In addition, she testified that the retired doctor showed no signs that he had suffered a “substantial” concussion.
She said he doesn’t suffer from vertigo, nor does he show any signs of “attention deficits.”
Psychological tests on him showed that, according to Dr. Eastvold scores well on “narcissism” and “likes attention.”
A picture dated shortly after the 2016 crash shows Mr Sanderson smiling while hiking
A selfie of Mr Sanderson from 2016
Lawyers for Gwyneth Paltrow continued to rely primarily on experts to bolster their defense on Wednesday, the seventh day of the trial over her skiing collision with a 76-year-old retired optometrist.
Paltrow’s defense team called a radiologist, a neurologist, a neuropsychologist and a forensic psychologist to the witness stand, relying on medical analysis rather than testimonies from friends or husband of the actor-turned-lifestyle influencer to make his case.
Experts consulted on Paltrow’s side said brain scans indicated that Sanderson’s cognitive abilities began to decline years before the Paltrow crash.
They questioned claims made by his doctors last week that attributed his disorientation and memory loss to post-concussion syndrome.
“Aging can cause it,” said radiologist Carl Black, pointing to Sanderson’s brain scan, which he said showed microvascular ischemic white matter disease, “because we all change to some degree every day that we live deteriorate.”
Time pressures have challenged both sides throughout the eight-day trial, forcing difficult decisions about who to call from their long list of witnesses to testify.
The judge presiding over the Park City trial has made it clear that he wants both sides to present their closing arguments by Thursday afternoon – to give the jury ample time to deliberate and reach a consensus.
The amount of money at stake for both sides pales in comparison to the typical legal costs of a multi-year litigation, private security details and a multi-expert litigation.
The second week of negotiations made it clear that the lawyers spared little expense in asserting their arguments.
Sanderson’s attorney told the jury last week that he believes the trial is about “value, not cost.”
To accompany their experts — many who have testified they received more than $10,000 — Paltrow’s defense team played several high-resolution animations depicting their side’s version of events that took place in February 2016 during a rookie run in the Deer Valley Resort in Utah.