The man who claims Gwyneth Paltrow met him on a ski slope seven years ago took the witness stand Monday after the Hollywood star and lifestyle influencer testified in what is expected to be an eight-day trial.
Paltrow, 50, told the Utah judges Friday that Terry Sanderson, 76, crashed into her from behind on the runway at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. Sanderson, a retired optometrist, initially sued her for more than $3 million in damages, an amount later reduced to $300,000. Paltrow is filing a counterclaim for $1 and attorneys’ fees.
Terry Sanderson, the Utah man who is suing Gwyneth Paltrow, testifies in court Monday, March 27, 2023, in Park City, Utah. The man who was suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a 2016 skiing collision at one of North America’s posh resorts took the witness stand Monday and said he was rammed from behind and “absolutely blown up.” Rick Bowmer/AP
Sanderson, who described himself as a careful and frequent skier, described the incident as he remembered, including signs warning skiers to slow down.
“I heard something I’ve never heard at a ski resort — a blood-curdling scream,” he said. He said he assumes someone is out of control.
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“I was hit so hard in the back, right on my shoulder blades. It felt like it was perfectly centered, the fists and the bars were right there, on my shoulder blades. Serious, serious blow. I’ve never been hit that badly,” he said Monday. He said the impact sent him “flying” and all he saw was snow as he spun out of control. The last thing he remembered , he said, the thought was that he should protect his face and head.
When his attorney asked if things had changed in his life after the accident, he replied in the affirmative. “I feel like a different life now,” he said.
He said he was no longer able to ski due to his injuries, including four broken ribs and a concussion.
Gwyneth Paltrow sits in court during an appeal by her attorney during her trial Monday, March 27, 2023, in Park City, Utah. Paltrow is accused in a court case of colliding with a skier during a family ski vacation in 2016, leaving him with brain damage and four broken ribs. Rick Bowmer/AP
Earlier testimonies had also focused on Sanderson’s health. Witnesses, including his doctor and daughters, have testified about Sanderson’s medical problems, including symptoms of brain injuries and broken bones.
Lawyers are trying to determine whether Sanderson or Paltrow were uphill at the time of the accident, a point of skiing etiquette that will also likely determine who is responsible for the accident. Paltrow said Friday Sanderson stabbed her in the back.
Paltrow was called by Sanderson’s attorneys. Her attorneys are expected to call her children Moses and Apple and now husband Brad Falchuck later in the trial.
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