The actress Gwyneth Paltrow is appearing in a trial for a ski accident that took place in 2016, in a tourist center in Utah, in the United States. Last Friday, in the grandstand, she again insisted it was not her fault and claimed the man who sued her rear-ended his skis.
Paltrow testified that the incident shocked her and, at first, she was worried that she was being raped. Here’s how she put it: “There was a body pressing against me and a very strange growl. My brain was trying to make sense of what was happening.”
The actress said she felt very upset and angry and that she remembers yelling at the man: “I had my back turned and you rammed me squarely!”
Paltrow and Terry Sanderson, the retired optometrist who sued her, are expected to answer questions about the crash as their lawyers struggle to convince an eight-member jury which skier was downstream and had right of way.
The actress turned lifestyle influencer previously stated that Sanderson was responsible for the crash.
Paltrow’s testimony
Paltrow’s long-awaited testimony came midway through the trial, and by the final afternoon, Sanderson’s attorneys were able to force her to testify.
All week, Paltrow’s defense had been calling for special restrictions, including limiting photos both in the courtroom and in the public parking lot through which the actress would enter and exit.
His testimony lasted more than an hour and was similar to what he said in an earlier statement about how he “froze over” when the crash happened.
Next week, Paltrow’s team is expected to seek testimony from medical experts, ski instructors and the actress’ two sons, Moses and Apple, who were with her during the crash.
No photos of the accident
After the incident, Sanderson sent her daughters an email with the subject line: “I’m famous…at what cost?” One of the daughters replied, “Even I can’t believe all of this is on a GoPro.”
GoPro cameras are commonly used by outdoor athletes and luxury ski resort customers to capture their practices.
Sanderson’s daughter, Shae Herath, testified Friday that she did not know if any GoPro footage existed, despite what she said in her email. She said her father told her on her phone that she thought there must be GoPro footage of the crash taken by someone since there were so many people on the track with cameras attached to their helmets.
“There was a great scream that made the blood run cold. Someone must have turned to look,” Herath said, recalling the conversation with father about him as Paltrow yelled during the incident.
While Sanderson’s attorneys focused on their client’s declining health, Paltrow’s legal team intrigued the jury with recurring questions about the mysterious missing GoPro footage. Since, no video recordings have been located or entered as evidence.
The trial so far has focused on Park City, Utah, the posh ski resort known for rolling out a red carpet for celebrities every January during the Sundance Film Festival, and Deer Valley Resort, a high-end, high-end resort , for skiers, where Paltrow and Sanderson collided.
The trial delved into the 76-year-old Sanderson’s medical history and personality changes. Lawyers question whether his deteriorating health is due to the collision or part of the natural aging process.
The amount of money at stake
After a judge dismissed Sanderson’s $3 million earlier lawsuit, the retiree is seeking settlements of “more than $300,000.” Paltrow, for his part, sued for a nominal $1 and attorney fees.
The amount of money at stake for both parties is less than the typical legal costs of a lawsuit that has been going on for several years and involves private security details and a trial with many expert witnesses.
Paltrow’s attorneys spent much of Thursday raising questions about Sanderson’s mentions of his client’s wealth and celebrity, as well as what they called his “obsession” with the lawsuit.
The first three days of the trial saw testimony from medical experts, Sanderson’s doctor, a ski buddy and his daughter, who said they noticed post-concussion symptoms less than a year after the crash.
Paltrow’s lawyers asked Sanderson’s daughter on Thursday if her father thought it was “cool” to bump into a celebrity like her, the Oscar-winning actress for Shakespeare in love, and also the founder and CEO of lifestyle brand Goop.
Paltrow’s attorneys questioned Sanderson’s medical experts and he suggested the lawsuit may be an attempt to exploit his fame and celebrity.
Source: Clarin
