UTAH – Oscar-winning actor Gwyneth Paltrow took the stand on Friday to testify that she was not at fault for a 2016 ski slope collision in Utah that left a man with a concussion and broken ribs, contradicting testimony from the lone witness to the incident.
Paltrow, 50, said during cross examination that she was skiing with her two children, and said that in fact she was struck by Terry Sanderson, a 76-year-old retired optometrist who filed a lawsuit seeking more than US$300,000 (S$400,000) in damages over the incident at the Deer Valley Resort in Utah.
In court papers, Sanderson said he suffered “permanent traumatic brain injury” as a result of the collision. He initially had sought US$3.1 million in damages.
In court on Friday, Paltrow said she initially thought, for a split second, that it was some kind of “practical joke” or “someone doing something perverted”.
“I was skiing and two skis came between my skis, forcing my legs apart, and then there was a body pressing against me and there was a very strange grunting noise,” Paltrow said.
She said that is when they both fell to the ground with Paltrow on top of Sanderson, in a heap of skis and limbs.
Paltrow has filed a counter-claim in Summit County District Court seeking a symbolic US$1 in damages and lawyer fees.
Sanderson’s attorney Kristin VanOrman asked Paltrow about the single dollar in damages she is asking for and whether she had learnt about it from singer Taylor Swift.
Swift made a similar countersuit in August 2017, when a Denver jury ruled that former radio host David Mueller assaulted and battered the singer at a meet-and-greet session in June 2013. Swift was awarded US$1.
Paltrow said about Swift: “I would not say we are good friends. We are friendly. I’ve taken my kids to one of her concerts before, but we don’t talk very often.”
Paltrow, who is also known for her Goop lifestyle brand, called into question prior testimony from Craig Ramon, a friend of Sanderson’s who said he heard a scream before he saw Paltrow crash into the retired optometrist.
Paltrow denied the accusation, claiming that Ramon was 40 feet (12m) away and unable to discern who was at fault.
She also refuted claims by Sanderson that she had skied off and ignored rules to share contact information with another party after an accident.
A Deer Valley Resort staff member, who was providing Paltrow and her family lessons and did not see the collision, stayed behind to provide contact information to Sanderson, she said.
The instructor, Eric Christiansen, is expected to testify next week.
Paltrow, who said she was upset and cursed at Sanderson after the collision, said she did not ski off until after Sanderson told Christiansen that he was fine.
“I did not cause the accident, so I cannot be at fault for anything that subsequently happened to him,” Paltrow said. REUTERS
