Months after the blockbuster trials of actresses Amber Heard and Johnny Depp had the world riveted to their phones, another Hollywood actor’s soap opera-like trial is generating headlines.
The 2016 ski accident lawsuit featuring Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow has witnessed startling discrepancies and emotional testimony in the span of one week.
What has transpired thus far in the case is as follows:
The case involves a 2016 ski accident in which both parties, 76-year-old Terry Sanderson and Ms. Paltrow, claim that the other caused the accident. Mr. Sanderson alleges he had permanent brain damage and four cracked ribs as a result of the collision and is suing Ms. Paltrow for $300,000.
Gwyneth Paltrow is countersuing Mr. Sanderson for either a “symbolic” $1 or attorney’s costs that might reach hundreds of dollars. Ms. Paltrow was asked in court whether she was “close friends with Taylor Swift” and if the $1 in damages she requested was influenced by a 2017 sexual assault case in which Ms. Swift sought $1 in damages.
When asked if the damages she was seeking were symbolic, Ms. Paltrow acknowledged that they were. “It’s symbolic since the actual losses would be more,” she added, adding that his action was a “effort to abuse her fame and fortune.”
Gwyneth Paltrow’s 2016 ski accident has produced shocking discrepancies and heartbreaking testimony.
On the second day of the trial, it was determined that a camera positioned immediately in front of Ms. Paltrow and her attorney violated court etiquette.
The judge stated, “I consider this a violation, and I’ve requested that the reporter be informed that it is now interfering with our proceedings. If this occurs again, the reporter will be asked to leave the premises.”
Ms. Paltrow stated in her account of the event that she originally believed she was being sexually attacked and that it felt like they were “spooning” as they went to the ground.
Mr. Sanderson and his counsel have provided a different explanation, stating that the inventor of Goop “lost control.” Ms. Paltrow denied ever engaging in “risky behavior” on a ski run that she claimed to be familiar with.
When introducing an eyewitness with a different description of the collision than Ms. Paltrow’s, she questioned the witness’s veracity and argued that she was the victim.
In a heartbreaking deposition, Ms. Sanderson’s daughter claimed that her father had had a “personality change” as a result of the accident, citing one incident in which he “belittled” his granddaughter while she was attempting to close a car door.
In addition to the divergent testimonies and heated interactions, Ms. Paltrow’s courtroom attire has been a prominent focus of the trial, with numerous ensembles containing pieces from her own line. Her usage of a $250 blue leather notepad to conceal her face from the cameras also made the news.
On Monday, the trial will resume, and Mr. Sanderson is scheduled to testify. Ms. Paltrow’s team will also include medical professionals, ski instructors, and her two children, Moses, 16, and Apple, 18 years old.
