Terry Sanderson, age 76, is suing the American actress for allegedly causing him serious injury while skiing at Deer Valley Resort in Utah. Her legal team informed the jury that Mr. Sanderson was responsible for the collision.
A US court has been informed that the injuries suffered by Gwyneth Paltrow’s accuser could not “plausibly” have been caused by his collision with her.
According to a radiologist, Terry Sanderson, 76, exhibited “typical hallmarks” of a traumatic brain injury and “deteriorated abruptly” after the 2016 incident at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort.
Retired optometrist Mr. Sanderson is suing the Hollywood icon for $300,000 (£245,000) after she allegedly “slammed” into him from behind, leaving him unresponsive with multiple broken ribs and brain damage.
The Academy Award-winning actress allegedly fled the scene without uttering a word.
The 50-year-old Paltrow, who is also a lifestyle influencer, denies the allegations, with her attorney describing Mr. Sanderson’s account of the events as “complete nonsense.”
Her legal team told Park City jurors that Mr. Sanderson was the one who plowed into her during her family vacation, causing her to sustain a “full body blow.”
The Shakespeare in Love actress is countersuing Mr. Sanderson for $1, alleging that he exaggerated his injuries and attempted to exploit her fame and fortune.
At the beginning of the second day of proceedings, Paltrow’s attorney Stephen Owens complained about the violation of courtroom etiquette by camera attention on the actress, stating, “I’m angry… I want it to stop.”
Judge Kent Holmberg responded, “I do view this as a violation,” and stated that if it occurred again, “the offending reporter” would be “asked to leave.”
Later, radiologist Dr. Wendell Gibby, who examined Mr. Sanderson after the collision, stated that the plaintiff would have “protected himself” if he had collided head-on with Ms. Paltrow.
“I believe it’s highly unlikely that Terry running into Gwyneth Paltrow caused this,” he said.
“I do not believe that if he had been running into her, he would have fractured the ribs on the side of his chest; he would have likely had his arms extended to defend himself.
If he had been the one rushing into her, I believe he would not have sustained these types of injuries.
Dr. Gibby testified that the rib fractures prove there was sufficient force to induce a head injury.
Terry Sanderson was a high-energy individual before the collision.
In court, the radiologist also described Mr. Sanderson’s personality before the 2016 incident, stating, “Terry was a very high-functioning, high-energy individual.
“But after his accident, he deteriorated rapidly, and he ceased doing many of the activities he once enjoyed, such as dancing and, for the most part, skiing.
“His interactions with his offspring and grandchildren suffered, and he had difficulty juggling multiple responsibilities… He would frequently forget why he was at Home Depot. All of these symptoms are typical of someone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury.”
Dr. Gibby continued, “In Terry’s instance, he was a well-respected individual, but I believe he lost some of his connectedness. It was difficult for him to maintain his alliances and relationships.
Not the individual he was
The court then heard from neuropsychologist Sam Goldstein, who conducted tests on the plaintiff and testified that Mr. Sanderson told him he was “not the same person” after the 2016 ski accident.
“He has become obsessed with regaining the level of functioning he believes he had before the accident,” he told the court.
“From his perspective, he is not who he once was. From his perspective, Terry Sanderson has been lost.”
‘Acute, swift downturn’
Mr. Goldstein also stated that Mr. Sanderson’s behavior and functioning experienced an “acute, rapid decline” as a result of the ski accident, which was unrelated to any pre-existing medical conditions.
“Had it not been for that particular accident, he would have continued to live the life he was leading six to twelve months prior,” Mr. Goldstein explained.
“These preexisting vulnerabilities do not explain the acute [very rapid] change and now the long-term change in his behavior and functioning; this is an acute, rapid decline.”
“The difficulties he had in the past, such as his mood, his anxiety, and his personality type, are not the reason he is struggling now. They do not account for the abrupt change in his functioning and the negative pattern of emotions, behavior, and communication he displays daily.”
He added that Mr. Sanderson was not “making a mountain out of a molehill” or “faking” his difficulties.
On ski slopes, Utah law grants the downhill skier the right of way, and the central issue, in this case, is which skier was farther down the beginner’s run at the time of the collision.
Both Paltrow and Mr. Sanderson claim they were skiing downhill when they collided, causing their skis to become entangled and them to fall.
