A man claims that Paltrow's recklessness on the slope caused him broken ribs, brain damage, and lasting physical injuries. Paltrow stated that the crash came as a shock to her, and initially, she thought she was being violated. She recounted that two skis came between her skis, forcing her legs apart, and a body pressed against her, accompanied by a strange grunting noise.
Although she initially felt that her body was being violated, she later clarified on the stand that the crash was not a s-xual violation.
Terry Sanderson, the retired optometrist suing Paltrow, and Paltrow herself are both expected to answer questions about the crash while their attorneys try to convince the eight-member jury about which skier was positioned downhill and had the right of way. Paltrow has previously stated in depositions that Sanderson was responsible for the crash. The trial has touched on themes ranging from skier's etiquette to the power and burden of celebrity.
Next week, Paltrow's team is expected to call medical experts, ski instructors, and her two children, Moses and Apple, to the stand. The trial has shone a spotlight on Park City, Utah, the posh ski town known for rolling out a red carpet for celebrities each January during the Sundance Film Festival, and skiers-only Deer Valley Resort, where Paltrow and Sanderson collided. The proceedings have delved deep into Sanderson's medical history and personality changes, with attorneys questioning whether his deteriorating health and estranged relationships stemmed from the collision or the natural process of aging.
After a judge threw out Sanderson's earlier $3.1 million US lawsuit, Sanderson then claimed damages of "more than $300,000." Paltrow has countersued for a symbolic $1 and attorney fees. The amount of money at stake for both sides pales in comparison to the typical legal costs of a multi-year lawsuit, private security detail, and expert witness-heavy trial. Lawyers for Paltrow spent much of Thursday raising questions about Sanderson's mentions of their client's wealth and celebrity, as well as what they called his "obsession" with the lawsuit.
