LOS ANGELES - JAN 14: Gwyneth Paltrow signs her new Book "The Clean Plate" at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove on January 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA
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Gwyneth Paltrow dragged into court over skiing accident

Gwyneth Paltrow is being sued by a retired optometrist over a 2016 skiing accident. The trail began on Tuesday – the attorney for the actress calls the story “utter BS.”

Gwyneth Paltrow sued over skiing accident

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in a Park City, Utah, court on Tuesday for the start of a trial in which she is being sued over a 2016 skiing accident she allegedly had with the plaintiff, Terry Sanderson, a retired optometrist.

Sanderson sued Paltrow for negligence in 2019 and is seeking $3 million in damages. Paltrow countersued for negligence and is seeking $1, Yahoo News reported.

As the trial got underway, attorneys for the plaintiff and defendant both described their clients as victims, blaming the other for causing a collision that occurred in 2016 at Deer Valley, one of the nation’s most upscale ski resorts, the Associated Press reported.

Defendant’s attorney says Paltrow was skiing recklessly

Deer Valley is a skiers-only mountain that is well known for its groomed runs, après-ski champagne yurts, and posh clientele.

According to court filings obtained by CNN in 2019, Sanderson claims that Paltrow allegedly “skied out of control … knocking him down hard, knocking him out, and causing a brain injury, and four broken ribs and other serious injuries.”

Terry Sanderson claimed that Gwyneth Paltrow was descending the slopes in such a reckless manner that it caused them to collide violently. He claims she left him on the ground as she and her entourage continued cruising down the slope.

“All skiers know that when they’re skiing down the mountain, it’s their responsibility to yield the right of way to skiers below them,” Sanderson’s attorney, Lawrence Buhler, told jurors.

Buhler alleges that Sanderson was left with broken ribs and brain trauma after the crash. Attempting to draw a contrast, Buhler highlighted his client’s military service record while describing Paltrow as a wealthy celebrity and experienced skier who took a “so what” attitude over the collision.

An eyewitness, Greg James Ramon, a skiing acquaintance of the retired optometrist who was on the slope with him that day, testified that Paltrow collided into Sanderson’s back.

“I heard this scream, I looked over, and then I saw this skier slam into the back of Terry [Sanderson],” Ramon testified in court, referring to Paltrow. “Very hard, and she hit him directly in the back.”

Ramon was skiing approximately thirty-five feet away at the time of the crash.

However, seemingly contradicting his own account of events, Ramon also testified that Paltrow’s ski instructor, a Deer Valley employee, approached him moments after the collision and told him, “Your buddy just took out Gwyneth Paltrow.”

According to further statements from Ramon and Sanderson’s attorney, Paltrow picked herself up and left the scene minutes after the collision.

“She just bolts and takes off, she just went straight down,” Ramone testified. “You never leave an accident, you make sure everyone is okay, you give contact info to each other.”

Paltrow’s attorney says story is “utter BS”

Steve Owens, attorney for Gwyneth Paltrow, contrasted the plaintiff and witness testimony, arguing that it was Sanderson that crashed into her, saying she received a “full body blow.” Owens noted that members of Paltrow’s group checked on Sanderson, who assured them he was fine – something Sanderson doesn’t deny. However, in court filings, he claimed he could not remember.

Owens also cautioned jurors not to let sympathy for Sanderson’s medical ailments skew their judgment. He questioned Sanderson’s credibility, noting his age of 76, as well as documented brain injuries he had prior to the collision. He reiterated that Sanderson confirmed he was fine after the crash.

“His memories of the case get better over the years,” Owens said. “That’s all I’m gonna say. That’s not how memory works.”