Shocking Moments From Gwyneth Paltrow’s Skiing Case

1. In case you're not up to speed

Image Source: Sky News

Actress and Goop founder, Gwyneth Paltrow went to trial for a skiing accident that happened in 2016. Terry Sanderson filed a lawsuit against Gwyneth saying that she crashed into him on the slopes and then fled the scene. He alleged that the accident caused him multiple injuries and deemed it a hit and run.

2. The injuries claimed were quite severe

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Terry Sanderson claimed that Gwyneth's collision knocked him down so violently that he received a brain injury and four broken ribs. He went on to say that Gwyneth left he laying in the snow alone. When the news broke, the trial received national coverage. Gwyneth, of course, denied the allegations and also alleged that HE ran into her.

3. Gwyneth countersued for $1

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Gwyneth's team said the lawsuit was "without merit," and that they were seeking vindication. As a result, Gwyneth countersued for an amount of $1 in damages as a symbolic gesture. Court documents show that Gwyneth received a full body blow by Terry, and she was visibly upset by the incident.

4. She got asked about her friendship with Taylor Swift

Image Source: Us Weekly

Taylor Swift sued a DJ in 2017 for $1 after he groped her, and the case was widely circulated. Terry's attorney decided to ask a weird line of questioning about Gwyneth's relationship with Taylor. Gwyneth expressed that she was unaware of Taylor's trial, and she wouldn't consider the two of them good friends. But she went on to say that they are friendly, and she has taken her kids to Taylor's concert.

5. Terry's lawyer made some other odd remarks

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Terry's lawyer, Kristin VanOrman made another weird comment about Gwyneth's height. She said she was jealous of how tall she was and also called Gwyneth "small" in reference to her body. Why is this even a discussion? The lawyer went on to say "You're small but mighty," and then concluded, "Actually, you're not that small." The moment made headlines.

6. But so did Gwyneth's attorney

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Steve Owens, who was representing Gwyneth, also made news when he crossed the line while questioning Terry's daughter, Polly Sanderson Grasham. Polly's other sister, Jenny, had said that Terry is abusive, and Stephen asked Polly if Jenny was a liar. He later walked back his comments and apologized to Polly asking for forgiveness for "being an *ss."

7. People couldn't stop talking about Gwyneth's face

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The internet couldn't get enough of Gwyneth Paltrow's expressions throughout the trial. She constantly looked amused, and even appeared to laugh during Terry's testimony. He imitated what was meant to be her alleged "blood curdling scream" before he crashed into her. She simply smiled and shook her head.

8. Gwyneth wanted to bring treats for people

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According to Steve Owens, Gwyneth's security wanted to bring treats from her for the bailiffs. The reason being stated that they had been extremely helpful. Steven asked for permission to do so, but the request was denied. Do you think it seems a little like bribery or keeping up appearances?

9. This became an instant meme-able moment

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At one point in the trial, Terry's lawyer, Kristin, asked Gwyneth if the incident essentially ruined the rest of her expensive vacation. The Goop founder replied with "Well, I lost half a day of skiing, yes." The statement quickly made its way around the world wide web, citing that Ms. Paltrow seems out of touch.

10. Terry's friend witnessed something different

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Craig Ramon, who is a good friend of Terry's, corroborated Terry's story that he heard Gwyneth scream and then crash into Terry. However, a ski instructor at Deer Valley came up to Craig and said that his "buddy" took out Gwyneth, not the other way around. Who to believe?

11. The lawsuit was initially for a lot more money!

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Terry initially filed a lawsuit for $3.1M, but it was dismissed. The one that went to trial was for $300,000. Gwyneth and her team said that Terry was simply trying to exploit her wealth by saying his injuries were more severe than they were. Terry also threatened negative publicity if she did not pay.

12. Gwyneth got a massage after the accident

Image Source: People

The day of the accident, Gwyneth spent $8,890 on private ski lessons for her children. After the accident, she decided to stop skiing for the day because she was so rattled. She ended up getting a massage. Her team simply used this as a way to support their version of Terry hitting her, stating she was emotionally distraught afterwards.

13. Terry Sanderson sent this email

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When Sanderson took the stand, he got pressured about his motive for the lawsuit. This was because of an email he sent out to his family after the accident. He wrote the subject line to read, "I'm Famous." He claims that this was only because his head was scrambled from the accident and he was "desperately" trying to communicate with his children. He goes on to claim that he is absolutely not into "celebrity worship."

14. The jury was an all-white jury

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Park City is one of the poshest ski towns. The jury had to brave snow storms to get to the trial. The jury was selected from voters in Summit County. It's said that in this county, the average price of a home is $1.3 million. This county is also less religious with fewer ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

15. Gwyneth's team called in a bunch of experts

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Gwyneth and her team had several medical experts testify during the trial to give the testimony analytical backing. Throughout their testimonies, these experts said that Terry's cognitive capacity was on the decline well before the crash. They also said that this would cause this memory-loss vs. his team's claims of it being due to injuries sustained.

16. There may be video evidence that shows the truth

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In more shady emails sent between the Sanderson family, there is conversation around a GoPro camera that caught the collision on tape. For whatever reason, the footage has not been seen by Gwyneth's team or included as evidence in the trial. Somebody find that tape!

17. Terry's girlfriend said the accident changed him

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Terry's girlfriend at the time, Karlene Davidson, said that his entire personality changed after the accident. She claims that he grew more distant and seemed to have no joy left. She said this is what led to the end of their relationship. However, Steve Owens was quick to point out that, Terry started dating someone else shortly after their breakup.

18. Steve Owens said more stuff he shouldn't

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As the trial progressed, Steve Owens had a continually difficult time keeping his inappropriate comments to himself. For example, when a neurology expert named Dr. Robert Hoesch stepped up to testify, Steven said "What a nerd." Dr. Hoesch calmly replied, "I'm a neurologist." Grown ups, am I right?

19. Spectators compared Gwyneth to The White Lotus

Image Source: Deadline

After the complaint about losing a half-day of skiing, and then Terry saying he could no longer enjoy wine tastings, those watching the trial began comparing their woes to that of "The White Lotus" on HBO Max. The show satirizes the out-of-touch grievances of wealthy white people, which is honestly what these proceedings felt like.

20. They also criticized Gwyneth's courthouse pap walks

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Spectators couldn't help but comment on how Gwyneth carried herself throughout the proceedings. Beyond the consistently amused expression that sometimes broke into a smile or borderline laughter, she also appeared to take her entrances VERY seriously. When seen going to or leaving the court, she was often shielding her face as if hiding from the paparazzi, while holding a notebook with her initials on it.

21. Gwyneth opted for a local lawyer

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Lawyers who represent Hollywood clients tend to gain a level of celebrity themselves. However, Gwyneth went for a local team that specialized in medical malpractice lawsuits. Both sides tried to play to their strengths, with Terry's lawyer referring to himself as "just a country lawyer" during the trial more than 6 times.

22. Was the whole thing a hoax?

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The jury was encouraged to really look at all of the facts, especially in regards to Terry's medical conditions. They noted his age, and pre-accident brain injuries that were already documented. There was also confirmation from Terry to others that he felt fine after the accident. There was even a picture he posted online of himself looking happy and healthy.

23. Terry went on several international trips after the accident

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Remember, this accident happened several years ago. Since then, Terry took trips doing vigorous outdoor adventures such as camel riding in Morocco, treks through Peru, and even doing a long trip through Europe. Gwyneth's team used this photo evidence to back their claim that Terry did not sustain the long-term injuries he was claiming.

24. Is Gwyneth just out of touch?

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Terry's team knew exactly what they were doing. Playing into the celebrity of it all, they tried to paint off picture of Gwyneth as an actor who turned into a lifestyle influencer. They made claims that she was clumsy and out of touch, and they said she was just trying to avoid having to take responsibility because of her status.

25. Terry made this weird comparison

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At one point during his testimony, Terry said the reason he decided to sue Gwyneth was because people need to be held accountable, leaning into this celebrity status even further. He went on to say that when people aren't held accountable, they continue to bad things like "molesting young children on an island." The judge asked the jury to disregard this ridiculous comparison.

26. On the flip side, Gwyneth's team said this

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In the same way that Terry's team tried to say Gwyneth was simply out of touch and refusing accountability, her team said that Terry was just trying to exploit her. They said that as a celebrity, she is prey to unfair lawsuits. They pushed Terry on his obsession with the case, saying that he would lie and do whatever he could to become famous in his own right through this case.

27. Internet sleuths found more evidence from a group chat

Image Source: New York Post

Someone was able to discover a group chat that ended up being included as evidence. The sleuth uncovered text messages where they're discussing the incident in more detail. The lawyers claimed it was the most important piece of evident to the trial, but there's a lot of he said/she said happening here.

28. They asked Gwyneth if she's a good tipper

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In perhaps the weirdest exchange with Kristin VanOrman, Kristin asked Gwyneth if she tips people well, reminding her that she was under oath. Gwyneth laughed at the question and replied with a yes. Then Kristin followed up saying she wouldn't expect anything less. This weird exchange blew up on Twitter with the tweet being viewed over 2 million times and counting.

29. Gwyneth is one of the people

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During the trial, Steve Owens made an objection at one point. He wanted to ensure that Gwyneth was treated as a normal citizen and not as a celebrity. Because she's just like us, y'all! Gwyneth, once again, just smiled and shrugged as a sign of agreement. What do you think? Should celebrities be held to a different standard?

30. She whispered this to Terry when the trial was done

Image Source: The Daily Beast

Gwyneth ultimately won her countersuit against Terry Sanderson. When she was leaving the courtroom, she was seen whispering something in Terry's ear. Of course, everyone was itching to know what she said to him. Sanderson later told reporters that she said "I wish you well." A baller move!