Gwyneth Paltrow ski collision trial: Why actress was in court, verdict

After being placed on trial in Utah for a 2016 ski crash, Gwyneth Paltrow can put her legal troubles behind her.

The eight-day trial, which began March 21, concluded Thursday with the jury finding Paltrow not at fault for the collision, referred to as a "hit and run."

The celebrity wellness influencer and "Shakespeare in Love" star was sued by Terry Sanderson in 2019, who claimed she seriously injured him during a crash on the beginner slopes at Deer Valley Resort in Park City on Feb. 26, 2016.

Sanderson said the crash seriously injured him and that Paltrow left him on the mountain without help. Paltrow alleged Sanderson plowed into her and then told her he was fine.

Here's everything to know about the case and what was said in court.

Gwyneth Paltrow found not responsible for ski accident in jury verdict

On Thursday, a jury found Paltrow not responsible for the 2016 ski crash and was awarded $1 in symbolic damages for her counterclaim, in addition to her attorney fees. The actress previously vowed to donate any additional funds potentially awarded by the jury to a charitable organization.

Judge Kent Holmberg instructed the jurors to determine whether "Sanderson was harmed and if so, whether anyone is at fault for that harm. You must also decide whether Gwyneth Paltrow was harmed and if so, whether anyone is at fault for that harm."

Gwyneth Paltrow ski collision trial verdict: Actress found not responsible for ski accident

Who testified in Gwyneth Paltrow trial?

Those who testified in the trial included a radiologist, a neuropsychologist, one of Sanderson's daughters and Paltrow herself.

While on the stand Friday, Paltrow gave her account of the collision, saying Sanderson "categorically hit me on that ski slope." She also said that, while the crash was happening, she had an initial "quick thought" she might be getting sexually assaulted, saying she heard Sanderson groan and felt a man's weight pressing into her backside during the crash.

Sanderson's daughter Polly Grasham was questioned March 23 about missing GoPro camera footage and if her father sued Paltrow because she's famous. The GoPro footage has not been found or included as evidence for the trial.

Paltrow’s attorneys also questioned whether Grasham and neuropsychologist Dr. Alina Fong could say with certainty that Sanderson’s downturn wasn’t a result of aging or documented, pre-crash conditions. They also questioned Grasham about her father’s anger problems, divorces and estranged relationship with another of his daughters, who did not testify.

On March 22, radiologist Dr. Wendell Gibby testified that brain images suggest it's unlikely Sanderson crashed into Paltrow and that his head trauma was likely caused by a skier crashing into him.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Terry Sanderson's lawyers detail differing accounts in opening statements

In opening arguments on the trial's first day, both sides presented their clients as conservative skiers who were stunned when a skier above them crashed into them.

Paltrow's legal team, including attorney Steve Owens, told jurors that Sanderson was the one who crashed into her — a collision in which she sustained a "full body blow." Owens noted that members of Paltrow's group checked on Sanderson, who assured them he was fine — an interaction Sanderson doesn't deny but said in court filings he can't remember.

Sanderson's attorneys attempted to paint Paltrow as a negligent celebrity with little care for the injuries inflicted upon the 76-year-old military veteran.

Owens cautioned jurors not to let sympathy for Sanderson's medical ailments – a brain injury, four broken ribs and other serious injuries – skew their judgements. He questioned Sanderson's credibility, noting his age and documented pre-collision brain injuries. Owens also said Sanderson posted a "very happy, smiling picture" of himself online, riding a toboggan post-crash.

Gwyneth Paltrow appears in courtduring first day of Utah ski collision trial

Gwyneth Paltrow testifies she wasn't engaging in 'risky behavior' day of ski crash

During her testimony Friday, Paltrow said she "was not engaging in any risky behavior" the day she alleged Sanderson crashed into her from behind on a beginner ski slope.

Sanderson's lawyer Kristin Vanorman pressed Paltrow to provide a moment-by-moment account of the incident, during which the actress recalled that Sanderson's skis came forward in between her skis during the collision. She also confirmed she yelled an expletive at Sanderson following the crash, adding she felt "upset" at the time.

Paltrow also denied the account provided by Greg Ramone, a ski friend of Sanderson who previously testified he saw Paltrow hit Sanderson in the crash.

“I don’t believe he saw what he thinks he saw," Paltrow said of Ramone's testimony. "He said he was 40 feet away and color blind. I don’t know how he can be positive about what he saw."

Gwyneth Paltrow testifies Terry Sanderson'categorically hit me' in ski collision trial

Previous:Gwyneth Paltrow denies causing Utah ski crash

Why was Gwyneth Paltrow in court?

Paltrow faced a lawsuit from Sanderson, who sought $300,000 and claimed the accident was a result of negligence that left him with physical injuries and emotional distress. Sanderson initially sought $3.1 million in a first lawsuit, which was dropped.

Sanderson claimed the Goop founder left him injured on the mountain and didn't send help. He also alleged a Deer Valley ski instructor filed a false incident report saying Paltrow didn't cause the crash.

Sanderson told reporters in Salt Lake City when he filed the lawsuit in January 2019 that he waited to file the lawsuit for nearly three years because he had problems with attorneys and could not function properly because of the concussion.

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What has Paltrow said about the ski crash?

Paltrow alleged in a counterclaim that the retired optometrist plowed into her from behind.

Paltrow said she was shaken by the collision and quit skiing with her family for the day. In her counterclaim, she said Sanderson apologized to her and said he was fine. She had previously denied blame for the crash in a statement but had not yet offered a full version of the events.

Contributing: Edward Segarra and Charles Trepany, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

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Gwyneth Paltrow denies being cause of Utah ski crash

Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY – Actress Gwyneth Paltrow denied Wednesday that she skied into a man who accused her in a lawsuit of seriously injuring him at a Utah ski resort, alleging in a counter claim that the man actually plowed into her from behind and delivered a full “body blow.”

Paltrow was skiing on a family vacation on a beginner run at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, on Feb. 26, 2016, when Terry Sanderson smashed into her, the actress’ attorney alleged in a counter claim filed in court. Paltrow said she was shaken by the collision and quit skiing with her family for the day.

She said Sanderson apologized to her and said he was fine. She had previously denied blame for the crash in a statement but had not yet offered a full version of the events.

“She did not knock him down,” Paltrow’s court filing said. “He knocked her down. He was not knocked out.”

The account differs greatly from the sequence of events alleged by Sanderson in the lawsuit filed Jan. 29. He said Paltrow was skiing out of control and knocked him out, leaving him with a concussion and four broken ribs. Sanderson referred to it as a “hit and run” and is seeking $3.1 million in damages.

More:Gwyneth Paltrow sued over Utah ski crash, her spokesperson says lawsuit is 'without merit'

Sanderson, a retired optometrist, told reporters in Salt Lake City on the day he sued that he waited to file the lawsuit for nearly three years because he had problems with attorneys and could not function properly because of the concussion.

Deer Valley Resort spokeswoman Emily Summers has said previously that the resort cannot comment on pending legal matters. Sanderson’s lawsuit against Paltrow also includes the resort as a defendant.

Paltrow is known for her roles in “Shakespeare in Love” and the “Iron Man” movies. She also owns a lifestyle company called goop.

Gwyneth Paltrow ski collision trial verdict: Actress found not ...

Gwyneth Paltrow's ski collision trial has come to a close.

On Thursday, a jury found Paltrow not responsible after being sued by Terry Sanderson for a ski crash in 2016, referred to as a "hit and run."

Paltrow was awarded $1 in symbolic damages for her counterclaim in addition to her attorney fees. The celebrity wellness influencer and "Shakespeare in Love" star previously vowed to donate any additional funds potentially awarded by the jury to a charitable organization.

Judge Kent Holmberg instructed the jurors to determine whether "Sanderson was harmed and if so, whether anyone is at fault for that harm. You must also decide whether Gwyneth Paltrow was harmed and if so, whether anyone is at fault for that harm."

"If you decide that more than one person is at fault you must then allocate fault among them (totaling 100 percent). Fault means any wrongful act or failure to act," Holmberg continued, adding that fault, in this case, would be negligence based on whether they exercised reasonable care in the collision.

Holmberg said if the jury determined fault over 50 percent for either party, they would not recover any damages.

The trial began on March 21. Paltrow was sued by Sanderson in 2019, who claimed she seriously injured him during a crash on the beginner slopes at Deer Valley Resort in Park City on Feb. 26, 2016.

Gwyneth Paltrow was 'pounded like a punching bag' in trial, attorney says in closing argument

Closing arguments for the trial took place Thursday, hours before the verdict was read.

Paltrow’s attorneys pushed back against the claim that the pair’s collision was a "hit and run." Sanderson said the crash seriously injured him and that Paltrow left him on the mountain without help. Paltrow alleged Sanderson plowed into her and then told her he was fine.

“It takes a lot of courage, does it not, for her to sit there for two weeks and be pounded like a punching bag?” said Paltrow's attorney Steve Owens.

“He hit her. He hurt her, and he wants $3 million for it,” Owens continued, referencing Sanderson's prior $3.1 million lawsuit. “That’s not fair. The easy thing for my client would have been to write a check and be done with it. … It’s actually wrong that he hurt her, and he wants money from her.”

Sanderson’s legal team focused a portion of its closing argument on the medical ailments the 76-year-old suffered as a result of the collision, which include a brain injury and four broken ribs.

His legal team also cited the turmoil the accident caused in his personal life. “From the day after this incident happened there was a very serious decline, (and) the people that knew him best testified…as to the changes that they experienced with Terry,” attorney C. Peter Sorensen said.

Sorensen also criticized the dismissal of Sanderson’s injuries by Paltrow’s attorneys as a distraction from the reality of the collision. Owens previously cautioned jurors not to let sympathy for Sanderson's injuries skew their judgments.

“They point the finger at Terry Sanderson and say ‘It’s your fault. You did this. You brought this on yourself,’” Sorensen said. “(Sanderson) wants the weighing of the scales the same way that Mrs. Paltrow does, but on those scales, someone has facts that are weighing, and someone has a lot of fanfare that when you really pry it, it’s a ‘So what?’ It’s nothing.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

Read more on Gwyneth Paltrow's ski collision trial

Gwyneth Paltrow pressed on stand about ski collision, Taylor Swift

Gwyneth Paltrow is speaking her side of the story.

The celebrity wellness CEO and "Shakespeare in Love" star took the stand Friday in Utah after being sued for a ski crash in 2016, referred to as a "hit and run."

Paltrow is on trial, which began Tuesday, after being sued for $300,000 by Terry Sanderson in 2019, who claimed she seriously injured him during a crash on the beginner slopes at Deer Valley Resort in Park City in 2016. Paltrow filed her own lawsuit against Sanderson seeking "symbolic damages in the amount of $1, plus her costs and attorney’s fees to defend this meritless claim," her lawsuit states.

Sanderson also claims Paltrow left him on the mountain without help. Paltrow has denied the allegations and in a counterclaim said it was Sanderson who crashed into her.

Gwyneth Paltrow says Terry Sanderson 'categorically' crashed into her

While on the stand, Paltrow said she "was not engaging in any risky behavior" the day she alleges Sanderson crashed into her from behind on a beginner ski slope.

Sanderson's lawyer Kristin Vanorman pressed Paltrow to provide a moment-by-moment account of the incident, during which the actress recalled that, while the crash was happening, she thought for a brief moment she might be getting sexually assaulted.

“That was a quick thought that went through my head when I was trying to reconcile what was happening," Paltrow said, saying she heard Sanderson groan and felt a man's weight pressing into her backside during the crash. "My brain was trying to make sense of what was happening.”

Paltrow noted Sanderson's skis came forward in between her skis during the collision. She also confirmed she yelled an expletive at Sanderson following the crash, adding she felt "upset" at the time.

"I apologize for my bad language," she said, to which Vanorman replied, "You’re small but mighty. Actually, you’re not that small.”

Paltrow also denied the account provided by Greg Ramone, a ski friend of Sanderson who previously testified he saw Paltrow hit Sanderson in the crash.

“I don’t believe he saw what he thinks he saw," Paltrow said of Ramone's testimony. "He said he was 40 feet away and color blind. I don’t know how he can be positive about what he saw."

Throughout questioning, Paltrow maintained Sanderson collided into her, saying, "Mr. Sanderson categorically hit me on that ski slope, and that is the truth."

Paltrow says she feels 'very sorry' for Sanderson but she didn't hit him

Vanorman also inquired about Paltrow's relationship with singer Taylor Swift, who won $1 in damages in a 2017 groping case.

“Are you good friends with Taylor Swift?" the attorney asked Paltrow, to which the actress replied: "I would not say we are good friends. We are friendly. I’ve taken my kids to one of her concerts before, but we don’t talk very often.” The line of questioning was eventually halted by an objection, to laughter from the courtroom.

Later, Paltrow's lawyer Steve Owens asked Paltrow if she has empathy for Sanderson and his health issues, despite his lawsuit against her.

"You know, I really do," Paltrow said. "I feel very sorry for him. It seems like he’s had a very difficult life, but I did not cause the accident so I cannot be at fault for anything that subsequently happened to him."

Paltrow's legal team said she sustained a 'full body blow' in the crash

In opening arguments on the trial's first day, both sides presented their clients as conservative skiers who were stunned when a skier above them crashed into them.

Paltrow's legal team, including attorney Steve Owens, told jurors that Sanderson was the one who crashed into her — a collision in which she sustained what they called a "full body blow." Owens noted that members of Paltrow's group checked on Sanderson, who assured them he was fine — an interaction Sanderson doesn't deny but said in court filings that he can't remember.

Paltrow is seeking "symbolic damages in the amount of $1, plus her costs and attorney’s fees to defend this meritless claim," her lawsuit said. The actress vowed to donate any additional funds potentially awarded by the jury to a charitable organization.

Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

Read more on Gwyneth Paltrow's ski collision trial

Grand jury indicts Trump, Final Four tips off: 5 Things podcast

On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: Grand jury indicts Donald Trump

A New York grand jury has indicted former President Donald Trump. Plus, violent thunderstorms are expected for millions, USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent John Fritze talks through the latest legal fight around Obamacare, USA TODAY Wellness Reporter David Oliver looks at why America was so interested in Gwyneth Paltrow's ski trial, and the Final Four tips off.

Podcasts:True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here.

Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below.This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

Taylor Wilson:

Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Friday, the 31st of March 2023. Today, a former president indicted. Plus a new legal fight over Obamacare, and why were so many people obsessed with the Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial?

♦

A New York grand jury has voted to indict former President Donald Trump. The case centers around unspecified criminal charges and is the first time in history that a former president has been charged criminally. The grand jury had been investigating hush money payments to two women who claimed to have had sex with him. The outline of those payments became clear after he was elected in 2016 and more details have been revealed in sworn testimony since. Trump's attorney said that he's expected in New York by Tuesday for arraignment and that they plan to fight in court. It's still not clear whether Trump will turn himself in willingly, but once arrested and taken into custody, he'll be read his rights. He'll then likely be fingerprinted and have his mugshot taken. Trump himself put out a statement yesterday calling the move political persecution. President Joe Biden and the White House had no immediate comment yesterday.

♦

Violent thunderstorms will slam parts of the Central US today along with a high probability of tornadoes in some areas. More than 65 million people are at risk ranging from Texas to Alabama in the South up to Wisconsin and Michigan in the Upper Midwest, and blizzards could blanket the Dakotas. One of the places that will likely be at risk today is Mississippi. Parts of the Mississippi Delta are still reeling after tornadoes left 26 people dead and dozens injured last week. You can find out more about what's happening in your neck of the woods on USATODAY.com.

♦

A federal judge in Texas blocked enforcement yesterday of no cost preventative healthcare mandates included in the Affordable Care Act. The move sets up the latest legal brawl over Obamacare, as USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent John Fritze explains. Hi, John.

John Fritze:

Hey.

Taylor Wilson:

What does this decision mean for people on ACA insurance plans and what prompted this rollback?

John Fritze:

The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to provide free care for some preventative services, and there is a panel of government officials that decides which of those services are included. In fact, there's several panels, but there's one panel at issue here in this case called the Preventative Services Task Force. They set recommendations for which services will be covered and not covered. And the issue here, the legal issue is that this panel is making these binding decisions, but they are not appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate like most other major officials making sort of binding decisions in the government are. And so I think the thing here to stay focused on is what are the recommendations that this panel has made that may be affected by this decision. It is things like cervical cancer screenings, diabetes screenings, certain vaccines. This list is still sort of being figured out, but there's a lot potentially at stake here in terms of preventative care. Both sides are likely to appeal this decision. I don't think anything's going to happen right away.

Taylor Wilson:

John, you're right that the judge in this case has repeatedly ruled against Obamacare. Why is that?

John Fritze:

Yeah. US District Judge Reed O'Connor is a George W. Bush nominee to the district court in Texas. He was the one who ruled in a pretty major case back in 2018 that the Affordable Care Act's mandate coverage was unconstitutional. That was a case that all went all the way up to the Supreme Court on the merits and was decided in 2021, and that decision was overruled. And so he has a sort of a history here of ruling against the Affordable Care Act and being overruled by a pretty conservative Supreme Court.

Taylor Wilson:

John mentioned the appeals that are expected here, what's the upcoming timeline looking like?

John Fritze:

That's a great question. This is what legal folks talk about as the injunctive phase here. This is a sort of an enforcement mechanism, and so this will go up, I think, relatively quickly and will potentially land on the Supreme Court shadow docket, which is this docket where they handle sort of emergency cases, for lack of a better word. So that is something that could get decided pretty quickly. The underlying merits of this decision and sort of the constitutional questions and the legal questions that are much more involved, that could probably take years to work its way through the courts.

Taylor Wilson:

USA TODAY Supreme Court Correspondent John Fritze, thanks so much.

John Fritze:

Thank you.

Taylor Wilson:

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has been found not responsible after being sued over a 2016 ski accident. Paltrow was also awarded $1 in symbolic damages for her counterclaim. Paltrow's time in court has gripped certain parts of social media and called America's obsession with celebrity back into question. I spoke with USA TODAY Wellness Reporter David Oliver for more. Hi, David. Welcome back to the show.

David Oliver:

Hey, thanks much for having me again.

Taylor Wilson:

Yeah, thanks for coming back on. So, can you just start by explaining to those who may not know, what is Gwyneth Paltrow being sued for here?

David Oliver:

Okay, so she's being sued because of a ski crash incident back in 2016, this man, Terry Sanderson. So he alleges that Gwyneth Paltrow skied into him, but she says that he skied into her, and basically he suffered some injuries because of this incident. He initially sued her for I believe $3.1 million and now is only suing her for $300,000, but she has also now issued a countersuit for $1 and lawyer fees. So it's basically a lot of he said/she said going on in terms of what happened with this crash. But it's certainly captured the Internet's attention for a lot of what Gwyneth Paltrow has been saying during this trial, outfits that she's worn, things like that. It's become a bit of a farce.

Taylor Wilson:

It's definitely taking up a lot of folks' TikTok feeds and Twitter feeds. Why are people so invested in this, David?

David Oliver:

I spoke to some experts about this and often the case with things like this, it's the absurdity of the wealthy. It's why we're obsessed with reality television. It's not because we think these people are wonderful people, it's because we are fascinated by it, the way that they carry themselves in the world. It's almost like anti-aspirational in some way. I mean, Gwyneth Paltrow is saying things like, "Well, I missed a half day of skiing." And it's like, what? And she also offered the bailiffs treats for doing a good job or something. It's all very paired with her Goop brand and all of her lifestyle advice that is often ridiculed.

Taylor Wilson:

Yeah, it's been interesting. An expert at one point said Terry Sanderson, who's suing Paltrow, can't taste wine in the same way anymore. So, like you say, David, this trial has really highlighted some of the absurdities of the wealthy, right?

David Oliver:

Yeah. I believe I read the resort they were saying at, it was clearly a pricey resort, so it's like these are two rich people in theory. I can't speak to how wealthy Sanderson is, but Paltrow, I imagine, is very wealthy. So, it's one of those things where you're like, okay, who are we rooting for here necessarily? But obviously, Sanderson has suffered injuries in a way that Gwyneth seemingly hasn't. So there's a lot there, too, we have to consider and be sensitive about while also pointing out the absurdity. It's holding both of these things at once.

Taylor Wilson:

David, I feel like celebrity culture, you mentioned reality TV, I feel like it's constantly demonized as this terrible thing, this vapid thing. Is this trial an example of the negatives of celebrity culture, or does it show that stars can offer a kind of escapism with all of this other heavy stuff going on around us?

David Oliver:

I think that basically it's both. I mean, I think that there's been a lot going on in the world. I mean, this week in particular, obviously like the horrible deadly Nashville shooting, Philadelphia has to boil water, this journalist who's now just been detained in Russia, there's all these awful things that this trial has likely been sort of a respite from. People find entertainment, I guess, wherever they can.

Taylor Wilson:

USA TODAY Wellness Reporter David Oliver, always a pleasure. Thanks so much.

David Oliver:

Thanks so much, Taylor.

Taylor Wilson:

The Women's Final Four is set for tonight in Dallas. First up, 1 seed Virginia Tech takes on No. 3 LSU at 7:00 PM Eastern. Then 2 seed Iowa tries to upset number one overall seed South Carolina, who's undefeated through 31 games this season. You can tune in on ESPN. Then tomorrow it's theMen's turn in Houston. That tournament has been one of the most unpredictable in history and has led to one matchup between 5 seed San Diego State and 9 seed Florida Atlantic. On the other side, 4 seed Connecticut will play 5 seed Miami. You can watch the games on CBS.

And you can find new episodes of 5 Things every morning right here, wherever you get your podcast. I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY.