Gwyneth Paltrow says ski trial was “everything that’s wrong with our legal system”
Gwyneth Paltrow has reflected upon her trial in 2023 after she was sued following a collision at a ski resort and said the case is “everything that’s wrong with our legal system”.
Paltrow won her ski crash lawsuit against retired optometrist Terry Sanderson after a jury ruled that she was not at fault for the collision in 2016. Sanderson was left with broken ribs and a concussion after he collided with Paltrow while skiing at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. He alleged that Paltrow was at fault, and he took her to civil court over the incident.
Sanderson originally sued for $3.1 million before re-filing his claim for $300,000. Paltrow countersued with a symbolic $1 lawsuit to constitute the minimum amount for a damages verdict.
After hearing both sides of the story, the jury dismissed Sanderson’s complaint and sided with Paltrow. They deliberated for less than three hours before reaching a conclusion.
“I have to say, the idea that someone could ski into your back and knock you down and then sue you,” Paltrow said on an episode of the World’s First Podcast. She added: “I was like, ‘This is everything that’s wrong with our legal system.”
Paltrow also explained her decision to fight the claim rather than agree to a settlement for the sake of convenience, stating, “It was ridiculous. That’s why I felt like I had to fight it. I was like, ‘I’m not going to be shaken down here.’ I’m not doing that.”
When the court ruled in Paltrow’s favour and concluded she wasn’t at fault for the collision, she said in a public statement: “I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity. I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case.”
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.