28th March 2023, Mumbai: On Monday, as the closely followed trial enters its second week in Utah, the man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a collision in 2016 at one of the most upscale ski resorts in North America is anticipated to take the witness stand.
Terry Sanderson, a retired optometrist, is expected to testify first on Monday, before his lawyers take a break and turn the witness stand over to Gwyneth Paltrow’s defence team to present their case, according to attorneys’ statements on Friday. Two of Paltrow’s children, Moses and Apple, as well as a ski instructor who was present on the day of the collision are anticipated to be called by her legal team.
Sanderson is suing Paltrow for over $300,000, alleging that she skied erratically into him from behind, breaking four of his ribs and causing head trauma that led to post-concussion syndrome after the accident. Paltrow countersued Sanderson for $1 and legal costs, claiming Sanderson was at fault and crashed into her from behind, first gradually and then suddenly.
Attorneys will probably grill Sanderson about his memories after Paltrow testified on Friday that the collision started when Sanderson’s skis veered between her two legs. Paltrow struck Sanderson, sending Sanderson’s skis flying into the air before he fell on the beginner run in a “spread eagle” position, according to the only eyewitness to the accident, Craig Ramon, who testified that he heard a loud scream and saw the crash.
In addition, Sanderson’s doctors and medical experts testified last week about post-concussion symptoms, which the defence will likely question him about. Moreover, Paltrow’s attorneys plan to question him regarding his allusions to her notoriety and whether the lawsuit is an effort to capitalise on it.
Since Johnny Depp took Amber Heard to court in Virginia almost a year ago, Park City, Utah, was far from packed during the first week of the trial. However, the case has since emerged as the most closely watched celebrity trial. Social media is awash with cut-and-pasted videos of lawyer outbursts and Paltrow’s Friday testimony, while observers discuss the drivers behind each side’s decision to continue the protracted legal dispute seven years after the collision.
The amount of money at stake for both parties is insignificant in light of the customary legal fees associated with a protracted lawsuit, private security detail, and a trial with numerous expert witnesses.