Gwyneth Paltrow awarded $1 and cleared of fault over 2016 skiing collision in Utah

Jurors found that the Oscar-winning actress was not at fault for the collision, which left Terry Sanderson with several broken ribs and head injuries

Gwyneth Paltrow has won her US lawsuit against retired optometrist Terry Sanderson over a 2016 ski crash in Utah.

Jurors found that the Oscar-winning actress was not at fault for the collision, which left Mr Sanderson with several broken ribs and head injuries.

Ms Paltrow had denied the claim, and accused Mr Sanderson of crashing into her, resulting in her losing “half a day of skiing” with her family.

On Thursday jurors returned a verdict in favour of Ms Paltrow after just over two hours of deliberation, apportioning “100 per cent" of the blame for the accident to Mr Sanderson.

She was awarded compensatory damages of $1.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow On Trial For Ski Accident
Getty Images

In a statement after the verdict, the Hollywood star said she is “pleased" with the outcome.

“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.”

Ms Paltrow and Mr Sanderson, who both gave evidence during the trial, were present in court for the verdict.

The actress wore a blue blazer, with a white shirt and brown trousers, and did not appear to react as the verdict was returned, though let out a deep breath.

As she exited the courtroom she touched Mr Sanderson on the shoulder and whispered something to him, though he did not react.

She previously said she felt “very sorry” for his health decline following the incident, but maintained she had not been “at fault” and said she had been the “victim”.

The eight-day trial played out on TV, with every moment of the crash at the upmarket Deer Valley resort in February 2016 being analysed in minute detail.

Paltrow was accused of letting out a “blood curdling scream" moments before the collision.

But she countered that it was Mr Sanderson who crashed into her, causing her to angrily shout at him for his actions.

He claimed to have become a “recluse" thanks to his injuries, but that was undermined on the final day of the case by Facebook photos showing him holidaying around the world, hiking, and skiing again.

Mr Sanderson’s lawyers previously suggested the jury award him damages of more than three million dollars in the case.

During closing arguments earlier on Thursday the court heard that Ms Paltrow faced a “ransom” for a “meritless claim” and that she had shown “courage” by attending court for the two-week trial.

Gwyneth Paltrow lawsuit trial of Terry Sanderson

BESTPIX - Actress Gwyneth Paltrow On Trial For Ski Accident
1/17

During the trial the court heard evidence from a number of people, including Ms Paltrow’s two children Apple and Moses Martin, who had been skiing with their mother on the day of the crash.

Paltrow, the star of films including Avengers Assemble, Shakespeare in Love, and Seven, did not comment as she left the courthouse.

“We’re pleased with this outcome and appreciate the judge and jury’s thoughtful handling of this case,” said her lawyer Steve Owens.

“Gwyneth has a history of advocating for what she believes in. This situation was no different and she will continue to stand up for what is right.”

Mr Sanderson told reporters the actress had wished him well as she left, and insisted he still believes she was to blame.

Asked if it was worth it bringing the case, he replied: “Absolutely not - I’m going to be on the internet forever.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in