Gwyneth Paltrow Wins One Whole Dollar in Ski Crash Trial
The actress was awarded $1 in damages after a jury found her not at fault in 2016 ski collision
Gwyneth Paltrow testifies during her trial on March 24, 2023, in Park City, Utah. GETTY IMAGES
Nearly everyone won in Gwyneth Paltrow’s trial over a supposed ski collision with a retired optometrist — well, except for him. The internet received an endless well of memes about the actress’ incredible lack of relatability and Paltrow herself was awarded $1 in damages from a countersuit against Terry Sanderson, 76, who claimed she left him with a brain injury, four broken ribs, and emotional damage after crashing into him while skiing at an Utah country club in 2016.
A jury sided with the actress on Thursday, deciding she was not at fault for the ski incident involving Sanderson.
“He never returned home that night as the same man,” attorney Robert Sykes said in his closing argument. “Terry has tried to get off that mountain but he’s really still there. Part of Terry will forever be on that Bandana run.” Sanderson requested $300,000 in damages, a significant decrease from the $3.1 million asked for in the initial lawsuit.
Paltrow seemingly went along with it all as some type of pseudo Saturday Night Live skit that let her walk away with her dollar bill and a newfound crop of internet besties. During closing arguments, her attorney Steve Owens acknowledged that she could have simply settled outside of court, but asked, “What would that teach her children?” He added: “It’s not about the money. It’s about ruining a very delicate time in a relationship where they were trying to get their kids together.”
The trial, which was livestreamed and meme’d into oblivion, was marked by several bizarre lines of questioning by Sanderson’s lawyer Kristin VanOrman. In once instance, his attorney asked Paltrow if the $1 symbolic damages was a nod to a 2017 case in which Taylor Swift sued former DJ David Mueller for battery and sexual assault and sought the same amount in damages. Paltrow insisted she didn’t know about that suit and she isn’t good friends with the singer, though she’s been to one of her shows. It’s a surprise that VanOrman didn’t follow up with a request for Eras tour tickets. What a missed opportunity.
During the trial, the court heard excerpts from statements given by Paltrow’s children, Apple and Moses Martin. Apple, who was around 11 or 12 at the time of the alleged collision in 2016, said her mother had been “in a state of shock.” The actress’ daughter added: “She came in and I noticed she looked a bit shocked, and I asked what happened and she said ‘this a-hole ran into me, he ran right into my back.’”
And while Sanderson’s lawyer was busy inquiring about Paltrow’s height and kiki-ing about high heels and ski outfits, the actress’ attorney was preparing to present the jury with travel photos from Sanderson’s Facebook page post-collision. The images featured Sanderson floating along the Amazon in Peru and a photo of him with a moose during a hike. The evidence contradicted his claims that he suffered a loss of enjoyment of life from the incident.
In addition to the symbolic damage payout of $1, Paltrow was awarded her costs and attorney’s fees “to defend this meritless claim,” as the initial lawsuit requested. Any additional funds potentially awarded by the jury will be donated to a charitable organization, per the filing.
From Rolling Stone US.
