PARK CITY (UTAH) — On Wednesday, two doctors described the medical condition of a male who sued Gwyneth Paltrow over a 2016 ski accident at an elite Utah ski resort.
Dr. Wendell Gibby stated that Terry Sanderson, 76, “deteriorated abruptly” after his accident. He was speaking in Park City court.
Sanderson’s lawyers called upon medical experts to convince jurors that their client sustained life-altering injuries in the collision. Sanderson, a retired optometrist has been described as someone who skis in high-end resorts and travels extensively internationally.
Still, his attorneys have worked to frame the celebrity lawsuit as a David-versus-Goliath struggle, with their older but active client injured by the actor-turned-wellness-tycoon’s negligence.
Gibby, a radiologist, stated that brain images indicated Sanderson’s head trauma likely resulted from a skier colliding into him. This supports Sanderson’s claim that Paltrow hit him. He stated that Sanderson’s long-term health effects were consistent with the severity and impact of the collision. Gibby said that the rib fractures confirm that enough force was applied to cause a head injury.
Dr. Samuel Goldstein, neuropsychologist, described Sanderson’s postcrash trajectory as an “acute quick downturn” and encouraged jurors not to get lost in the details about white matter below the cortex of their brains.
Goldstein spoke of Sanderson, saying that Sanderson would still be alive if it wasn’t for the accident.
Sanderson claims Paltrow’s recklessness caused him brain damage and physical injuries. Sanderson now claims damages in excess of $300,000.
Paltrow is expected to testify Friday. Her attorney also stated that her children Moses, and Apple, are also expected in the courtroom sometime during the trial.
The money sought is small in comparison to the legal costs associated with a long-running lawsuit and a heavy trial. More than 12 people are expected to testify during the eight-day trial at Park City, a popular ski town that hosts celebrities every year for the Sundance Film Festival.
Paltrow has filed a counterclaim against Sanderson’s amended suit. Paltrow seeks $1 and attorney fees. This is a common, symbolic action that shows how fame, not money is often at stake in celebrities who are subject to trial. Taylor Swift also sued a radio presenter for the same symbolic amount in 2017.
Although the court will not publish a witness list in the celebrity trial, lawyers indicated that Sanderson’s daughters may be called next to testify. They will be questioned about their father’s health and emails that were exchanged after the crash that mentioned Paltrow’s fame.
Both sides blame each other for the collision, and claim they were hit from behind. They rely on a well-known Utah law that states that anyone skiing or snowboarding downhill has the right to use the right of way.
Paltrow’s lawyers have asked Judge Kent Holmberg for special restrictions during the trial. This includes limiting photography in the courtroom as well as in the parking lot outside. A rope restricts Paltrow’s access and exit routes.
Sanderson was released from courtroom Wednesday, before experts gave evidence on his mental and physical health. However, on the first day of the trial he sat across Paltrow in the courtroom. Both were unfazed as they listened to arguments that had become common over the seven-years since their crash. Paltrow, founder and CEO of Goop Wellness, was seen in court Wednesday, drinking green juice.
The trial will hinge on the interpretation of medical experts by the 10 jurors, six women and four men. They will also decide whether Sanderson’s injuries are directly related to the accident. All the jurors hail from wealthy Summit County, where the median home sold last month for $1.3million, according to Redfin.
Jurors listened intently to hours of medical jargon-laden testimony on Wednesday. After Sanderson’s lawyers called experts to the stand to discuss Sanderson’s health and then Paltrow’s lawyers probed the complexities of different types of MRIs, neurological tests, and cast doubt on the conclusions of the experts.
Paltrow’s lawyers cautioned the jury against being biased by having sympathy for Sanderson in a trial that is expected to include a large number of medical experts. They began the trial by calling Sanderson’s story “utter B.S.” — citing earlier claims in court filings in which they claimed he was suing to exploit the celebrity and wealth of the Oscar-winning star in “Shakespeare in Love.”
