Jury Rules in Favor of Gwyneth Paltrow, Clearing Her of Fault in Ski Accident with Retired Optometrist

A jury ruled in favor of actor Gwyneth Paltrow on Thursday, deciding that she was not at fault for a 2016 ski accident with a retired Utah optometrist. Terry Sanderson had filed a lawsuit against Paltrow, seeking more than $300,000 in damages, alleging that reckless skiing caused her to run into him from behind on February 26, 2016, at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort.

Throughout the trial, the eight-person jury heard testimony focused heavily on which skier was downhill at the time of the crash. According to a skier code of responsibility, the uphill skier is at fault in a collision. The jury began deliberations earlier in the afternoon and agreed that Sanderson was, in fact, at fault, not Paltrow.

The collision left Sanderson with four broken ribs, a concussion, and lasting brain damage that affected his daily life and personal relationships. Paltrow countersued, seeking $1 in damages along with attorneys’ fees, which the jury awarded.

The jury’s decision brings an end to the legal battle between Paltrow and Sanderson. Paltrow’s attorney, Robert Sykes, said in a statement that the jury’s decision “vindicated Ms. Paltrow’s position that she was not at fault for the accident.” Sanderson’s attorney, Robert Sykes, said that he was disappointed with the outcome and that his client was “hoping for a different result.”