Gwyneth Paltrow takes the stand in ski-collision trial

Gwyneth Paltrow took the stand Friday in her civil trial over allegations that she negligently crashed into a retired optometrist in 2016, allegedly inflicting lasting harm.

Paltrow has been available within the Park Metropolis, Utah, courtroom because the trial started Tuesday and has listened to testimony from witnesses known as by attorneys representing her accuser, Terry Sanderson.

Whereas testifying on Friday, one in every of Sanderson’s attorneys, Kristin Vanorman, grilled the actor and wellness influencer on her recollection of the main points of the incident, in addition to her information of ski guidelines and etiquette.

At one level, when Vanorman requested Paltrow whether or not she knew of a rule about exchanging contact info on the time of a collision, she deflected, saying her ski teacher promised to provide Sanderson her data and informed her to ski towards her youngsters.

“I recognize that, however my query was, do you know of the rule of snowboarding that if you’re in a collision that you might want to share that info?” Vanorman repeated, urgent Paltrow.

“I don’t assume I used to be conscious of the rule,” she responded.

Because the lawsuit was initially filed in 2019, Paltrow’s and Sanderson’s reminiscences of the occasion have nearly solely differed. Jurors should resolve whether or not Paltrow acted negligently through the crash, and far of that activates who was uphill and who was downhill. A downhill skier has the appropriate of means.

Throughout testimony, Paltrow maintained her place, echoing statements given in her counterclaim and recalling that Sanderson’s “physique pressed up into my again, so I froze … after which it was most likely a couple of good seconds, after which we fell to the appropriate.”

She then mentioned she informed Sanderson, “‘You skied straight into my effing again,’ and he mentioned, ‘Oh, sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’”

Earlier within the trial, Greg Ramone, a Sanderson ski buddy who mentioned he witnessed the crash, testified that Paltrow was uphill and had skied into Sanderson.

When Vanorman reminded Paltrow of Ramone’s earlier testimony, the actor-entrepreneur rejected his testimony.

“I don’t consider that he noticed what he thinks he noticed,” she mentioned.

“Ms. Paltrow,” Vanorman requested, making a tense second, “why would he lie?”

After an objection from her lawyer, which the choose overruled, Paltrow commented on Ramone’s color-blindness and distance from the crash.

“If in case you have two folks in ski gear and also you’re 40-plus ft away, I’m undecided you possibly can discern who’s who,” Paltrow mentioned. “And I can inform he didn’t, as a result of Mr. Sanderson categorically hit me on that ski slope, and that’s the reality.”

“And I‘m positive that’s what you consider,” Vanorman mentioned.

“As a result of it’s the reality,” Paltrow replied.

All through the trial, Sanderson’s authorized crew has tried to color the 76-year-old as a once-avid skier, traveler and household man whose well being deteriorated within the years because the crash, casting blame on Paltrow’s alleged out-of-control snowboarding. Different witnesses who testified embody medical specialists, a former romantic associate and Sanderson’s daughter.

Sanderson initially filed the $3.1-million lawsuit, which now seeks solely round $300,000 in damages, in 2019.

Paltrow’s attorneys have but to name a witness. Nonetheless, her husband, TV writer-producer Brad Falchuk, and her two teenage youngsters with ex-husband Chris Martin, Apple and Moses, are all anticipated to testify through the trial, which is able to stretch into subsequent week. Paltrow’s household had been snowboarding collectively whereas on trip at Deer Valley Resort when the crash passed off.

Friday started with persevering with, pre-recorded testimony from Richard Boehne, a neurologist who examined Sanderson and spoke to the traumatic mind accidents that Boehne mentioned had been from the crash. Different witnesses known as Friday morning had been Sanderson’s daughter, Shae Sanderson Herath, and her brother-in-law, Mark Stephen Herath.