Doctor suing Gwyneth Paltrow takes stand in ski crash trial

The retired optometrist who claims Gwyneth Paltrow left him permanently disabled following a ski “hit-and-run” in 2016 took the stand on Monday in his lawsuit trial against the Academy Award-winning actress.

Plaintiff Terry Sanderson, 76, was expected to testify about how his life was forever altered by the crash in Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, which gave him brain damage.

Sanderson was slated to be the last witness in his team’s case before it rests. He claims Paltrow, 50, negligently skied into him and then ran off. He is seeking $300,00 from her in damages, although originally asked for $3.1 million.

The Academy Award-winning actress rejects the plaintiff’s narrative and told the court Friday “I was hit by Mr. Sanderson and he was at fault.”

Paltrow is seeking $1 in damages and the cost of her likely exorbitant legal fees.

The “Goop” founder said that while she sympathizes with Sanderson’s plight, she is not to blame for his health issues. Her team has argued the retiree’s mental decline can be attributed to the dozen-plus pre-existing conditions he suffered from before the crash, including cancer and partial blindness in one eye.

While Paltrow has sat through the entire proceedings, Sanderson has not but he did appear in court Friday to watch Paltrow’s testimony. 

His daughters Shae Sanderson Herath, 52, and Polly Sanderson Grasham, 49, both gave teary testimony last week about the effects the crash had on their dad.

Herath said her daughter is now fearful of her grandfather, who is more prone to outbursts since the 2016 incident.

“She doesn’t like my dad. She doesn’t like him,” she told the Utah District Court’s eight jurors and two alternates.

Sanderson Grasham echoed that sentiment, saying her dad became “angry” from the alleged effects of the crash.