Gwyneth Paltrow is facing backlash for filing a countersuit in her ongoing ski trial against Terry Sanderson, who is suing her for a collision that occurred in 2016 at Park City ski resort in Utah.
Sanderson, a retired optometrist, claims that Paltrow was at fault for the accident that left him with a number of broken ribs and brain damage. He is seeking $300,000 in damages, after previously dropping a suit for $3.1 million.
During a hearing last week, Sanderson’s lawyer Lawrence Buhler accused Paltrow of turning to look up at her children while skiing, arguing that the Goop founder “knew what she was doing was dangerous.”
Paltrow had hired multiple instructors at a cost of thousands of dollars and was skiing with her two children at the time of the accident. Buhler told the jury that the children and their instructors were skiing to the left, while Paltrow skied down to the right. As she turned her head back down, she screamed and collided with Sanderson, hitting the ground hard and bouncing off him.
In addition to Sanderson’s suit, Paltrow has filed a countersuit against him, asking for just $1 in damages.
This has prompted ridicule and criticism from many, who view the amount as trivial and an insult to Sanderson’s injuries. During the trial, Paltrow was asked about the “losses” she suffered as a result of the incident, to which she replied, “Well, we lost half a day of skiing.” This response has only fueled the mockery, with many calling Paltrow’s reason for the countersuit “pathetic” and “ridiculous.”
Some have even turned the tables on Sanderson, suggesting that Paltrow is the true victim in the case. One commenter joked, “He can earn more money—but Gwyneth will NEVER get back the half day of skiing she lost. So who’s really the bad person here????” Another commented, “Texting all my friends, ‘Well … I lost half a day of skiing’ next time any minor inconvenience befalls me.”
However, Paltrow defended her decision to file the countersuit, stating that the $1 figure was symbolic and that the damages would actually be more.
She told the jury, “It’s an actual dollar that I’m asking for. It’s symbolic because the damages would actually be more.”
It remains to be seen how the trial will conclude, but Paltrow’s countersuit has certainly attracted a lot of attention and criticism.
Some view it as a petty and insulting gesture, while others argue that it is a legitimate legal tactic. Whatever the outcome, it is clear that the collision has had serious consequences for both Paltrow and Sanderson, and that the issue is far from resolved.
