Gwyneth Paltrow is expected to testify in a trial over a 2016 ski collision at a Utah mountain resort, in which a man claims that the movie star's recklessness caused him lasting physical injuries, while she says the clash on the slopes was his responsibility.
Paltrow and Terry Sanderson, the retired optometrist suing her, were both expected to answer questions about the crash while their attorneys tried to convince the 10-member jury that skier was downhill and had the right of way.
The actor turned lifestyle influencer has been present in court this week and countersuasive Sanderson.
Mark Stephen Herath, the brother of Sanderson's son-in- law, was first on the stand to testify on Friday.
He talked about the lingering effects on Sanderson of the skiing incident at the resort in Park City, Utah, the mountain town where the Sundance film festival takes place.
He told the jury, of Sanderson: His comprehension had gone down, he d get confused. It was like day and night before and after the accident. I think he tried to go skiing a couple of times but I don't think he's gone since the accident. He called Sanderson's condition a dead end and said he wasn't mentally prepared to go skiing again. In a trial that the judge, Kent Holmberg, and attorneys for both parties have agreed to last eight days, with each side getting four days to call their own witnesses, Friday marks the final day that Sanderson s attorneys can compel Paltrow to testify.
In previous depositions in the case, she has said she froze when the crash happened, while she was on a beginners slope with one of her children.
We came together and crashing down. She said in November 2020 that this man was behind me on the mountain. My knee and my skis were still sort of tangled up. Our bodies were almost spooning and I moved away quickly. My knee was open, and I was in shock. Paltrow s team is expected to call medical experts, ski instructors and her two children, Moses and Apple next week.
The trial spotlighted Park City and Deer Valley resort, where Paltrow and Sanderson collided. The resort is one of the most upscale in North America, known for its sunny slopes, apr s-ski champagne yurts and luxury lodges.
The proceedings delved deep into the 76-year-old Sanderson's medical history and personality quirks, with attorneys questioning whether his deteriorating health and estranged relationships stemmed from the collision or natural process of ageing.
The trial has touched on themes ranging from skier s etiquette to the power and burden of celebrity.
Sanderson is seeking more than $300,000 in damages, while Paltrow has countersuaded for $1 and attorney fees. The amount of money at stake for both sides is relatively small for such a case.
Lawyers for Paltrow spent much of Thursday raising questions about Sanderson's mentions of her wealth and celebrity as well as his obsession with the lawsuit.