Terry Sanderson 'disappointed' after losing ski crash case to Gwyneth Paltrow
Terry Sanderson is "very disappointed" after losing his ski crash case to Gwyneth Paltrow, and the retired army optometrist believes he did so because of "character assassination".
Terry Sanderson is "very disappointed" after losing his ski crash case to Gwyneth Paltrow, and believes he did so because of "character assassination".
The retired army optometrist, 76, had sued her for $300,000 over their 2016 collision on slopes at the Deer Park Resort, Utah, where the actress was holidaying with her family, but she countersued for costs plus a "symbolic" amount of $1 and on Thursday (30.03.23), a jury in Park City, Utah, found him "100 per cent" at fault for the accident.
Reflecting on the decision, he told 'Extra': "Very disappointed."
Asked what factors were going in the decision, he said: "It should have been the facts of the accident because as I said, I brought absolutely the truth to the accident. There was no reason to wander from that and it still won’t, and I brought it for that reason.
"I wanted to see if justice prevails in those situations, but it becomes character assassination ... it becomes things that you thought were long gone in your life, things from 30 years ago, 40 years ago, that should be meaningless."
He also confirmed Gwyneth said she "wishes him well" following the verdict, and he admitted that was "very kind of her".
Terry said he had "hesitated" about taking legal action because the singer and actress is a "celebrity".
He said: "You get some assumed credibility from being a famous person ... Who wants to take on a celebrity? No wonder I hesitated. It’s difficult.
"Who wants to do that someone who learns lines, learns how to play someone else’s part and be believable, be credible, wins awards? Who wants to go on that path."
Following the verdict, Gwyneth said in a statement shared to her Instagram Story: "I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity.
"I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case."
