Gwyneth Paltrow’s accuser in the ongoing trial over a 2016 ski crash, who claims he became a ‘self-imposed recluse’ in the aftermath, has been grilled by attorneys over multiple photos on Facebook showing him travelling following the incident.
The Oscar-winning actress’s attorneys questioned the retired optometrist who is suing her over a 2016 ski crash, which he claims left him with broken ribs and severe brain damage.
Terry Sanderson, 76, said he was ‘living another life’ after the collision with Ms Paltrow on a Utah ski slope, which he says left him with broken ribs and severe brain injuries.
The retired doctor is suing Ms Paltrow for $300,000 for allegedly crashing into him from behind in 2016. Ms Paltrow has countered the civil suit for the amount of $1, claiming she is innocent and that he crashed into her.
Late on Wednesday afternoon, Paltrow’s attorneys called Sanderson back to the stand for the second time in the case to cast doubt on his claims of life-altering injuries.
Terry Sanderson, 76, said he was ‘living another life’ after the collision with Ms Paltrow on a Utah ski slope, which he says left him with broken ribs and severe brain injuries
One picture, introduced into evidence in the trial yesterday, showed Terry Sanderson skiing
Picture albums on Facebook from holdays taken by Terry Sanderson after the 2016 collision
While on holiday, Mr Sanderson was also pictured taking part in activities like skiing and cycling
Mr Sanderson was pictured hiking in a picture after the February 2016 collision
Mr Sanderson riding a camel in a personal picture from a 2018 holiday
Mr Sanderson said the trips had been a struggle for him and that he had been unable to travel by himself
A pictured, dated 2018, appears to show Mr Sanderson rafting with a group
Instead of revisiting his medical history or expert testimonies, they asked questions about Sanderson’s luxury and adventure travel after the crash.
They introduced photos into evidence of Sanderson riding a camel in Morocco, trekking up to Machu Picchu in Peru.
While on holiday, he was also pictured taking part in activities like skiing and cycling.
He also took a continent-wide loop around Europe with stops in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France and Belgium.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who is being sued by Mr Sanderson over the accident, pictured in court yesterday
Following closing arguments from both sides on Thursday, the jury will likely make their decision later that day or on Friday.
The retiree accepted that he had travelled to multiple countries and attended a Cinco de Mayo celebration and rock concert.
He claimed that he had travelled he travelled because ‘it was part of the healing process’ and that he ‘was told by several neurologists and cognitive therapists’ to return to his routine of travelling, which happened ‘since retirement mostly’.
He added that the trips had been a struggle for him and that he had been unable to travel by himself.
‘Looking back at that time, I was determined to prove I didn’t have any mental issues,’ he said.
Discussing the impact of the case on him, Mr Sanderson said it had been ‘very difficult’ to sue a celebrity and his life had been ‘exposed’.
Also called to the stand on Wednesday was Dr Angela Eastvold, who told the court that after the collision he had been drinking ‘drinking excessively’.
She testified that Mr Sanderson had reported to his doctors that he was drinking five to six drinks, two to three times a week, a minimum of ten a week.
Dr Eastvold said that if Sanderson did have a ‘significant’ concussion as he claimed, he would have had a ‘reduced tolerance to alcohol.’
Additionally, she testified that the retired doctor did not show any signs he had suffered a ‘significant’ concussion.
She said he did not suffer from dizziness nor displayed any signs of ‘attention deficits’.
Psychological evaluations on him showed that he scored high on ‘narcissism’ and ‘likes attention’, according to Dr Eastvold.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s attorneys continued to rely mostly on experts to mount their defense on Wednesday, the seventh day of the trial over her 2016 ski collision with a 76-year-old retired optometrist.
Paltrow’s defense team called to the stand a radiologist, a neurologist, a neuropsychologist and a forensic psychologist, leaning on medical analysis rather than the testimony of the actor-turned-lifestyle influencer’s friends or husband in order to make their case.
Experts called by Paltrow’s side testified that brain scans suggest Sanderson’s cognitive abilities began to decline years before the crash with Paltrow.
They challenged claims made last week by his doctors, who attributed his disorientation and memory loss to post-concussion syndrome.
‘Aging can result in this,’ radiologist Carl Black said, pointing to Sanderson’s brain scan, which he said showed microvascular ischemic disease of white matter, ‘because we’re all deteriorating to some degree or other everyday we live.’
Time constraints have challenged both sides throughout the eight-day trial and forced difficult decisions about who to call to testify from their lengthy roster of witnesses.
The judge presiding over the trial in Park City has made it clear that he wants both sides to give their closing arguments by Thursday afternoon – in order to give the jury enough time to deliberate and come to a consensus.
The amount of money at stake for both sides pales in comparison to the typical legal costs of a multiyear lawsuit, private security detail and expert witness-heavy trial.
The second week of trial has made clear that attorneys have spared little expense on making their case.
Sanderson’s attorney told the jury last week that, for him, the trial was about ‘value, not cost.’
To accompany their expert witnesses – many who have testified to being paid more than $10,000 – Paltrow’s defense team has played multiple high-resolution animations depicting their side’s version of the events that took place in February 2016 on a beginner run at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort.
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