New video reconstructs Gwyneth Paltrow and doctor’s collision on ski slope
The legal team representing Gwyneth Paltrow in the closely watched ski collision trial on Monday shared an animated reconstruction of the moment before the star and the doctor suing her collided on the slopes.
The video, created from the point of view of one of the Paltrow family’s ski instructors and played in court for jurors, depicts the retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, 76, skiing uphill from the actress before the 2016 crash at Deer Valley in Utah.
Sanderson has claimed that Paltrow was skiing “out of control” when she slammed into his back — adding that he felt her fists, gripped around ski poles, between his shoulder blades.
However, the 50-year-old Goop founder claimed that Sanderson struck her from behind and was at fault.
The reconstructed video, presented by Paltrow’s team to provide a visual aide during their witness’s testimony, shows Paltrow slightly in front of Sanderson and off to his right before they collided.
Ski instructor Eric Christiansen said the animation was very similar to what he witnessed the day of the ski accident.
The judge, meanwhile, clarified to the Utah jury that the video is not evidence and shouldn’t be taken that way.
The animation does not include the moment of the actual collision because Christiansen didn’t witness it.
He did see the lead-up and aftermath, however.
He told the court that “no one was unconscious” — contradicting claims by Sanderson that he had been knocked out.
He denied the former doctor’s testimony that Paltrow had been skiing recklessly and was dangerous before the crash.
“Not at all,” he replied when asked if that was true.
Christiansen also claimed that Sanderson told him that Paltrow “just appeared in front of me,” following the collision.
Earlier in the day, Sanderson took the stand and told jurors he heard a “blood-curdling scream” before he was hit.
“There was nothing in front of me,” he said.
Sanderson is seeking $300,000 in damages from the Academy Award-winning actress.
He said she skied into him and took off, while he suffered a traumatic brain injury that depleted his quality of life and ruined his relationships.
Paltrow is countersuing for $1, plus the cost of legal fees. She testified last week that she thought she was being sexually assaulted when Sanderson allegedly rammed into her.
