US - UK Entertainment 02/05/2025 10:44

Gwyneth Paltrow Slams Ski Cra$h Lawsuit as "Ridiculous" and Reflects on the Intense Legal Battle

Gwyneth Paltrow opens up about her 2023 ski cra$h trial, calling the legal saga "ridiculous." Discover why she felt compelled to f!ght back against the accu$ations and what she learned from the experience.
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Gwyneth Paltrow is not holding back when it comes to reflecting on the ski cra$h trial that made headlines in 2023. Two years after winning a lawsuit filed by retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, who accu$ed the actress of causing a 2016 ski cra$h in which he sustained !njuries, Paltrow shared her candid thoughts on the legal saga.

“It was ridiculous,” Gwyneth said during an April 24 episode of World’s First Podcast hosted by Erin and Sara Foster. She continued, “And I have to say, the idea that someone could ski into your back and knock you down and then sue you—I was like, ‘This is everything that’s wrong with our legal system.’”

The Oscar-winning actress, who denied any wrongdoing in the case, countersued Sanderson, claiming that he was responsible for the cra$h and that he sought to exploit her celebrity and wealth. "That’s why I felt like I had to fight it," she admitted. "I’m not gonna be shaken down here. I’m not doing that."

In the end, Paltrow emerged victorious, with a jury ruling Sanderson 100 percent at fault and granting her a symbolic $1 in damages. After the verdict, a source revealed that the actress leaned down to Sanderson and wished him well.

Reflecting on her win, Gwyneth shared with E! News that she "felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised [her] integrity." She added, “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.”

Months after the trial concluded, Gwyneth confessed that the experience left her shaken, describing it as a “pretty intense experience.” She told The New York Times in September 2023, “That whole thing was pretty weird. I don't know that I've even processed it. It was something I felt like I survived.”


Gwyneth Paltrow is an acclaimed American actress, businesswoman, and author. Best known for her roles in films like Shakespeare in Love (for which she won an Academy Award) and Iron Man, she has also made a name for herself as the founder of the wellness company Goop. Paltrow has been a prominent figure in Hollywood and has continuously expanded her career into various business ventures, including her successful lifestyle brand.

Terry Sanderson is a retired optometrist who gained national attention in 2016 when he filed a lawsuit against Gwyneth Paltrow, accu$ing her of causing a ski accident at the Deer Valley Resort in Utah. Sanderson claimed that Paltrow was responsible for the collision that led to his !njuries. However, after a high-profile trial in 2023, Paltrow was cleared of any wrongdoing, with a jury finding Sanderson entirely at fault.

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