Although it’s undeniable that the lives of celebrities and common people are frequently very different from one another, there are occasions when they coincide because family, generosity, and truth are qualities that we all love. For actress Gwyneth Paltrow and retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, though, it was a very different story as they practically collided on a Deer Valley ski slope on February 26, 2016. For now, though, if you just want to know more about Max’s “Gwyneth vs. Terry: The Ski Crash Trial” and the court processes that followed, we have the information you need.
Who is Terry Sanderson?
Terry’s passion in the sciences is said to have begun when he was just a little child growing up in Fairview, Montana, and it only became stronger over the years. In order to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Zoology with Pre-Med Options at the University of Montana, he thus wasted no time in enrolling at North Montana College as soon as he could. After that, he received his specialisation in eye care from Pacific University, not realising that he would serve in the army for the next three years until he was able to open a private practice in Idaho.
Terry had already married Tara Cushman in a lovely wedding on June 14, 1970, by this time, which had allowed him to establish a permanent residence in Soda Springs, Idaho. Their three daughters, Polly Sanderson (Gresham), Jenny Bea Sanderson, and Shae Sanderson (Herath), were born and raised there until it became time for him to move on. Following their split, he went from being a full-time healthcare professional to a consultant after retiring; the latter change most likely occurred when he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2010.
Since Terry was a well-known skier and Utah is home to one of the most exclusive ski resort communities in the world—Deer Valley—the move was reportedly not too surprising to many. He had no idea, though, that things would soon turn upside down when he would have a terrible accident on the slopes with none other than actress and lifestyle entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow. This is particularly true given that she said he struck her from behind, even though he maintained the reverse and that it caused irreversible brain damage.
In fact, Terry sued Gwyneth for slightly more than $3 million in January 2019, claiming that on that fateful morning, she had run him down carelessly and then skied off without saying anything. His claim stated, among other things, that she knocked him down, landed on top of him, and caused injuries that affected his day-to-day functioning, including a concussion, brain injury, and four fractured ribs. Regarding why he waited three years to file a lawsuit against her, the 72-year-old retired ophthalmologist claimed he did so because he was unable to come to an agreement with the star’s legal team.
Terry subsequently changed his demand for damages to $300,000, but Gwyneth countersued him for $1 because she thought he was lying and embellishing to take advantage of her notoriety, fortune, or both. Thus, in early 2023, the case got to trial, and he testified that his brain chemistry had changed, leaving him a shell of the social, passionate, and world-traveling man he had once been. She did, however, convey how she first thought it might have been someone purposefully bumping into her from behind for sinister motives before realising it was just a mistake.
Nevertheless, four very important factors that had nothing to do with either of their testimony convinced the jury to rule in Gwyneth’s favour: the animation of her version of events, the cross-examination of the lone eyewitness who later recanted, the testimony of experts who claimed Terry had 15 health issues prior to the crash, and photographic evidence of his recent lifestyle. The latter, in particular, originated from his then-public Facebook profile, which featured him continuing to travel the world, immerse himself in new cultures, and ski the same way he always had.
Where is Terry Sanderson Now?
Terry Sanderson was judged 100% at fault for the crash in March 2023, following an eight-day trial and two hours of jury deliberations. As a result, he will be required to pay Gwyneth’s entire legal bills in addition to the $1 she had demanded. However, the founder of Goop ultimately waived his whole penalty—which could have been in the seven figures given the famous specialists she had hired—in exchange for not challenging this decision.
To the best of our knowledge, the retired physician has stayed out of the spotlight ever since, wanting to do his best to restore normalcy to Salt Lake City, Utah. This father of four had already stated that, in light of the loss and the bad press, pursuing this path had not been worthwhile for him, but he accepted it gracefully. On the witness stand, Terry made a joke about how, after experiencing “the pain of trying to sue a celebrity,” he would probably never be able to use a dating app again.
Later on, he said, “I’m going to be on the internet forever,” in response to reporters who said he may now likely have his own reality show. There’s no necessity for [a reality programme]. To put it another way, he has stated unequivocally that he has no desire to repeat this act for attention or benefit. It’s plausible that Terry is still making the most of his retirement in that regard, given that his healthcare provider allegedly advised him to tour the world.
