Gwyneth Paltrow is Being Sued for $3.1 million for a Skiing Hit-and-Run
Can a hit-and-run happen when you aren’t even driving a car?
According to a recent lawsuit against Gwyneth Paltrow, the answer is yes.
The actress is now being sued by a doctor named Terry Sanderson for crashing into him while skiing back in February of 2016.
Sanderson says that Paltrow was out of control when she was skiing, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. Because of this, he is asking for more than $3.1 million in damages.
“Gwyneth Paltrow knew it was wrong to slam into Dr. Sanderson’s back, knocking him down, landing on top of him, knocking him out and then leaving the scene of the ski crash she caused, but she did it anyway,” the lawsuit reads.
In the documents, the crash is listed as “a hit-and-run ski crash.” It alleges that Paltrow hit Sanderson in the back and then instead of checking to make sure that he was alright, she “got up, turned and skied away, leaving Sanderson stunned, lying in the snow, seriously injured.”
According to the lawsuit, Sanderson suffered four broken ribs in the accident, along with a “permanent brain injury,” as well as emotional distress and disfigurement.
One of Paltrow’s reps told PEOPLE that the lawsuit was unfounded.
“This lawsuit is completely without merit,” the rep said. “Anyone who reads the facts will realize that.”
Sanderson has even gone as far as claiming that Eric Christiansen, the Deer Valley ski instructor who was with Paltrow, filed a false report which stated that the accident was not Paltrow’s fault.
Why Now?
As you may have noticed, this lawsuit comes almost 3 years after the initial incident. So, why the long wait?
Well, Sanderson said in a news conference in Salt Lake City that it took him so long to file the lawsuit because he was dragging his feet and had issues with some of his former attorneys. He also claimed that he was unable to function as well as he normally would have because of the concussion that he sustained in the accident.
He went on to say that he had been in contact with Paltrow’s attorneys but no one had mentioned Paltrow giving him an apology or compensation. Instead, he alleges that Paltrow’s team said that they could counter-sue him.
“I would like to be vindicated,” Sanderson said in the news conference. “I would like my truth to be told.”
Paltrow’s attorneys are not denying that the incident occurred and that Paltrow was involved, however, they are denying that the crash was her fault.
Sanderson says that he is not suing the actress because she is a rich celebrity, but because it was unkind to not stay and see if he was okay.
Sanderson’s lawyer Robert Sykes claims that the actress violated the reckless skiing provision of the Summit County code. This provision requires skiers who crash to stay at the scene to make sure everyone is okay.
Emily Summers, the spokesperson for the Deer Valley Resort refused to comment as the resort is also being sued and is not allowed to comment on pending legal issues.
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