SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah doctor is filing a lawsuit against Gwyneth Paltrow and Deer Valley Resort, alleging he was left to fend for himself after suffering serious injuries in a crash caused by the Hollywood actress.
Terry Sanderson is filing suit against Paltrow, the resort, and several employees in connection with a crash that he says occurred February 26, 2016.
“I’d like to be vindicated. I’d like the truth to be told,” said Sanderson.
The lawsuit alleges Paltrow was skiing with an instructor when she lost control and collided with Sanderson, knocking him down and rendering him unconscious.
Sanderson’s friend, Craig Ramon, says he saw a skier, who ski patrol later identified as Paltrow, lose control and run into Sanderson. When she got up, Ramon says a Deer Valley ski instructor who was with her, came up to Sanderson and started yelling at him.
The lawsuit states Sanderson suffered a brain injury and four broken ribs, among other serious injuries.
“My brain felt like I’d been injected with Novocain. I don’t know how else to describe it. It was just numb. Nothing was making sense,” said Sanderson.
Sanderson claims Paltrow got up and skied away without checking on him. The lawsuit further alleges the ski instructor working with Paltrow skied away without offering any aid or calling for help for the injured man. Attorney Robert Sykes is one of the lawyers representing Sanderson.
“It’s your duty to hang around and render aid. Even if you didn’t cause it. Now she caused it, but you have a duty to stop render aid. Help. Report,” said Sykes.
“No one from Paltrow’s group, including at least two Deer Valley-employed instructors, bothered to call the ski patrol to assist the severely injured Dr. Sanderson,” the lawsuit states. “Later, Deer Valley ski instructor, Eric Christiansen, filled out and signed an incident report falsely stating that Gwyneth Paltrow did not cause the crash even though Mr. Christiansen did not see the crash.”
Sanderson says he reached out to Paltrow and when he had a conversation with her lawyer, he says the lawyer blamed him for the collision.
“He said something related [to] ‘well you better count yourself lucky because she hasn’t sued you yet.’ He actually told me that,” said Sanderson.
Sanderson blames bad luck and his injuries for the three-year gap between the accident and the lawsuit.
“I hit a lot of dead ends and kind of got worn out and tired of having to relive these circumstances and so I dragged my feet. Plus, I really, there were a few months there where I really didn’t have my faculties,” said Sanderson.
Despite the delay, Sanderson says he’s determined to set the record straight.
“I’m a proud person and I don’t like to be told that I’m not telling the truth,” said Sanderson.
The lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of Paltrow and negligent infliction of emotional distress on the part of all parties named in the lawsuit.
The suit is seeking $3.1 million in damages.
KSTU reached out to Deer Valley Resort, and a spokesperson said they don’t comment on pending litigation. KSTU has also reached out to Paltrow for a response.
