The retired optometrist suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a ski crash pulled a wardrobe change, swapping out his loud, colorful novelty tie for one with a more subtle print, as he prepares to take the witness stand.
Terry Sanderson, 76, arrived at the courtroom in Park City, Utah on Wednesday morning wearing a gray suit and brightly-colored tie with garish smiley faces on it.
But when court reconvened after a break, Sanderson, who claims he was left with brain damage and memory loss from the 2016 collision with Paltrow on a ski slope, had dumped the garment – possibly at the advice of his legal team.
Sanderson claims Goop guru Paltrow, 50, crashed into him on the ski slope at the Deer Valley run more than six years ago, leaving him with four broken ribs and years of post-concussion symptoms including confusion, memory loss and irritability.
Paltrow has countersued for a symbolic $1 and attorney fees, alleging that Sanderson veered into her from behind.
Terry Sanderson, 76, who is suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a ski crash, arrived at the Park City courtroom on Wednesday wearing a brightly-colored tie with garish smiley faces on it, but later swapped it out for one with a more subtle print, as he prepares to take the witness stand
Paltrow, 50, has countersued for a symbolic $1 and attorney fees, alleging that Sanderson veered into her from behind. She’s pictured in court on Wednesday as the trial winds down
In the second week of trial, it´s clear that both sides have spared little expense to ensure they have a roster of expert witnesses on call in case needed. Amid intense time constraints, multiple witnesses testified for longer than anticipated.
Paltrow´s attorneys have asked Judge Kent Holmberg repeatedly to clarify the timeline for the eight-day trial.
They reversed plans to cross-examine Sanderson in order to keep time on the clock for the four expert witnesses they said they had put up in a nearby hotel on Tuesday.
Much like Sanderson’s attorneys, Paltrow’s legal team is attempting to cram into four days all testimony from family members, doctors and an accident reconstruction expert.
Terry Sanderson, the Utah man suing Gwyneth Paltrow, walks in to the courtroom, Wednesday
Paltrow returns to the courtroom after break on Wednesday for the afternoon part of her trial against retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, 76, who is suing her over a 2016 ski crash
First on the stand was Dr Carl Black, an expert neuro-radiologist who had reviewed scans of Sanderson’s brain done before and after the crash.
Sanderson is claiming the crash left him with a serious brain injury but Dr Black said he saw no evidence of one in scans done post crash – and noted that he did see damage in scans done before 2016.
Dr Black testified that brain scans done on Sanderson in 2009 had shown evidence of a number of ‘pathologies’ including aging, microvascular disease and normal pressure hydrocephalus.
He told the court there was no evidence of brain trauma caused by the crash, telling court there ‘is no evidence of post traumatic brain injury’ due to the crash.
While noting the anomalies in Sanderson’s brain scans, Dr Black said: ‘Those findings pre-date the accident and go back to 2009.’
Neurologist Dr Robert Hoesch appeared next and told court Sanderson’s symptoms – which include confusion and personality changes – are not due to the ski crash but underlying conditions.
Terry Sanderson (far left) sits with legal team Wednesday as they fight Paltrow for $300,000
Neurologist Dr Robert Hoesch told court Sanderson’s symptoms – which include confusion and personality changes – are not due to the ski crash but underlying conditions
He told court he doesn’t believe Sanderson was knocked out and said a mild concussion like the one suffered by the 76-year-old would have been healed within months ‘99 per cent of the time’.
He added: ‘What he has could be caused by multiple other conditions, which is more common.’
Dr Hoesch also said Sanderson doesn’t need ‘ongoing neurological treatment’ but did agree with a previous expert witness that the retiree has symptoms of memory-loss illness, dementia.
He said: ‘The ski injury caused a mild concussion and his symptoms are more likely to be due to pre-existing conditions or new conditions.’
Dr Hoesch also said Sanderson’s brain showed indications of multiple conditions and said he believes the former optometrist has not been diagnosed with dementia due to his ‘obsession’ with the case.
‘Being obsessed, being extremely anxious, that can cause problems with a whole host of functions, including with executive function and memory.’
Dr Angela Eastvold, a neuropsychologist and concussion expert who has reviewed Sanderson’s medical history, said she does not believe Sanderson suffered anything more than a mild concussion and any continuing symptoms can be explained by other conditions
Sanderson’s attorney Robert Sykes responded by telling court his client has never been diagnosed with dementia, despite multiple tests and MRI scans.
Just before lunch, defense expert Dr Angela Eastvold, a neuropsychologist and concussion expert who has reviewed Sanderson’s medical history, took the stand.
She said she does not believe Sanderson suffered anything more than a mild concussion and any continuing symptoms can be explained by other conditions.
The trial is scheduled to end at noon on Thursday with closing arguments expected to begin around 11am Mountain Time.
Jurors will then retire to consider their verdict which is expected to come Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.
