During the closing arguments in the civil trial between actor and Goop mogul Gwyneth Paltrow and retired eye doctor Terry Sanderson, Ms Paltrow’s lawyer argued that the crash damaged her attempt to blend her family with that of her husband Brad Falchuk.
Steve Owens argued that the ski trip had been orchestrated by Ms Paltrow to bring their families closer.
“They lost that because he hit her,” Mr Owens said as he pointed at Mr Sanderson and subsequently at Ms Paltrow. “He hurt her.”
The trial is taking place in Park City, Utah, the site of the annual Sundance Film Festival, where Ms Paltrow was involved in a collision with a retired eye doctor on the slopes of the Deer Valley Resort in 2016.
Jury deliberations have now begun.
Mr Sanderson is seeking $300,000 in damages for physical and emotional issues he argues are linked to the crash. He claims she caused the collision and that he suffered brain damage and broken ribs. Ms Paltrow is seeking $1 and for her legal costs to be covered, arguing that Mr Sanderson caused the collision.
From a guest appearance on a television series to their Hamptons nuptials, Ms Paltrow and Mr Falchuk have long been the face of the ultimate Hollywood couple – complete with now-blended families and separate living spaces.
The 50-year-old actor first met the 52-year-old television writer while appearing on the hit FOX musical comedy Glee, in 2010. Ms Paltrow, who was married to ex-husband Chris Martin at the time, guest starred as substitute teacher Holly Holliday on the show. Mr Falchuk, then married to producer Suzanne Bukinik, co-created the series alongside Ryan Murphy.
In March 2014, the Goop CEO announced that she and Mr Martin, the Coldplay frontman, were divorcing after 10 years of marriage. In a statement on the Goop website, Paltrow revealed they had decided to “consciously uncouple” and would continue to co-parent their two children, Apple and Moses.
Meanwhile, Mr Falchuk and Ms Bukinik divorced in 2013 after 19 years of marriage. The former couple share daughter Isabella and son Brody.
Months after the actress and the musician called it quits, Ms Paltrow and Mr Falchuk were first spotted together in the summer of 2014. A source told Us Weekly at the time that “things started off professionally” between the pair, but eventually became romantic.
The two made their relationship Instagram official in September 2015, when Ms Paltrow accompanied Mr Falchuk to the Los Angeles premiere of his TV show, Scream Queens. “My date and I #screamqueens,” he captioned a black-and-white selfie of the pair smiling.
