Gwyneth Paltrow said she was “pleased with the outcome” of the US skiing collision lawsuit, after jurors returned a verdict in her favour.
Shortly after the verdict was issued, she uploaded a statement to Instagram that read: “I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity.
“I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case.”
The actress was cleared of all fault in the case on Thursday. The lawsuit had been brought forward by retired optometrist Terry Sanderson.
The pair had collided while skiing at the Deer Valley resort in Utah over seven years ago, which left Mr Sanderson with several broken ribs and severe head injuries. Ms Paltrow disputed his claim that she was to blame, stating that she had lost "half a day of skiing" and was left feeling "sore".
Jurors returned a verdict in favour of the actress after just over two hours. Jurors apportioned “100%” of the blame to Mr Sanderson for the crash, and found him to be responsible for the injuries Ms Paltrow had suffered.
Ms Paltrow and Mr Sanderson, who both gave evidence during the two-week trial, were present in court for the verdict.
The actress did not appear to react as the verdict was returned, but was seen to let out a long breath.
As she exited the courtroom she touched Mr Sanderson on the shoulder and whispered "I wish you well" to him.
Ms Paltrow previously said she felt “very sorry” for Mr Sanderson’s health decline following the incident, but maintained she had not been “at fault” and said she had been the “victim”.
Paltrow’s lead attorney Steven Owen had said: “Gwyneth has a history of advocating for what she believes in – this situation was no different and she will continue to stand up for what is right.”
Speaking of the way he had been characterised during the trial, Sanderson said it was a “real disappointment” and that “It wasn’t just about the facts of the accident, was it?
“I listened to how I was characterized … it was narrative about the life I’ve lived. They said things that were absolutely not true.”
