Gwyneth Paltrow has defended her decision to fight her $300,000 ski crash dispute – despite easily being able to pay the settlement from her $200 million fortune.
The Oscar-winning actress said settling the case would have compromised her ‘integrity’, which is why she took it all the way to court in a statement uploaded to her Instagram story Thursday night.
In doing so the usually divisive Paltrow, 50, won over a legion of fans who were impressed by her principles, with some even coining the hashtag ‘#gwynnocent.’
The Oscar-winning actress left court triumphant after winning the bitter case against retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, 76, who claimed a 2016 skiing collision with the actress left him with four broken ribs and permanent brain damage.
It came after eight days of live-streamed courtroom testimony that drew worldwide audiences and inspired a host of memes from Paltrow who constantly appeared unimpressed.
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Paltrow defended her decision to fight her $300,000 ski crash dispute – despite easily being able to pay the settlement from her $200 million fortune. She is pictured leaving court this evening
Paltrow won over a legion of fans who were impressed by her principality through the trial , with some even coining the hashtag ‘#gwynnocent’
Retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, 76, claimed the 2016 skiing collision with the actress left him with four broken ribs and permanent brain damage
But critics had questioned why Paltrow didn’t just pay the sum – which is a small fraction of her net worth.
Taking to her Instagram stories following the jury’s decision, she explained: ‘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.’
Paltrow has a net worth of around $200 million, according to Cosmopolitan.
Much of her wealth is driven by her Goop wellness empire which alone is valued at $250 million.
After winning the suit, Paltrow is owed just a single dollar from Sanderson who must also pay her legal fees.
Lawyer Bradford Hardin was among those to question why Paltrow didn’t just pay Sanderson the $300,000 fee and avoid the media circus of attending court.
He wrote on Twitter this week: ‘Why is Gwyneth Paltrow, reportedly worth $200 million, spending her time taking a $300k claim all the way through trial?
‘Isn’t paying $300k and doing literally anything else a better use of time and money?’
But others praised Paltrow for the unusual move.
Journalist Billy Binion said: ‘Today I found out that Gwyneth Paltrow, whose net worth is $200 million, is countersuing the skier for $1.
‘That is *one* dollar. A level of pettiness to which we should all aspire.’
Meanwhile MailOnline comment writer Dan Wootton wrote that he felt the actress had been ‘totally stitched up.’
He added: ‘While I appreciate there won’t be much sympathy for the actress, believe it or not, she is standing up for an important point of principle: Innocent folk.’
It echoed a sentiment outlined by her attorneys who said she had shown ‘courage’ for attending the trial where she had become a ‘punching bag.’
The sensational case centered around a 2016 collision at the Deer Valley resort in Utah in which plaintiff Sanderson alleges Paltrow slammed into the back of him.
Paltrow posted a statement to her Instagram story Thursday night
Gwyneth Paltrow was seen touching Terry Sanderson’s shoulder, whispering ‘I wish you well’ before triumphantly leaving court after winning a case against the retired optometrist who claimed she’d caused a ski collision in 2016
She maintained that it was him who skidded into her.
Originally he was claiming damages of $3.1 million but this was later dropped to $300,000.
Sanderson laid into Paltrow for much of the trial, at one point even appearing to liken her to the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The jury deliberated for two hours and 20 minutes Thursday before deciding Sanderson was responsible for the crash.
As she left court, Paltrow was seen touching his shoulder as she whispered ‘I wish you well.’
The actress smiled and waved at photographers as she made her way out of court but refused to comment.
Paltrow’s attorney read a statement from the actress outside court.
Owens said: ‘We’re pleased with the outcome and appreciate the judge and jury’s consideration. Gwyneth has a history of standing up for what’s right and this situation is no different. She will continue to stand up for what’s right.’
Meanwhile, a deflated Sanderson said he stands by his version of events, despite losing the case.
Paltrow’s attorney said she had shown ‘courage’ for attending the trial where she had become a ‘punching bag’
Asked what he plans to do next, he joked: ‘Maybe Disneyland!’
Speaking outside court, Sanderson’s lawyer Kristin Van Orman said she was not starstruck by Paltrow and added: ‘I’ve been a lawyer for 30 years and juries never surprise me.’
Of Sanderson, she added: ‘He is suffering, he’s a very nice man.’