Actress Gwyneth Paltrow denied that she skied into a man who accused her in a lawsuit of seriously injuring him at a Utah ski resort, alleging in a counter claim that the man actually ploughed into her from behind and delivered a full "body blow."
Paltrow was skiing on a family vacation on a beginner run at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, on February 26, 2016, when Terry Sanderson smashed into her, the actress' attorney alleged in a counter claim filed in court. Paltrow said she was shaken by the collision and quit skiing with her family for the day.
She said Sanderson apologised to her and said he was fine. She had previously denied blame for the crash in a statement but had not yet offered a full version of the events.
"She did not knock him down," Paltrow's court filing said. "He knocked her down. He was not knocked out."
The account differs greatly from the sequence of events alleged by Sanderson in the lawsuit filed January 29. He said Paltrow was skiing out of control and knocked him out, leaving him with a concussion and four broken ribs. Sanderson referred to it as a "hit and run" and is seeking $US3.1 million in damages.
Sanderson, a retired optometrist, told reporters in Salt Lake City on the day he sued that he waited to file the lawsuit for nearly three years because he had problems with attorneys and could not function properly because of the concussion.
Deer Valley Resort spokeswoman Emily Summers has said previously that the resort cannot comment on pending legal matters.
Sanderson's lawsuit against Paltrow also includes the resort as a defendant.
Paltrow is known for her roles in "Shakespeare in Love" and the "Iron Man" movies. She also owns a lifestyle company called goop.
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