Family sues google after father drove onto collapsed bridge while following Google Maps’ directions

The lawsuit was filed by the family of a man who died when his car went off a disintegrated bridge while following Google Maps’ directions, alleging that the tech company was negligent. Philip Paxson, a father of two and a medical device salesman, tragically drowned on September 30, 2022, after his vehicle fell into a creek. The lawsuit claims that Google had been made aware of the collapse in Hickory, North Carolina, but did not update its navigation system.

The incident occurred while Paxson was driving home from his daughter’s 9th birthday party in an unfamiliar area. Google Maps supposedly directed him to cross a bridge that had collapsed nine years prior but was never repaired. His wife, Alicia Paxson, expressed dismay over the situation, stating that even as an adult, she struggles to comprehend how those responsible for the GPS directions and the bridge could have shown such disregard for human life.

According to the lawsuit, police discovered Paxton’s overturned and partially submerged truck with no barriers or warning signs along the washed-out roadway. The lawsuit also mentions that the bridge was not maintained by local or state officials, and the original developer’s company had dissolved. It names several private property management companies as responsible for the bridge and the adjoining land.

The lawsuit states that multiple individuals had notified Google Maps about the collapse before Paxson’s death, urging the company to update its route information. It includes email records from a Hickory resident who had used the map’s ‘suggest an edit’ feature in September 2020 to alert the company about directing drivers over the collapsed bridge. Despite receiving an email confirmation from Google in November 2020 acknowledging the report, the lawsuit alleges that Google took no further action.

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In response, Google spokesperson José Castañeda expressed condolences for the Paxson family and stated that the company’s aim is to provide accurate routing information in Maps. The company is reviewing the lawsuit.

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