The family of a North Carolina resident who tragically lost his life when his vehicle careened off a collapsed bridge while he was following directions from Google Maps is taking legal action against the tech giant. They are alleging negligence, contending that Google had prior knowledge of the bridge's condition but failed to update its navigation system accordingly.
The lawsuit, filed in Wake County Superior Court, recounts the unfortunate incident that took place on September 30, 2022. Philip Paxson, a medical device salesman and father of two, drowned when his Jeep Gladiator plunged into Snow Creek in Hickory. He was navigating through an unfamiliar neighborhood after celebrating his daughter's ninth birthday when Google Maps allegedly instructed him to cross a bridge that had collapsed nearly a decade earlier and had never been repaired.
Alicia Paxson, Philip's wife, expressed her frustration, stating, "Our daughters inquire about how and why their father passed away, and I struggle to find words they can comprehend. As an adult, I am still unable to fathom how those responsible for the GPS directions and the bridge could display such disregard for human life."
The lawsuit reveals that state troopers who discovered Paxson's overturned and partially submerged truck found no barriers or warning signs along the washed-out road. He had inadvertently driven off an unguarded edge and plummeted approximately 20 feet below.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol clarified that the bridge was not under the jurisdiction of local or state authorities, and the original developer's company had dissolved. The lawsuit identifies multiple private property management firms as the entities responsible for the bridge and the adjacent land.
According to the lawsuit, numerous individuals had notified Google Maps about the bridge's collapse in the years preceding Paxson's tragic accident, urging the company to revise its route information. The court filing includes email records from a Hickory resident who, in September 2020, utilized the map's "suggest an edit" feature to report that the directions were leading drivers over the collapsed bridge. Although Google confirmed receipt of her report in a November 2020 email, the lawsuit contends that the company took no further action.
Google spokesperson José Castañeda expressed condolences to the Paxson family and stated, "Our primary objective is to offer precise routing information in Maps, and we are currently reviewing this lawsuit."
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