Man drives car over collapsed bridge following Google Maps, tech giant sued by wife
A woman in North Carolina is suing Google after her husband was killed in a car accident while following directions on Google Maps last year.
emerging tech
Highlights
- The lawsuit claimed that Google Map led Paxon towards the bridge, which was damaged for nine years
- Police found Paxton's body in a submerged truck on a road without barriers or warning signs
A North Carolina woman has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that her husband, Philip Paxson, followed Google Maps and drove his car over a collapsed bridge, killing him in the incident. Paxson was travelling home from his daughter’s birthday party using Google’s navigation app.
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Paxson, father of two children, was killed on 30 September, 2022, when his car drove off a collapsed bridge in Snow Creek, Hickory.
The lawsuit claims that Google has been informed about the damaged bridge by several people before the incident and that it had not been operating for nine years.
Lawsuits statement
Philip Paxson’s wife, Alicia Paxson, described how difficult it was to tell their daughters about their father’s passing.
The lawsuit states that the police found Philip’s body submerged in a sunken truck on a damaged road with no barrier or warning signs.
The accident happened when Philip drove his truck off an unprotected cliff, which was approximately 20 feet.
Great negligence?
The family is suing Google for negligence and wrongful death. They say that despite repeated warnings, Google didn't update their route information.
They also said that a local resident got an email confirming the report, but nothing was done.
They're asking for compensatory, punitive, and legal fees for the Paxson family, which includes Philip's wife and two kids.
Google spokesperson statement
Google said they want to provide accurate routing information in Maps and expressed their sympathy for the Paxson family. They're still looking into the lawsuit.
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