On September 30th, 2022, a man tragically drove off a collapsed bridge while following directions from Google Maps, resulting in a fatal fall of approximately 20 feet. In response, his family has filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, along with two other businesses and an individual, alleging negligence. This case may have more legal validity than it initially appears.
The individual involved in this tragic incident was Philip Paxson, who was navigating through an unfamiliar neighborhood and reportedly relying on Google Maps for guidance. Photographs from the scene, including the one featured in our lead image, suggest that the damaged bridge should have been apparent. However, according to the lawsuit, Paxson was driving during inclement weather on a dark and rainy evening.
Police at the scene noted that the bridge had no barriers, warning signs, or other features to alert drivers to the danger. Authorities also say the bridge wasn’t maintained by local or state officials and that the original developer’s company had dissolved. Despite all of that, some could still see this as Paxson’s fault but one more wrinkle still exists.
Read: Grand Theft Auto Suspect Ditches Stolen Jaguar F-Type Under Bridge And Evades Police
Evidently, the bridge collapsed almost a decade ago and has been unpassable ever since. Despite numerous calls for Google Maps to remove it as a passable road, the tech giant never responded according to the suit. Notably, the family also included the owners of the bridge, Tarde, LLC, James Tarlton, and Hinckley Gauvain, LLC in the lawsuit.
“Our girls ask how and why their daddy died, and I’m at a loss for words they can understand because, as an adult, I still can’t understand how those responsible for the GPS directions and the bridge could have acted with so little regard for human life,” Paxson’s widow, Alicia, said.
“We have the deepest sympathies for the Paxson family,” Google spokesperson José Castañeda told The Associated Press. “Our goal is to provide accurate routing information in Maps and we are reviewing this lawsuit.” Should the family win, it could affect the way that Google and other navigation giants handle correction requests in the future.